The Same Stuff as Stars Read Free Page B

needle tracks and he’d never worn a T-shirt or anything short-sleeved since. “Hi, Daddy,” she said.
    â€œWell, there’s my angel girl,” he said, smiling at her. There was something wrong about his smile. Angel couldn’t figure it out, except that the smile didn’t come from the inside. It was more like someone just twisted up his lips from outside. “You doing good at school?” he asked.
    â€œSchool’s been out for weeks, Wayne. You know that,” Verna snapped.
    â€œYou lose track of time in here, but you wouldn’t know about that.” He turned from Verna to Bernie, bending down to try to see Bernie’s face. But Bernie was watching his toes swing back and forth so hard Angel could hear his heels banging the chair rung. “Bernie, my man, how goes it?” Bernie didn’t even look up.
    â€œGet off that chair, Bernie. Angel, take him somewhere else. I got a few things I got to say to your daddy without...”
    Angel grabbed Bernie by the hand and started across the crowded room to the opposite corner, where some charity group had put a few worn books and discarded toys for the kids who had to spend their Saturdays in jail.
    â€œOw,” said Bernie. “Quit pulling on me. I’m tired of you and Mama yanking me around. Yank. Yank. Yank. That’s all you ever do.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Bernie.” She really was. It wasn’t any life for a little kid. He was barely seven. He’d been coming here since he was less than a year old. He couldn’t remember anything that had happened in his life before. She wrestled a toddler for a truck, and, when she and Bernie had both sat down on the floor, she gave it to her brother. He still liked playing with trucks. The toddler wailed briefly, but soon began to fight another toddler for a car with only three wheels.
    â€œI hate it here,” Bernie said, pretending to drive the truck in front of his crossed legs. “I don’t know why we have to come all the time.”
    â€œâ€™Cause he’s our daddy, Bernie. It would just break his heart not to see his family. It’s the only thing keeps him going in a place like this. You gotta know someone cares about you, or you just give up.”
    â€œWell, I don’t care about him,” Bernie said, pushing the stupid little truck hard into Angel’s shin, daring her to ignore the metal bumper cutting into her flesh. “I hope he just gives up.”
    â€œOh, Bernie, you don’t mean that. I know you can’t remember. You were only a baby when he left, but he is your daddy. When he comes out...” She moved her leg back a little.
    â€œI hope he never comes out,” said Bernie, attacking her shin once more.
    â€œQuit it, Bernie. That hurts.”
    â€œI know,” he said.
    She wrenched the truck out of his hand. “If you can’t play nice—”
    â€œGo say goodbye to your daddy.” Verna was standing above them.
    â€œIs it time already?”
    â€œWay past time. You, too, Bernie. Give him a hug.”
    Bernie didn’t give Wayne a hug, but if saying goodbye meant getting out of there, he was more than glad to obey.
    â€œBye,” he said and bolted for the door.
    â€œGoodbye, Daddy,” Angel said. She gave Wayne an awkward hug under the eye of a guard who was making sure she wasn’t passing anything to him in the process.
    â€œBye, angel girl,” he said. His face twisted like the face of the little boy she’d scared earlier.
    â€œI’m leaving, Angel.”
    â€œOkay, Mama.” She tried to smile at Wayne. She didn’t want him bawling like a kid in the waiting room. She’d seen other men do that, and it was like watching someone take off all their clothes in public.
    â€œWell, that’s that,” said Verna when the three of them were back in the truck. “That’s the last time you’ll ever have to visit this hellhole