The Bitter Truth

Chapter 14 ~ In hot water for others

Jaime's racing heart finally slowed as she realized the person in her car was only Mike.

"Really?!" she screamed, looking back at him, wondering why he had gone through all the trouble to follow and scare her.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded in a lethally calm tone, one that struck her core.

"I was... none of your business!"

"It is my business."

"How so?!"

His response was like a knife, sharp and silencing. "You know so."

Jaime blew out a nervous breath and then swallowed her spit, returning her eyes to the wheel.

"I was helping Ronny..." she admitted, feeling the tension rise and her blood thicken.

"With?"

"...Finding information... on his mother."

"That's not your job, Mildez," he stated firmly.

She swallowed again, watching cars fly fast theirs. Bitter silence filled for a beat until Jaime mustered the courage to apologize.

Mike exited the back and knocked on the driver's side door til she opened it. As she tried to walk past him, he snatched her up by the arm.

Her heart jumped to her throat as he warned, "Don't try that shit again. Or I'll be forced to tell him."

Her eyes remained glued to the ground, and her body trembled slightly.

"Do I make myself clear?" he asked, squeezing a little tighter.

"Yes..." she answered in a low voice.

When he let her go, she made her way to the passenger side.

*** 

 While chiseling away into the rocks, Ronny couldn't help but notice Arliss being standoffish this day, and it was beginning to irk his soul.

"Ya alright?" he finally asked, unable to take it anymore.

Arliss merely pulled a page from Saija's book, remained silent, and only cast his eyes. He then slammed his axe down into the rocks, showering bits of dust and chips of stone into the air.

"Don't do all that!" Ronny chided, the sound of the axes cracking and smashing between their talk. "When there's somethin' wrong, we discuss it... always have."

"Fine," Arliss gritted out.

"Fine? Well, spit it out!"

"I think ya owe the kid an apology..."

Ronny nearly dropped his axe from his eyes fleeing the rocks mid-swing and shooting at Arliss in shock. His mouth gaped open; he couldn't believe what he was hearing. This man was the man who would have done more than he had done yesterday.

"I know ya lyin' man... I barely walloped her!"

Arliss disputed, "Not for the thrashin'... for tryna force her to talk when she wasn't ready and then hittin' her for it."

Ronny rolled his eyes, returning to his work. "Fine, whatever; I'll apologize." He flared his nostrils as he swung the axe a little harder. "If that'll make ya happy, man."

"Naw, there's the problem, sonny... Don't do it to appease me."

Ronny's face scrunched up as he spit, "Everything I do is to appease you."

"I ain't even gonna comment on that," Arliss argued, taking a second to gather his breath. Speaking and swinging was hard. But he still had more to say. "Don't do it to appease me or even her... Do it because ya believe it's right. If ya don't believe it, well, then don't do it."