He’s crossing the parking lot, about to check his phone for the nearest bus stop where he can catch a ride to the central terminal, when a car coming from the lot pulls up beside him. The window slides down, and the driver leans sideways to speak to him. “Hey, you’re Ethan, right?”
Ethan recognizes him as Aunt Yakeera’s boyfriend. What the fuck is he doing here? “Uh, yeah,” he says, still walking.
“I’m John. I realize that must’ve been weird for you back at the house. Sorry. Can I give you a lift somewhere?”
John, huh? He could’ve been more creative with his fake name. But Ethan is poised between curiosity and thinking the wise thing would be to run like the devil out of here. Curiosity wins, mainly because he really does need a ride. Normally he would do anything rather than get into a car with some strange dude who might be a serial killer for all he knows. But with all that’s happened in the last few weeks—Ma’s accident, Antoine’s threats, Teshi going into a coma—he’s developing a real what the fuck attitude. Whatever he does, right or wrong, shit is happening, so he might as well pick what’s convenient and worry about the rest later.
So he gets into the car with the white dude whose name probably isn’t John, and they drive off.
“Where are you going?” John says.
Ethan doesn’t want him to know his destination is the main bus terminal because he might tell Aunt Yakeera later on. Instead, he asks him to drop him at an intersection near there.
“Your aunt’s real nice.” The dude’s smile looks like a leer to Ethan. This is a conversation he definitely doesn’t want to be having. He turns to stare out the side window.
“But I’d appreciate if you don’t tell anyone about me and her,” John continues.
Ethan is about to tell him he doesn’t give a single fuck about him or his sordid affair with Aunt Yakeera, but a sudden thought stops him.
“Sure,” he says. “I won’t say a thing.” He pauses like the next subject isn’t related. “Did you know my ma lost her job? And then she got hit by a car?”
“Oh wow. I hope she’s all right.”
“Not really. She’s dizzy and confused all the time, so she can’t work right now. We can’t pay the rent. I think we’re going to get evicted.” Ethan gives the man his most tragic expression.
John gets it. “I can help this one time.”
They drive a few blocks and stop at an ATM. When he comes back, he hands over a pile of bills.
“I got you a thousand,” John says.
Ethan can’t believe his eyes. He sure made the right choice to ditch his aunt at the restaurant. On the other hand, this dude is clearly bribing him to keep his mouth shut.
There’s so much worst shit happening, he can’t worry about that now. With this money, he and Ma can afford to pay next month’s rent. He can’t run away now. But he still has the problem of Antoine. He needs help, or at least advice. He glances sideways at his aunt’s boyfriend, thinking white people hold more sway with the police. Maybe John could make a deal for him—turn in Antoine and they don’t charge him with anything.
But then, this is a guy who cheats on his wife, bribes kids, and probably lied about his name. He can’t be trusted to help Ethan. He doesn’t want anyone to know he has anything to do with Ethan’s family. All he wants is to keep his secret.
But Ethan knows another white dude who he actually trusts. Mr. Flannery. Maybe his teacher can help him. Maybe Mr. Flannery can find him a smart, free lawyer who can get him out of this mess. He should go talk to him. Maybe not tell him what he did. Say that he’s asking for a friend. In fact, he can use Teshi. It’s already known that Teshi was caught stealing. He can say, he wants to help Teshi once she gets out of the coma.
He turns to John. “I changed my mind about where I’m going.” He gives John the address of the lady who fired him as a dog-walker. He can ask her which house belongs to Mr. Flannery.
His teacher will help him. He’s sure of it.