Thick As Thieves Page 2

  “Good morning, Ms. Mary.” Erin greeted her.

  “Good morning, baby.” She responded and looked over at Ryan, who was already sitting down poking at the oatmeal in front of her.

  “Um-Um!” Ms. Mary cleared her throat, indicating Ryan to speak.

  “Morning,” Ryan mumbled.

  Ms. Mary shook her head at Ryan. She prayed Ryan would get it together because since day one she’d been causing grief. After all, she knew it wasn’t easy for them to lose both parents and accept a stranger in the same day. Besides, they were teenage girls, with hormones all out of whack. Despite, Ms. Mary’s effort, Ryan was stuck in her ways.

  “Eat up girls, we got a busy day today.” Ms. Mary left the kitchen.

  Erin kicked her sister under the table, “Ow, what was that for?” Ryan asked, reaching down to caress her shin.

  “Why you gotta be so rude, Ry?” Erin asked her sister. Ryan shrugged her shoulders. She honestly didn’t know the answer, and even if she did, she wasn’t in the mood to explain.

  Ryan & Erin forced themselves to eat the dry oatmeal Ms. Mary prepared for them. It was all or nothing. Their resources were limited, so they had to make do with what they were given.

  “I hate coming here,” Ryan whispered to Erin. Erin didn’t like coming to the market any better than her sister did, but it was part of their Saturday routine. They’d watch Ms. Mary scrap up a couple dollars to get a few items for them to eat that week.

  Ms. Mary kept a short leash on them as if they were little kids. They couldn’t go anywhere without Ms. Mary as their shadow, which they were not at all used to. Marie let the girls go out wherever they wanted, as long as they called to check-in and didn’t stay out too late.

  “Ryan, get over here,” Erin whispered once she noticed Ryan stopped walking. Ryan ignored Erin as she admired a piece of jewelry at one of the vending tables. When Ryan didn’t move, Erin walked towards her sister, checking for Ms. Mary who was two tables away picking out tomatoes.

  “Ry…” Erin’s voice ceased when she found out what Ryan was fixated on. A shiny diamond necklace, similar to what Marie wore. The twins stood in a paralysis state as memories of their late mother crowded their head. A single tear shed from their eyes.

  Ryan took her eyes off the necklace for a second, to scope the scenery. The old man running the table was busy assisting another customer. In less than 0.2 seconds, Ryan swooped up the necklace and grabbed Erin’s hand dragging her away.

  “Ryan, what are you doing? Put that back.” Erin begged her sister. Ryan didn’t respond, keeping a poker face as she led her sister back to Ms. Mary’s side.

  Erin’s hands started to sweat as she looked back at the jewelry table they were once at. No one seemed to worry about the missing merchandise, but she couldn’t help but be nervous. She glanced over at Ryan, who had a slight grin on her face.

  For the rest of their trip, Erin was edgy, scared they were going to get caught. What if someone saw us? What if they’re just waiting for a chance to snatch us up? Meanwhile, Ryan was un-phased and weirdly, satisfied.

  “What was that all about Ry?” Erin asked when they were back at home in their room.

  “What?” Ryan answered, nonchalantly.

  “Ry, don’t play dumb, you know what I’m talking about!” Erin was so upset that her sister was trying to play her like a fool.

  Ryan laughed, “Relax, E.” Erin didn’t find her sister to be funny at all. She stood in front of her with her arms crossed and a pout on her face.

  “Come here,” Ryan begged as she patted the bed, for Erin to come sit next to her.

  “I’m sorry I scared you. I just…I just needed something to remind me of Ma. I miss her so much.” Ryan began crying silent tears.

  Erin rested her head on her sister’s shoulder. She was happy to finally see some emotions pouring out of Ryan, “Me too!” Now, she too was sobbing.

  “Shhhh, it’s going to be okay.”

  “When?” Erin questioned her sister.

  “In three months, two weeks, one day, and eight hours.” Ryan teased. They shared a laugh as they wiped each other tears.

  Ryan rolled the diamond in between her thumb and pointer finger. That was easy. She thought to herself. Ryan was surprised at the euphoric feeling she got from snatching the necklace. Even though she knew it wasn’t the right thing to do, she felt accomplished. A smile crept across her face, as a lightbulb switched on in her head. She admired the necklace as it sparkled back at her.

