“That’s not what I want them to do. I just want them to give me some information that might help him.”

She shakes her head and lights another cigarette.

“You’re wasting your time.”

“Maybe I am, but I have to do something,” I say. Sensing that I’m not getting through, I search for another approach.

“And if by some chance I can get him out, I’m sure that he’ll be happy to pay your rent and car payments again.”

I can tell that I have hit on something by the way her eyes light up as if there’s a bulb flashing over her head. Finally, she has a reason to help.

“There’s a clubhouse they used to all meet at. It’s in South Boston, nowhere a pretty girl like you should ever step foot in. I have no idea if they still meet there but they are creatures of habit,” Mrs. Crawford says, putting out her cigarette. “But I’ve got to warn you, if you go there, you’ll be a sheep walking into a wolf’s den. And I don’t say that lightly.”

7

Olive

When I make a decision…

I don’t think much of Nicholas’ mother and I can see why he never introduced me to her before. I knew that his relationship with her was as complicated as my relationship with my own mother and sometimes the best thing to do in situations like ours is to just bury our grief and disappointment deep inside. I know that’s not the healthy thing to do, but it’s often the easiest.

The one thing that I have been debating whether or not to bring up was Ashley. I needed her to tell me the truth about his old friends and I may need to follow up with her again, so I can’t bring myself to say everything I thought about her for what she did to my best friend.

Ashley had gone through so much and she kept all of her sorrows bottled up within her.

I wish that she could’ve opened up to me just once, perhaps then there would’ve been something I could’ve done.

This was my opportunity to say something to the woman who hurt her but I didn’t do it. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t want to burn a bridge I might need to use in the future.

Later that evening, curled up on my bed, I consider my options.