Pieces of Me by Darlene Ryan

hadn’t been watching his face so closely. Michael leaned toward Dylan, who leaned back against me just a little. “You did good,” he said.
    â€œI did?” Dylan looked up at me for confirmation, and I nodded slightly.
    I noticed then that Michael was carrying fast food. At the same time it was registering that it shouldn’t have taken so long for him to go get some greasy hamburgers, I realized I could smell alcohol on the man. He’d been somewhere for a drink. Or two. He was a crappy father cliché.
    Michael handed the bag to Dylan. “Here,” he said. “Wake your brother up and give him something to eat.”
    Dylan took the food, at the same time reaching for my hand and squeezing it. I squeezed back, then opened the door and helped him climb into the driver’s seat of the van.
    â€œSee you, Maddie,” he whispered.
    â€œSee you,” I whispered back.
    I turned around to find Michael watching me and Q watching him.
    â€œYou know my wife,” Michael said. He didn’t look like he smiled much.
    â€œA little,” I said.
    â€œMan, I’m sorry about the misunderstanding,” Q said.
    â€œIt’s just, Maddie loves kids.”
    â€œShit, you want one?” Michael asked. “You can’t get a break, you know?” He wiped a hand across his face. “First I lose my job, and then the kids need so goddamn much crap, you know? You have any idea what diapers and all that shit cost?”
    â€œLucky for me, I don’t,” Q said.
    What the heck was he talking about? I shot him a glare, but his expression didn’t change.
    I saw Q look to see if the kids were okay in the van. “We gotta get going,” he said to Michael. “You need a babysitter, like I said, Maddie loves kids.” He reached for my hand. I grabbed the pizza box, thinking I was going to beat the crap out of Q with it the first chance I got.
    â€œAnd sorry about before,” Q added.
    Michael shrugged. “Not a problem.”
    Q and I walked away, and I waited until we were out of sight of the van before I stopped and let go of his hand. “What was all that crap?” I said. “That guy’s a jerk.”
    â€œI know,” Q said evenly.
    I glared at him. One of my hands was clenched in my pocket. The other was crushing the pizza box. “You know? So what was all that ‘Maddie loves kids’ and ‘Sorry about before’?”
    Q started walking again, and I had to scramble after him. “Maddie, if I get into a pissing contest with that guy, who do you think’s gonna pay for it?”
    I had to take a bunch of deep breaths before I could say anything. “You think he’d…” I couldn’t finish the sentence.
    â€œI know he would,” Q said. “Better he thinks he got the better of me than he thinks he looked like a fool.”
    I looked back over my shoulder. “We can’t leave them with him.”
    Q caught my arm. “Yes, we can. He’s their father.”
    I tried to pull away, but Q held on to me. “He left two little kids by themselves. And don’t say you didn’t smell him, Q.”
    â€œLet it be, Maddie,” Q said. “I know Michael was drinking. I know everything someone like Michael does. Believe me. But he’s their dad, and you’re just a kid living on the street. Who do you think anyone’s gonna believe?”
    I finally yanked my arm out of Q’s grip, but I didn’t bolt back to the van. “So I’m just supposed to do nothing?” I blinked a couple of times because all of a sudden there was something in my eye.
    â€œNo. We’re going to be here for a few days, and so are they. You heard me tell him you could babysit.”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œSo maybe you’ll get the chance. And maybe you’ll be able to find out how Michael treats the kids.”
    I looked at him then. He was rubbing a hand up and down