Behind the Hood (Behind the Lives) (5 page)

A rat-a-tat-tat on the ranch-slider made Janice jump. Brown curtains blocked her view of the front porch. Was it the cops again?

She squeezed Caitlin tighter.

“Ow!” Caitlin yelped.

Janice loosened her grip. “Sshh ... Sorry, baby, Mummy didn’t mean to hurt you.”

The rapping grew louder. The door wasn’t locked. Janice started to rock Caitlin back and forth.

She couldn’t do this alone. “Tivo, please come back. I need you. Please...” She sniffled. “I’m sorry that I ignored you before. But they would’ve put me in the psyche ward. I need to be with Caitlin. Please listen...”

Tivo shouldn’t have left her. She didn’t have a choice. Plus, she’d sacrificed taking her pills for him. Even though her medication calmed her, they had nasty side effects. They made her sleepy and hungry as well as vanquishing all her spirit guides. She couldn’t give up Tivo. Out of all her spirit guides he was her favourite—he kept her sane and stopped her from feeling lonely.

Her doctor diagnosed her as schizophrenic. Janice disagreed, saying she didn’t have different personalities. He explained this was a common misconception and that schizophrenia caused her memory lapses, paranoia, anxiety, fear of people, and hallucinations. She had gotten mad with him when he’d said her spirit guides weren’t real. How would he know? He didn’t see them.

Betsy’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “Jan, open up!”

Caitlin tried to wiggle out of Janice’s grip. “Besy, Besy, Besy...”

Relieved, Janice let go. Caitlin jumped off her lap, ran to the ranch-slider, and opened it.

Betsy stepped inside. Her tiny figure was wrapped in a teal dressing gown and her curly black hair piled high in a tidy bun. She looked much younger than her thirty-eight years, and showed no signs of having had six children.

Janice wished she had a large family like Betsy. But with what had happened to her husbands, she realised that having more children was unlikely.

“Why were the cops here?” Betsy asked.

Caitlin stamped a foot. “Meanies-meanies w-w-want Tama.”

Betsy’s eyes widened. “Why? What did he do?”

Janice slumped further into the couch and covered her face.

Betsy sat down next to her, and hooked an arm over her shoulder. “Tell me what happened.”

“They said he stabbed Maia Daniels.”

Betsy gasped. “Nike’s sister?”

Janice nodded and wiped her nose on the back of her arm. “The Daniels always cause trouble for Tama. He ran. Poor kid’s probably scared half out of his wits.”

Betsy hugged Janice. “You should be with someone, Jan. Come over. I’ll make up a bed for you and Caitlin.”

Janice shook her head. “No, I need to stay here. Take Caitlin. I don’t want the cops coming back for her.”

“Why would they take her?”

Caitlin started screaming, “No, No! Pigs b-bad-bad.”

Janice stared at her daughter in surprise, wondering who had taught Caitlin that name. Janice never called the police
pigs
.

Caitlin took off outside. Betsy jumped up and rushed after her. Caitlin was fast. Even though her daughter was only five, Janice still found it hard to catch her. With Betsy’s small legs, she knew her neighbour would find it difficult too.

Janice’s hands began to shake again. Betsy could take care of Caitlin; Janice desperately needed a drink—even the pills would do—anything to calm her nerves. She stood up and shuffled over the worn-out carpet and into the kitchen. On her tiptoes, she opened the cupboard above the bread bin and sifted through the packets of pills. A few dropped onto the bench in front of the knife block.

Janice’s eyes locked onto the knives. Tama liked knives. He whittled wood and carved. She’d bought him a carving kit for his seventeenth birthday, and had given him money for his eighteenth for a new knife. She pulled out her necklace and looked at the
koru
he’d made for mother’s day. He’d said that the curled fern symbolised new life and peace, as well as representing his love for her.

Her daughter started screaming again. She moved the curtains and peered through the window. Betsy had Caitlin in a tight embrace. She always thought Betsy was a good mother. Her friend was a confident lady, always able to stand up against anyone that upset her children. It didn’t matter that she was tiny; Betsy would barge into any neighbour’s house and demand an apology if someone had upset one of her darlings. Betsy had no fear. Janice had nothing
but
fear.

She continued to watch as Betsy calmed Caitlin down. Caitlin would be better off with Betsy. She would protect her. If Tama had been Betsy’s child she would have protected him too.

Janice focused on the knives again. Like Tama, they fascinated her. Although they hurt, bliss always followed after she passed out. No more thought, no more pain. She ran a shaky finger across the thick scars on her left arm, starting from her wrist and running up a few inches. She’d slashed them twice, but each time Tama had been there for her. He’d wrapped her wrists with his shirt and called an ambulance. She wished he was here now.

She pulled out a knife from the block and ran a finger across the metal.

Bliss.

5

Tama

Shit, Jayden’s weed was great. It gave him the giggles, like a fucking little girl. Tama knew he should’ve kept it to sell, but couldn’t hold off toking the smoke. Or was that smoking the toke? Fuck knows! He just knew he felt awesome.

He continued giggling as he staggered down the road. He’d given up hiding. No one was looking for him at this time of morning anyway. Plus, Nike could wait a few hours. Why hurry? He most certainly didn’t want to rush his plans for Nike’s fucking gorgeous wifey. Ooh ... he liked Jess—a lot. He was so going to enjoy her. No quickie there. Yeah!

“Don’t stop ‘til you get enough,” he sang. He grabbed his crotch, did a Michael Jackson yell, then twirled around and arsed over.

