Her mother splurged on dinner to celebrate Joan's return. Burgers and fries replaced cheap Chinese or a large pizza. Cola was the beverage of choice, even when Joan's mother brought out a bottle of wine and offered it to all three kids. When each refused, she kept it to herself.
This is all of us… Joan watched her mother take a drink straight from the wine bottle. Still don't know where Dad is. She looked at her brothers. Chris's dad's probably still in prison, and David's… Well, I guess his gang is still across town. Not worth remembering either of them, I suppose.
Outside, the sky shone clear blue, sunset, hours away.
I hope Nomura isn't too worried.
"I'm glad you're not dead." David grinned and shoveled fries into his mouth. Through a mouthful he continued, "Josh said you deserved it, but I don't think so." He swallowed. "Please, don't tell him I said that."
Joan gave her little brother a sad smile. "Don't worry. When I leave, don't tell Josh I was ever here."
"Why?" said David.
"That's probably for the best," Chris cut in. "David, you got that? Not a word."
"Okay," David muttered. "But where'll you go? You're not joining another gang, are you?"
Joan shook her head. "I won't be part of any gang anymore. I'm out. You should be too. Both of you."
"No way. I'll be at the top – be super cool," said David. "I'll learn the rules a the street. Then I'll be a rapper!"
"Or end up in prison like most gang members," Joan said.
"Joan!" her mother scolded.
"It's true!" Joan countered. "Either you get shot or go to prison – maybe both. And all for what?"
Chris gave an annoyed groan and rubbed his head. "Since when do you talk like this?"
"Since someone beat some sense into me," Joan shot back. "The world's bigger than a gang war, you know. Other people have issues too – bigger issues than us. We can decide how to live our lives, and I don't want to live mine like this! I just want…" Joan took a deep breath. "I… want to be somewhere I'm allowed to sing – and work to get better at it."
Her family stared in stunned silence.
"Where'd that come from?" Chris said. "You wanna audition for X-Factor?"
"No."
"What then? Be the next Britney Spears?" Chris said.
"You wanna be a rapper too?" David asked. "Not a lotta girl rappers out there."
"No. I… like opera," Joan said.
"What…?" Chris raised an eyebrow at her.
"Opera," Joan repeated. "You know, Richard Wagner, Mozart, George Bizet."
"Who?" Chris looked lost. "I know Mozart, but not those other guys."
Her mother burst out laughing. "Opera!" she scoffed. "Oh – that's – that's a good one, Joan!"
"I'm serious! I like opera!" Joan insisted.
"You? Singing opera?" Her mother set the wine bottle on the table. "You can't even sing."
"You don't know that." Joan stood. "I…" She closed her eyes. She shook as she took a deep breath and started to sing. The piece she and Nomura practiced so much these past few weeks, Caccini's "Ava Maria," filled the apartment. Aa Joan sang, her voice rolled and rose. She remembered how hard it was to hit the highest notes – at first. Now, they came with ease. Thirty seconds into the piece, she let the song die and dared a look at her family.
"Holy…" Chris gaped.
David dropped the fry in his hand. "Whoa…"
Her mother stared without a word.
"What on earth, Sis? You got some mad skills!" Chris leaned back in his chair.
Joan allowed a smile as the praise warmed her heart.
"What's that awful racket!" A shout from the hall.
"Josh!" Joan gasped. "What's he doing here, Mom?"
"I'm sorry, honey. You said if he came, you'd leave."
"You – you lied to me?! He's not out of town!" Joan glared at her mother. "How could you?"
Josh burst into the living room. His eyes landed on Joan and sparked in shock, then anger. "You."
Joan stumbled. Her chair hit the carpet. Outside, the sun still shone.
"So, you crawled back?" Josh sneered. "Learned your lesson yet?"
Chris stood. "It's all right, Josh. Joan's learned. Right, Joan?"
She looked from Chris to Josh then gulped back her fear. "Yeah. I leaned my lesson. I… I'm not staying here. Mom." Tears threatened to fall. "David… Chris… if we ever meet again, I… hope we can talk. Goodbye." Joan ran for the door. Her shoulder caught Josh on the way out and knocked him to the side as she took the stairs to the ground floor.
"Make a fool outta me, will you?" He hissed and fumbled for the gun in his pocket.
"Hey!" Chris jumped for Josh's arm.
"What're you doing?" the gang leader bellowed.
"Fool! That's my sister!" Chris stumbled back as Josh bashed him with the pistol.
"She's a snitch, you idiot." Josh grabbed his cell. "And there's only one way to deal with snitches." He dialed and pressed the phone to his ear.
This chapter has been edited by Dtill359