035
feet-pic side hustle

"You sure about this?"

Bianca stared at the condo, fidgeting with the shark tooth around her neck. Shoupe had a cop car, the same one she requested to patrol Greensboro, drive her down. There, she met Sarah who parked her bike on the dock behind them.

Rose's 'FOR RENT' sign with Kildare Realty blew in the afternoon breeze. The girls didn't know what to expect— after all, the last time Sarah answered a text message from Wheezie, Rafe tried to drown her.

"Not really, no," Sarah let out an exhale, squinting through the sun's rays. "Come on."

She led them up the porch steps and inside, only to find the front door unlocked. The house was fully furnished but untouched, just for show like many things in the girls' lives. Their footsteps were soft as they stepped through and shut the sliding glass door behind them.

"Hello?" Sarah's unsure voice echoed off the walls before Bianca slapped her arm. "Ow!"

"Does the element of surprise mean nothing to you!?" She whispered harshly.

"Oh, please," Sarah glared, still caressing her sore arm. "Would you relax?! Put the lamp down!"

Bianca rolled her eyes but placed it back on the side table anyway, "Fine, but if we get jumped and have nothing to defend ourselves with, that's on you."

"Just- let's go," Sarah continued ahead and peeked her head through another door. "Wheezie?"

Bianca walked backward, making sure no one tried to sneak up on them. Only the sounds of their soft breaths and treading footsteps emanated through the eerily silent house, "Wheeze?"

Sarah stopped abruptly, forcing Bianca to bump their backs into each other. She whirled around to find Ward sitting at the dining table in a room that appeared to be the kitchen.

Bianca felt the breath escape her lungs and by Sarah's silence, she guessed she was feeling the same, if not more so. They hadn't seen Ward since they jumped off the boat, or in Sarah's case since he tried to strangle her to death.

The hair on his head and across his beard had greyed and the circles under his eyes were darker but other than that, he didn't look any different. A cane rested on the table in front of him, a consequence of him hitting his head and injuring himself on the boat.

Sarah scoffed, grinding her teeth as she strode into the room, "I fucking knew it. I knew it," She cursed under her breath and stopped short in front of him.

"I needed to see you, Sarah," Ward began softly, moving his leather jacket so it lay flat on the table. "I just needed to tell you I'm sorry because I am so-" He tried to get to his feet but Sarah cut him off.

"No, you stay right there!" She shouted, pointing at his chest and forcing him to retake his seat. "Do you know how stupid this is!?"

Bianca held her breath as she watched her best friend's voice tremble with fury. She had never seen the girl like this but it seemed as though the boiling pot was finally overflowing.

"If anybody sees you, you go to jail!" Sarah slammed her finger on the wooden table between them. "If I yell and the cops come, you go to jail!"

"I don't think you're going to do that," Ward whispered.

"Try me," Sarah walked over to the window where two officers, the same ones who drove Bianca down, patrolled the boardwalk outside. Their walkie-talkies buzzed with radio static, "We already did."

"What?" Ward craned his neck to get a glimpse. Finally, he pushed himself to his feet, lips parting in realization.

"Don't worry," Bianca uncrossed her arms over her chest and stepped forward to make her presence known. "I called them to the unit next door. All it takes is for her to say the word."

"I could yell," Sarah leaned against the window sill. "I might."

"So, whatever it is you're here for," Bianca paused beside the kitchen island, tilting her head at the man. "I suggest you hurry up and you don't piss her off."

Ward tore his gaze away from his daughter and his lips tightened into a small smile, "Ah, Bianca. Always a pleasure."

"Pleasure's all mine," Bianca met his sarcasm with an equally snarky smile.

"So angry," Ward muttered to himself, the corners of his lips falling. "So much hatred-"

"Because I'm homeless!" Sarah suddenly snapped, her eyes glossing over with tears but she quickly blinked them away. Her fist clenched at her side when Ward sat back down, "I have no money! I have no family anymore! I have nowhere to go because of you!"

Each word shook with grief, and outrage all at the same time. Bianca hoped Ward felt each blow, that it punctured his heart like it did hers. A lump formed in the girl's throat, she couldn't imagine how long Sarah had been holding all of this in.