  September 2016

  Ryan laid in bed, playing with the memorable, diamond necklace. Ma and Pa did a great job instilling values and morals into the girls, but Ryan was always a little harder to reach. The joy she felt from getting away with taking the necklace was indescribable. The dopamine that was released overpowered any morality she was taught.

  All I got to do it take what I want. Ryan thought to herself.

  “Two months, and two days.” Erin yawned as she woke up from her sleep. Ryan rushed to hide the necklace, but it was too late.

  “I saw that.” Erin rolled her eyes at her sister. Although, Erin wasn’t the one who took the necklace she felt just as guilty as her sister should. It was hard enough to forget it happened, especially since the necklace reminded her of Ma so much.

  Ryan rolled her eyes back at her sister, “Erin, I got an idea.”

  Erin sat up and looked at Ryan, letting her know she was listening.

  “You know how Ma and Pa, gave us everything we wanted right?”

  “Yes,” Erin answered a little uncertain. She wasn’t sure where this conversation was going.

  “Okay, so look. It’s time we go get what we want.”

  “And how we supposed to do that, Ry? We broke. B -R -O-…” Erin begins to spell it out for her, just in case she forgot.

  Ryan laughed. Erin was definitely the dramatic one.

  “We can take it.” Ryan gave a sinister smile.

  “Oh, hell nooo!” Erin shook her head and wagged her finger, from side to side.

  “Would you calm down?” Ryan laughed again at her sister’s theatrical antics.

  “Ryan, I’m so serious. You got the necklace. You don’t need anything else.” Erin said.

  “Look at us, E. We gotta step into school, on the first day, in these hand-me-down clothes and dingy ass shoes. We look awful! A shame to the Edwards’ name.”

  “I don’t know, Ry.” Erin scratched her head. Her entire body was telling her this was the wrong decision. Ryan was known for crazy ideas and taking the necklace showed just what she was capable of. Erin thought it was just in remembrance of Ma, but Ryan was indicating that it was beyond that.

  “Just think about it, okay?” Ryan stared into her sister’s deep brown eyes.

  “Ryan! Erin! You girls ready?” Ms. Mary called into the room breaking the girls from their stare off.

  “Almost!” Erin called out.

  “Think about it, E.” Ryan mouthed to her sister as she went into the closet to pick out today’s rags.

  “Did you see what she had on?” A group of girls was gathered in the school’s bathroom, gossiping.

  “Did you see her sister?” Another girl joked as she touched up her lipstick.

  “A hot fucking mess.” The two of them laughed in unison, as the other two girls joined in.

  Erin and Ryan walked in the bathroom, causing the conversation to stop. This was beginning to be the norm, everywhere they turned it seemed like people were singling them out.

  The girls in the mirror looked at the Edwards’ twins up and down before bursting out into laughter again.

  “What the fuck is so funny?” Ryan spoke up. Erin grabbed her sister arm attempting to defuse her agitation.

  “Oh, the little bum bitch mad.” The girl who seemed to run the pack stepped up.

  “Who you calling a bum bitch?” Erin stepped in front of her sister. Although Ryan was the hot head, Erin was still Big Don and Marie’s daughter, savage was in her blood.

/>   The other girls stepped up behind their friend.

  “Oh, so we supposed to be scared?” Ryan asked, stepping even closer.

  “Ladies, let’s go. We don’t have time to get our hands dirty, on these two dust bunnies.” The girls nodded and proceeded to walk away. Before they could think twice, Ryan grabbed the ringleader, by her long Brazilian weave and dragged her down to the floor.

  Ryan climbed on top of the girl and began pounding her head with a closed fist. Her friends attempted to step forward until Erin pulled out her switchblade.

  “I dare one of you bitches to get froggy.” Erin threatened the girls, and they took a few steps back.

  “Bitch…you…gonna…respect…me…you…understand…that…hoe?” Each word earned the girl a blow to the face as she laid there defenseless. She tried to block her pretty face, but Ryan was accurate with her punches.

