The Ace of Spades

Chapter 1

In 1980 or maybe 1970 but I don't think 1960 because - was Mimi even born in the '60s? Weren't dinosaurs roaming Earth back then? Ugh, math.

Some year ending in a zero, Mimi met Viv. It sounds like a shitty rom-com title to whoever hears it without knowing the full story. Really, Mea, Jojo, and Toto don't even know the full story. Mea's probably caught onto most of what happened by the tail-end of so many conversations she's heard, but even she's still partly clueless.

From what Mea knows, Mimi and 2 year old Jojo were there (but of course Jojo remembers diddly squat) and their father was MIA (no one is shocked, really), Toto wasn't even a twinkle in Mimi's eye, and Mea was residing in Mimi's uterus for the time being. Mea knows they'd wrote each other for years and after their father finally gave the whole "this is for the best; it's not you, it's me" speech and took off, Viv was finally more than just a name.

Viv had long deep brown hair and eyes as brown as the Earth, soft olive skin that was often clothed in flowy dresses, and a silver stud in the left side of her nose. Mimi and Viv were probably fairly close in age, Viv perhaps a few years older, and she was wonderful in all the ways Mimi wasn't.

Of course, Mea thinks, Mimi is wonderful. No one makes better peach cobbler than Mimi, and no one reads bedtime stories more vividly (Mea is years too old for those now, but from her bedroom she can hear Mimi read them to Toto and that's enough). Mimi is just flustered, is all. Doug (Mea's father) left everything on Mimi's shoulders and the kids aren't exactly angels.

Mea's not surprised to hear that Mimi is shipping them off to Viv's for the summer, at any rate. It happens in the movies, it happens in the books, it happens in real life too. Toto is still young enough that he's elated to find out they're spending the summer away from home, no less with Viv. Jojo, however, is less thrilled, but Mea's not blind to see that she's still anticipating a summer away from Harley Henderson (he's hot, that's true, and Mea's heard his cock is huge, but she knows with a big dick comes a big dick).

Mea is indifferent about it.

Mea is indifferent about everything.

Mea would sit in the centre of the highway and not feel any different about life in general.

Mostly, Mea is just waiting. Waiting for something she's sure is not going to come, but she is waiting. Her thoughts are consumed and distracted, and that's just the way life is. That's just the way Mea is.

**

From where Mea sits on her window ledge, she can see Old Man Davies mowing his lawn. Mea thinks she could be anywhere in the world and hear him mowing, what with his piece of shit lawnmower and all. Nevertheless, she sits, knees-to-chest, and stares.

The world around her goes on the longer she stares at absolutely nothing and that doesn't terrify her as much as it should.

**

Little Libby Payne hasn't spoken since her mother passed away 2 years ago. Mea doesn't speak much herself, but she still thinks 2 years is a hell of a long time. Nonetheless, Mea, Libby, and Libby's dog, Rudy, all sit together by the meadow and - sit. Just sit. Libby and Mea don't talk. Rudy would sooner speak than either of the girls. Despite Mea and Libby's lack of conversation and their abundant age difference, Libby is probably Mea's best friend. They haven't really declared it, but it works.

Things work around here. That is enough.

**

Mimi makes a big dinner for everyone on their last night at home. Mea notices that Jojo is a little put out that she's missing Lilly Deakin's party, but by tomorrow she'll be over it. That's one admirable trait of Jojo, she doesn't hold onto things forever. Mimi once said that was a negative trait of Jojo's, but Mea doesn't see negativity in the ability to always let go.

There are dishes on the dining table piled with sweet potatoes, green beans, chicken parmesan, and steamed cauliflower when Mea takes her seat for dinner. Mouth-watering and filling.

"Sugar potatoes!" Toto exclaims upon seeing the feast. And yeah, Toto is cute.

"Sweet potatoes, Toto," Mimi corrects with a fond smile on her face.

Mea just knows Mimi will cry tomorrow. Mea is dreading that.

"Toto is sweet. Toto potatoes!" He giggles. Too cute, perhaps.

"Toto potatoes is the funniest thing I've ever heard!" Jojo laughs.

Mea thinks Jojo's laugh is what angels sound like when they sing (if angels existed) and that's not much of a good thought when she's already feeling rather emotional. Jojo's always been there for Mea, though. The sisters have grown apart drastically in recent years, but Mea still distinctly remembers when Jojo's laughter was the prettiest, happiest thing ever. Some things don't change.

Mimi is smiling around the table at her children, probably thinking of how wonderful they are. Probably already preparing the opening of the flood gates. Fuck, Mea's not ready for that.

They mostly eat in silence, as per usual, but tonight it feels different. It's a companionable silence.

Warm plum pie and homemade whipped cream is served for dessert, and Mea spends the entire meal contemplating if homemade whipped cream is technically homemade or what. She comes up conclusionless and ends up staring at the framed wolf plate on the wall behind Toto's little head.

**

Mea helps to load Toto's luggage in the trunk of Mimi's car because he's still too small to lift the suitcase that's half his height. He's a tall 5 year old, even by Mea's standards (she was like Godzilla at his age), but he's scrawny and his noodle arms are, quite frankly, no match for the mammoth suitcase.

Mea's not sure how Libby knows she's leaving today (perhaps she just sees the four of them loading their trunk with bags and puts two and two together; no one really knows for sure with Libby), but nevertheless she runs over and slams into Mea with a big bear hug. Mea hopes Libby will be alright alone for two months, but despite how strange Libby is, she is strong and brave. Libby is woman, hear her roar.

Jojo smiles at the hug, even cheerfully pulling Libby into a hug of her own. A stiff hug. Jojo is unfazed, Libby looks uncomfortable.

Toto blushes when Libby hugs him goodbye as well. After a few off-handed comments about the blondie from up the road, Mea knew Toto had a little crush on Libby. ("Oh, an older woman, Toto! You stud," Jojo had teased when Toto commented on how pretty she was when she smiled.) Mea begins to think Libby might know about said crush, because she smirks a little at Toto's tomato face. Smart little Libby.

**

Mimi - thankfully - keeps her tears in check for the entire five hour drive. She does, however, remind the kids listlessly that she's "only a drive away!" and "I still love you! This is not me disowning you, it's just... an adventure, let's say."

Mea's never been to Viv's house so she spends a portion of the car ride dreaming up the place. She's unsure of what type of location it'll even be in, considering five hours is much further than the furthest she's ever travelled.

Toto needs frequent stops to empty his bladder ("what bladder? I swear he pees every two minutes!"), the constant stop-and-go of Mimi's car giving Mea a headache from Hell. (If Hell existed.)

Jojo and Mimi are closest, literally and metamorphically, so they chat for virtually the entire journey. Mea was done hearing about Tommy Reid twenty minutes into the trip, two hours later she is beyond whatever comes after done. Toto plays with his plastic toy horses, Max and Ruby (named after his favourite television show), quietly beside Mea. He's a good little boy, knows how to give space to those who need it, even when they don't say it.

If Mea nods off eventually, well, no one notices or no one really cares.