"I know," Ward whispered.

"And you used my baby sister as bait!" Sarah's voice broke, her features crumpling in an attempt to stifle a sob. "To get me here!"

"I know," Ward nodded. He was bold enough to still look her in the eye, "Sarah, I know everything I did- everything that happened..." He trailed off. "All of it. It's my fault. I know. I don't know how I'm gonna make up for it or if I even can, but I'm gonna try- I'm gonna do what I can."

Sarah scoffed humourlessly, "Good luck."

"I know you won't believe me but I'm..." He ducked his head down before glancing up at both girls. "I'm trying to live my life a different way."

"You want to make amends?" Sarah paused, waiting for his nod. "You give the gold back to the Pogues."

Bianca pursed her lips, watching Ward's face fall. She knew it was too good to be true. Even when he was begging for forgiveness, his greed still overpowered his love for his daughter.

Ward disgusted Bianca, and her father was no different. She could understand how Sarah felt. Michael died because he refused to change. Or maybe, it was that Bianca wasn't good enough to change for.

"We can talk about that," Ward nodded, although his eyes told a different story. It was that look that made Sarah sigh and glance out the window, "We can. They certainly deserve some of it."

"Let's talk about it," Sarah mocked.

A tear slipped down Ward's cheek, "Right now, I'm here for you," He glanced over at Bianca who shifted on her feet. "Both of you. I'm really glad you're here, actually. Saves me some time..."

Bianca's stomach twisted as Ward reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a cassette tape. He stared at it for a moment before outstretching it toward her, "Bianca, sweetie, I'm-" He held her gaze with sincerity. "I'm so sorry about what happened."

Bianca's heart pounded harder in her ear, frozen in place. He knew. Ward knew.

Her eyes were glassy but she could see enough of the white marker on the cassette to read the words — 'my angel girl'. She was going to be sick.

Bianca reared her head back, "What are you-" Her hands trembled at her sides, refusing to touch the tape. "What?"

"I just want you to know, it's not your fault," Ward reassured, limping over to place it on the kitchen island once he realized she wasn't going to take it from him.

Bianca staggered back as he did so, one hand gripping the counter so hard her knuckles turned white. She tried to steady herself but her breaths were shallow.

"I know Michael and I didn't always get along but we made a promise to each other," Ward backed away to give her space. "That if anything happened to either one of us-"

Pins and needles pricked the tips of the girl's fingers, she could hardly feel the floor under her. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Sarah take a step forward as if to intervene but hesitated at the last second.

"That the other would take care of their family. And after what happened on the Druthers," When he faked his death. "Michael did exactly that. I owe your father my life, Bianca..." Ward continued despite this. "You have to know all he has ever done was for you. For you and your mother," He insisted. "For his family. Michael loved you so much, sweetheart-"

Bianca squeezed her eyes shut, holding herself up on shaky knees. Ward knew. Everything was fucked. She thought she could handle the guilt but this was too much for her.

"He never would've wanted you to blame yourself-"

"Rafe told you," Bianca's eyes fluttered open, meeting the man in a harsh glare.

Ward smiled, as if it were something that couldn't be helped, "He had to."

Bianca's insides sunk. She spent over a month lying to everyone she loved— her best friend, her boyfriend, her mother, everyone only to find out Ward mother-fucking Cameron knew all along.

"Someone had to pay off the crew," Ward rushed out in a swift exhale, trying to defend his son. "Someone needed to cut the CCTV cameras, wipe the footage. I talked to your mother, ran her through what needs to be done this morning. I promise everything's taken care of."

Bianca tore her gaze away as realization dawned on her. Shoupe wasn't incompetent— when he told her every new lead of theirs fell through she just assumed it was because the cops in Kildare were shit at their job. But she understood now.

This was all one big cover-up— one that even her mother was in on. It made sense Lydia picked today, this morning specifically, to finally sign the paperwork. Now Bianca really was going to be sick.