  Erin watched as her sister took out some, much needed, anger on the poor girl. There have been rumors going around saying, Abby was talking shit about the twins. Abby and her clique used to be cool with them, though. Once the twins lost everything, they lost their so-called friends, too. It became clear that they were only friends to reap the benefits of the clout Edwards’ carried.

  “That’s enough!” A female sentry finally burst into the bathroom to pull Ryan off Abby. Ryan made sure to give her a couple kicks to the ribs for good measure.

  Erin flashed her switchblade at the girls as she brushed past them, following her sister. The school nurse rushed to Abby’s side to see what damage had been done.

  Erin and Ryan sat in the principal’s office as the principal explained the repercussions of their actions. Even though Erin, wasn’t fighting, she didn’t speak up to correct the principal. She just took the same vocal beating with her twin.

  Ms. Mary wasn’t pleased with the disturbing phone call she got from the school. She rubbed her temples as she felt a migraine coming on. These foster kids are going to be the death of me. She thought to herself as she waited for them to walk through the door. Ms. Mary has not had an easy bunch, the kids she received all went through some type of trauma in their lives, so getting them on track was always a battle. A battle she was tired of fighting.

  The doctor’s declared that Walt died of a heart attack, but Ms. Mary was convinced her husband died of a broken heart. He had given his whole life to make a better way for these kids in the system, and they weren’t appreciative at all. A lone tear fell from Ms. Mary’s eyes as she thought of her great husband.

  “Now, you girls know better than that, to be in them people’s school acting like wild animals.” Ms. Mary started.

  “I try my best to give you girls a decent life. I ain’t got much, but you got the necessities. A roof, some food, and clothes. I didn’t have to take you’s in!”

  “And we didn’t ask you to,” Ryan said under her breath, but it was loud enough for Ms. Mary to hear.

  Ms. Mary grabbed Ryan’s arm, “Look here, little girl. I am sick of your ungrateful ass attitude.” Ms. Mary had never cursed at any of the kids, let alone put her hands on one of them.

  “Get off me!” Ryan yelled out, loud enough for the neighborhood to hear. Ms. Mary’s grip got tighter.

  “Get off her!” Erin finally stepped in, prying Ms. Mary’s hands from Ryan’s biceps.

  “If you ever lay your wrinkled ass hands on me again, I’ll be the last thing you ever touch.” Ryan gawked deep into Ms. Mary’s soul as she spoke, before running upstairs.

  Erin watched Ms. Mary’s face cover with regret as tears glossed her eyes.

  “I’m sorry.” Ms. Mary whispered before Erin left her in the kitchen alone.

  “Ry, you good?’ Erin asked laying down next to her.

  “I’m good, E,” Ryan answered. “Thanks, for having my back today.”

  “No doubt. You know I always got your back.”

  “You do?” Ryan inquired.

  “Duh!” Erin jabbed her sister lightly in the side.

  “You think you ready now?” Ryan asked.

  “Ry!” Erin moaned.

  “C’mon, E!” Ryan sat up. You wanna be beating bitches up in the bathroom for the rest of our junior year?

  Erin laughed.

  “I’m serious.” Ryan nudged her sister. Erin knew that fight today had a lot to do with Ryan’s pride. It was no secret that the girls lost everything when their parents got murdered if their appearance wasn’t enough of a dead giveaway.

  “Ok! I’m down.” Erin finally agreed, causing Ryan to jump for joy.

  “Okay, so boom…” Ryan had a plan already mapped out, all she had to do was catch Erin up to speed.

  October 2016

  Ryan looked herself over in the mirror and smiled. It was show time!

  “You ready, E?” She asked Erin, who you could tell was a nervous wreck.

  “E?” Ryan turned around to face her sister after she was answered with silence.

  Erin let out a huge breath, “As ready as I’m going to be.”

  Ryan laughed, “It’s just a simple mall trip, no worries.”

  “No worries.” Erin mimicked her sister and followed her downstairs. They passed Ms. Mary in the kitchen without saying a word. Ms. Mary was still distraught over what happened a couple nights ago. The three of them hadn’t shared many words since then. Any other time, Ms. Mary would be interrogating the girls on their whereabouts, but she sat mute as they walked out the door.