He laughed as he pushed himself up off the grass, and headed towards Mikey’s place. His cuz lived a few blocks from Jayden. The area was pretty much the same, filled with crappy houses that moulded up during winter and were toasters during summer. Mikey was the only child of his dad’s little sister. Though little could hardly describe his Aunty Trina; instead she was one big mother—

Tama jumped at the blast of a siren. It sounded about a block away. He took shelter under a tree. “Mofuckin’ pigs, don’t they ever sleep?” he muttered.

The siren gradually moved away. Tama relaxed and took another hit of his joint as he squinted up the street. Man, Claydon was dark at night. He’d been to Remuera, the snobby side of Auckland, and the streets there were lit up like a Christmas tree. Got a great present too, but almost got caught when the owners came home. Lucky he and Jayden were on their way out. Shoved that 40-inch telly into the back of Jayden’s van so fast they nearly busted the damn thing. But it had been worth the trouble just to see his mother happy.

He would miss her a helluva lot. He felt bad that he didn’t give her a proper goodbye before the pigs showed up. But he couldn’t risk going to anal central. Soap was slippery stuff and his arse was way too pretty.

But what’s to say he couldn’t visit her every so often. Or she could catch a bus up north with Caitlin and they could make a nice home in Kaitaia. He’d support them by selling his carvings and growing a marijuana patch like his uncle. That would be way cool. All natural living, yeah!

Someone coughed further down the street. Tama watched as a figure holding a bottle staggered towards him. He’d love some booze. Maybe they also had some cash.

Tama pulled out his switchblade. He started giggling then stopped himself. Didn’t want to warn the dude ... or chick? Wouldn’t it be cool if it was a chick—booze, cash, and a screw all in one hit.

As the figure came closer Tama let out a disappointed grunt. It was no chick, it was bloody Aroha Summers. He would never dip his wick into that. Her name meant
unconditional love
alright; she gave out to too many guys. If he did put it in, no doubt he’d get
unconditional disease.

Well, maybe it wasn’t a total loss. She could still have some cash.

“Aroha, c’mere!”

Aroha squealed. The bottle slipped out of her hand and smashed on the concrete.

“You stupid bitch, why’d ja do that for?”

“Tama?” Aroha moved closer.

She wasn’t half bad looking for an old bird. Forty or so, give or take a few years. She had nasty-arse hair though, didn’t look like it ever saw a brush. She smelt too, and not from the piss she’d been drinking either.

Tama covered his nose. “Yeah ... got any cash?”

“Nah, forgot my purse.”

“Well, you’re bloody useless, no cash or alcohol, bugger off.” Tama waved his hand.

Aroha stayed rooted to the spot, her eyes taking in every inch of his body. She licked her lips. Tama cringed and took a step back. No way was he letting her near him. He didn’t even want to contaminate his knife let alone his dick. He closed his switchblade and pocketed it.

Aroha coughed and hit her chest. “Heard you cut Nike’s sister.”

Tama perked up. It felt good to be talked about. “Yeah ... who told you?”

“A few guys I know. They also said your boys got nicked.”

Tama’s face dropped. God, he hoped Mikey wasn’t one of them. He felt bad for the others, but Mikey was blood. He’d also promised his aunty that he wouldn’t get him into trouble. Shit, he shouldn’t have split without making sure the boy was alright first.

“What about Mikey?”

“Heard nuthin’ ‘bout him, but Naf, Corey, and Trey were all pinched by the coppers.”

Tama let out a relieved sigh. The old bird had him going there for a moment. Mikey must have gotten away with Sledge. The kid made him proud. Fast like Tama. Plus, the other guys could handle one night in the slammer. Unlike Mikey, who’d never been arrested, they were used to the rap. As long as they didn’t do anything too bad they knew they’d be out the next day, and since they hadn’t touched Maia the pigs had nothing on them.

Aroha smiled. “You wanna come to my place?”

Tama shuddered. He could imagine what it looked like, just as scabby as she was, and probably stunk as well.

“Nah, got places to go.”

“Oh, come on, honeybuns. I won’t tell anyone.” She took a step forward. “You can stay as long as you like.”

He backed up into the tree.

“And I heard you’re
real
big.” She licked her lips and extended a hand towards his crotch.

“Don’t touch me!” He sidestepped her and took off at a run.

“I’ll pay ya!”

Yeah, with crabs. Tama kept on running.

***

Tama was annoyed with himself. He should have known Mikey hadn’t gone home. Hell, why would he? He didn’t stay at his for more than a few minutes. Plus, if he lived with his Aunty Trina he would have split ages ago. She was one scary mother. Poor kid was probably more afraid of his mother’s reaction than being hauled in by the pigs.

Sheesh, his aunty looked like she was going to belt him round the head. He’d take it too. He deserved it for not taking care of Mikey.

“Get in here now, you little bastard.” Aunty Trina grabbed Tama’s ear and pulled him inside. She was the same height and twice as wide as him. All the women on his dad’s side were fat Amazons.

She slammed the door behind her and hauled his sorry arse over to the couch.

Tama clutched her hand to stop her from yanking his bloody ear off. “Ow, ow, ow... let up, Aunty, I didn’t mean to get Mikey into shit. It wuz that fuckin’ bitch’s fault.”

Her hand whipped out so fast that Tama didn’t see it, but sure as hell felt the result. Bloody stung like fuck. Tama grabbed his left cheek.

“Watch your dirty mouth, boy,” she snapped. “Sit.” She pointed to the couch.