Chapter 6
two years later (1931)
Velma was the first one awake, and she removed Billy's hand from around her, to around her son. She went into the kitchen to find no more coffee left and little food. Not only times in Chicago were bad, times were bad in other states, in other countries. But all she felt she had, or could for her sake, worry about was Chicago. She thought of Roxy sometimes out of the blue, some of the littlest things reminded her of her. She would find little things Roxy and Buddy had forgot to pack, or simply didn't need around the house. She grabbed some money she found that she had hid and forgotten about in a pot. (Since she never cooked it was forgotten easily) She grabbed her coat and simply threw it over her black lace nightgown—or what use to be her costume. As she was about to head out the door a man approached in the doorway. She didn't want to leave the door open, because she didn't want to wake her son or the very tired Billy. But she felt she couldn't trust this man. So she left the door open and stayed in her apartment side of the door. "Come on. Pay up" he spoke like he really didn't want to be there. "Pay what up?" Velma put on her bitchy side, which she still was good at. "It's me, Mr. Kaiser. Your way behind Velma, your not big anymore, no more sliding the rent" he grunted. "I… we simply don't have the money, I'm sorry" she was starting to close the door on him but he put his hand out and held the door open. "Your money now, or you're getting out now" he glared. "Look Mr. Kaiser I don't have your dumb money, now get out of my apartment." She glared back. "Your apartment?! You don't have the dumb money?!" he yelled. She tried to push the door close again, but he flung it open. "Look, Ms. Kelly…" he grabbed her arm hard and back her up steadily. He pushed her on to the couch hard. "We don't have the money, we don't have it!" she yelled. "Well if you don't have the money, then how are you going to pay what you owe me!" he screamed. "I don't know!" she pushed his arm away from her. "Well I suggest you come up with some thing…" he quieted down… "And quick!" he shouted again. She started to sob, and he grinned, as he lightly touched her face. She glared at him, and just as Billy came out, he saw her kick him hard in the groin. "Oh, God. Velma!" he couldn't help but smile as he came out. "What are you grinning about?" she smiled. "You" he tried not to laugh as the man got up off the floor. "I want you all out! NOW!" he screamed as he limped out of the apartment. It was quite funny for awhile, until they realized they were now homeless. Velma who still sat on the couch, looked up at Billy as he stood in front of her. She put her hand out and he pulled her off the couch and into his arms. He was about to give her some comforting words, after a minute of hugging, when the landlord came storming back in. "I will be back in an hour. If your not gone by then, I will kill you all, and if you think for a minute that I'm not serious, go ahead and test me" he glared as he walked away, again, slamming the door behind him.
Velma back away from Billy this time, and grabbed a duffle bag that was under the bed, where her son still lay. Velma didn't notice him looking at her as she collected clothing for the three of them. (Billy was in the kitchen collecting food into a smaller separate bag. "Mommy?" asked her son. "Yes, hunny?" Velma slowed her pace down, as she found she couldn't take as much as she thought. "Where are we going?" she was surprised that he connected the duffle bag, with travel. (Since they never really "traveled- traveled") "Well, me you and daddy are going to go away for awhile. We are going to move to a different home" Velma sweetly talked to him as she set the duffle bag on the bed and sat next to her son. "Oh." He said so innocently. Velma smiled at him and hugged him tight as Billy came in and placed the smaller bad in the duffle bag. "We better get going" He interrupted. "Alright. Hunny…" she talked to her son again. "Go use the bathroom ok?" and he nodded and skipped off to the bathroom. Velma sighed and got up, standing close in front of Billy. He looked into her eyes. "Your beautiful" he smiled as he lightly touched her face. "Oh Billy" she placed her hand over hers, which still lay on her cheek. "Don't say that, you know I'm filthy, and probably smell awful!" she almost blushed. "Your still beautiful" he smiled as he lightly kissed her lips. They were dry and rough, not like they used to be. He wasn't really disappointed, but surprised. Velma seemed to be one of those people who always stayed the same, but she was still beautiful no matter. She kissed him back lightly, like if she had no strength. Which was probably the case; no strength. She parted from him, and picked up the duffle bag as their son came back in. "You ready, hunny?" asked Velma to her son. "Yes mommy". He smiled, and she couldn't help but smile either.
Billy held his son's hand and the three of them headed for the door. The apartment wasn't that great of one, but just full of so many memories. Hanging out, before she was pregnant, drinking. During when she was pregnant coming back from the Onyx exhausted, and after she had her son, playing with him. Roxy moving in, getting married, leaving. Now them, just leaving it how it is, things in their places, the bed still not made. Like time had froze in this one apartment, but it wasn't the only apartment. As the three headed down the flight of stairs doors were left open, things were left in places. People were gone, but their possessions, their lives, their souls still stayed. It was haunting Velma, and she was glad to get out of the building. The three got to the loud noisy streets now. Families huddled around fire pits, eating very little. Billy lifted his son and carried him on his left arm. Velma carried the duffle bag in her right hand, and held Billy's hand with her right, as he held hers with his right. They walked down the streets, things had seemed to silenced, and people stared at them. They thought it must be there clothes, a bag even would make people look. They had something, and each other, while others didn't even have that.