  Ryan looked to Erin, once they reached the mall. Erin shrugged her shoulders, she wanted to turn around and go back home, but she couldn’t disappoint Ryan.

  The girls scoped out a few stores before they touched anything. They were mindful of the number of associates around, as well as customers. The mall was pretty packed on a Saturday afternoon, so it was the perfect time to blend in with the crowd.

  Just as planned, Ryan began stuffing garments into an oversized purse, while Erin distracted the associates the best she could. Once Ryan walked out, Erin followed behind her just a few minutes later. Now, was Erin’s turn to snag some goods.

  “Excuse me, Miss. Do you have this in pink?” Ryan asked the sale associate.

  “Just one second, let me check. We’ve been selling out of almost every color.” The sale associate continued to talk to Ryan, but Ryan was focused on Erin. It seemed as she froze up and was no longer following through with their plan.

  “What size did you need?” The sale associate questioned.

  “Uh, you know what?” Ryan started to backpedal away, “Never mind.”

  “You sure, we have…” Before the associate could finish her sentence, Ryan was out the store in a hurry to catch up with Erin.

  Ryan’s heart sped up as she saw mall cops, running towards one of the mall’s exit.

  “Oh shit!” Ryan cursed out loud. The entire room started to spin as she imagined how scared Erin had to be right now.

  Ryan hurried towards the commotion before she was stopped by a pull on the arm. It was Erin. Erin grabbed her sister by the arm and walked the opposite way. The girls both had butterflies in their stomach as they attempted to be as normal as possible walking out of the mall.

  The chilly October air hit them as they finally exhaled. They huffed and puffed, blowing off some nervous steam. Not a word was spoken until they were far from the mall’s vicinity. They then looked at each other and busted out laughing.

  Ms. Mary was still sitting in the same spot she was in when the girls left earlier. She didn’t even raise her head at the sound of them entering the house. The two went straight to their room.

  Ryan spilled the contents of her bag on the bed, to see what she had accomplished. She stood back in admiration.

  “Not bad for our first time, eh?” She turned to Erin, who was mirroring her same behavior.

  “Not bad at all,” Erin responded. Ryan was in total shock at the items her sister had sprawled across her bed.

  “I thought you were empty-handed.”

  Erin smiled, “Wel
l, you thought wrong!” They slapped each other up before beginning to sort through their things.

  “E, I could’ve sworn you got caught.”

  Erin, crossed her arms over her chest, “Why I had to be the one to get caught?”

  Ryan shrugged her shoulders, “You were scared as hell, that's why. Then when I turned around, you were gone. When I stepped outside the store and saw security rushing down, I thought they were after you.”

  “They walked by lurking, and I thought they were on to us, but then they kept going. You right, I was scared. Scared enough to grab what I could and get the fuck up outta there.” Erin slapped her sister up, again as they laughed about today’s events.

  “It’s that easy, huh?”

  “Like butter.” The girls smiled at each other.

  The following Tuesday morning, the girls were ready to return to school, from suspension. They couldn’t wait to show off what they got. It was like old times again. Their peers stared and whispered as the girls walked by; either discussing the banging ass clothes they were wearing or how they put a bang to Abby. Abby hadn’t returned to school yet, too much shame, but Erin and Ryan made sure to floss around her crew. Letting them know, ain’t shit change.

  For weeks to come, the girls hit up the malls and department stores, walking out with the latest designer clothes and kicks. All the attention was back on them again, the glamorous Edwards’ twins were back. Like clockwork, they’d walk out the house in the rags, Ms. Mary provided and change in a gas station bathroom on the way to school.

  Ms. Mary had no suspicions of the girl’s scheme. She did notice that the girls were happier and a bit more receptive, but she figured her prayers were finally being answered.

  “Girls!” Ms. Mary called through the door as Erin and Ryan scrambled to put away any evidence.

  “Uh…just a minute!” Ryan yelled back.

  Ms. Mary disregarded her statement, as she barged into the room. They stared at each other like a family of deer caught in head lights. Ms. Mary face was distorted as she saw everything the girls were trying to hide in their room.

  “What’s all this?” She asked. No one said a word.