Swing Life Away [Kellic]

Chapter Four

Saturday afternoon found me taking a lonely trip to the laundrette. Copeland and Vic were at home while I lugged our week worth of dirty laundry down several blocks to the only row of operating shops in our little slum.

Besides the laundrette, there was a little sundry shop that relied mainly on cigarette sales and the odd drug transfer or two. There was a bar that was exclusive to one group of gangsters two doors down and a dusty little diner in the other direction. I've been to the diner once when I was desperately hungry and had forgotten to grab a bite before leaving town. The food was bland and the coffee was just muddy water and I found a maggot in the soggy salad. I never went back there again.

I wasn't the only person getting their laundry done. There was a young, worn out looking girl perched on top of an unoccupied washing machine waiting for hers to complete its cycle. She took a deep breath of her cigarette, hollowing out her already empty cheeks. She shared the same grey complexion and dark eye bags that basically every resident in this area had. Her dirty blonde hair was piled on top of her head, bobbing slightly as she cocked her head in my direction in greeting before returning to her cigarette. An overweight man in loose and stained clothes was staring at a tumbling dryer in the far corner of the shop. He didn't seem to be aware of anything other than his clothes, so I let him be.

Something outside the shop caught my eye. A shiny car, too sleek for these surroundings, drove past the shops and towards the housing areas. It was headed the same direction as my apartment, I noted. I didn't think too much about it. The car could've been meant for anybody. Maybe some mafia leader was coming to visit some of his henchmen. I highly doubt anybody would willingly come to this shithole. Anyway, it wasn't my place to be nosy about these things.

The timer on my dryer went off and I scooped all its contents into my laundry basket. I would do the folding at home, I decided, where the surfaces were less dusty. I double checked the machine to make sure I didn't leave anything behind and I made my way back home.

When I reached the front entrance of my apartment, I noticed a sleek and shiny car parked before the door, almost blocking the way with all its expensive, silver coloured grandeur. I squeezed past the car, taking care not to scratch its reflective surface. I made it to the top of the staircase when I heard a familiar voice.

Katelynne. And she wasn't alone.

"Kellin, are you home?" Katelynne knocked on the door. A tall man in a grey suit was standing beside her with a briefcase in his hands.

"Not technically," I spoke up.

Katelynne jumped. "Oh, I thought I heard the baby inside. Where's Copeland?" She asked when she noticed that I didn't have Copeland with me.

"Inside," I answered shortly, not caring to elaborate. "Why would you care?"

"She's my child," she said softly. I ignored her, pushing past her to open the door and let myself in.

I didn't explicitly let them in but Katelynne took the open door behind me as invitation enough. Vic was standing with Copeland in his arms and fear in his wide eyed browns, unsure of what to do. I grabbed Copeland from him and tried to convey as much comfort and reassurance as I could to him in a split second of silent exchange.

Katelynne caught sight of Vic and asked, "Who's that?"

"This is Vic," I nodded at him. "Vic, this is Katelynne. And who's your company, Kate?"

Katelynne replied, "This is my lawyer, Mr Smith. We're here to discuss Copeland's custody." She must've seen my shocked look because she raised her arms in defence. "Relax, Kellin, I'm giving you full custody of Copeland," she told me.