"That tape was in your father's belongings he brought with him on the ship," Ward nodded toward the black cassette on the counter. "He must've planned on mailing it to you once we reached Guadalupe but..." He trailed off. "He always did love old, vintage things."

Bianca stared at the cassette, at the word 'angel'. Her father used to call her many things but 'angel' was always the nickname he loved most. And she did too. How ironic it was, in the end, she held the gun that murdered him.

A lone tear slipped from Bianca's eye but she wiped it away before the others could see. Fuck, she didn't even own a fucking tape recorder. Even in death, her father angered her to no end.

"And Sarah," Ward turned to his daughter, a set of keys in one hand and a credit card in the other. "This is for the condo. Um... This is some money for you. Got all the money you'll need on it," He placed them both down on the dining table. "I'll just..."

He began putting his jacket back on with parted lips as if he wanted to say more. His gaze darted between both girls— his daughter who was glaring daggers at him and Bianca, who couldn't meet his eyes.

Ward turned around one last time before he left, "I know you're not going to forgive me. How could you?" He shook his head with a wet sniffle. "I just wanted you to know that I love you. And that I'm sorry... Bless you, Baby."

With a final glance over his shoulder, Ward left through the back door. It was only when the frame clicked shut did Sarah let out a shuddering exhale. Her head fell back against the window pane in relief, trying to breathe through the tightening of her throat.

Bianca was the first to break the silence, "You okay?"

When Sarah reopened her eyes, she nodded at her best friend, "Yeah."

The blonde strode forward to pick up the keys and the credit card and turned it in her shaking hand curiously. Each moment Ward wasn't in their presence, the air got a little easier to breathe.

"How much do you think is on there?" Bianca mumbled.

Sarah hesitated before glancing up again, "Wanna find out?"

Considering they had a few hours to kill before Kiara's parents' party, the girls headed straight to the mall. Sarah was determined to see just how much Ward's apologies were worth and Bianca refused to see her mother until it was inevitable.

Bianca dragged Sarah to get her nails done, claiming she couldn't go another day running from the cops without a mani-pedi. In return, the blonde girl forced her to sit as she made dramatic entrances through the changing room doors of every clothing store available.

Bianca would cringe every time, Sarah would reappear either with a hideous dress, heart-shaped glasses, or a wide-brim hat. Eventually, they settled on a yellow floral dress for Sarah and a white summer dress for Bianca. After grabbing ice cream, they found themselves on the beach, allowing the sun to warm their skin before the journey back.

"We didn't go too overboard, right?" Sarah winced with a waffle cone in one hand and five shopping bags in the other.

"No," Bianca shook her head, briefly glancing down at where the bags on both her arms were slowly cutting off her blood circulation. "We deserve to spoil ourselves."

After walking through practically the whole mall, the girls were nearly exhausted. Sarah kicked off her shoes and let out a sigh of relief upon feeling the cool sand between her toes.

"Ew, Sarah," Bianca shoved her knee. "Not for free."

"No way, the money-makers deserve some sun too," Sarah dug her feet further into the shore, admiring her baby-blue pedicure. "I did not get them done for no reason," She lifted her toes in the air and wiggled them. "Besides, we could probably make a killing selling pictures to old dudes on the internet, you know."

"I did not eat coconuts and berries for three meals a day just for you to tell me we're starting a feet pic side hustle," Bianca deadpanned with a scowl. "I swear to God, if we don't find some kind of gold at the end of this rainbow, I'm suing John B for emotional distress."

Sarah laughed, peering through the soon-to-be-setting sun, "That's a pretty fair point," She mused, taking another bite of her cone. "...So tell me, what did Shoupe want?"

Bianca's heart sunk like an anchor, "To talk about my dad," She pursed her lips. "My mom's signing the paperwork."

"What?" Sarah's eyes widened. "Have you spoken to her since you told her?"

"No," Bianca took in another spoonful of ice cream. "You know, she didn't even tell me about this party- I don't think she even wants to see me. But Abuelita wanted us all to show up together so seeing her is... inevitable? I guess. I mean, it's probably for the better," She tried to convince herself. "At least, in public, she can't make a scene."

Sarah's eyebrows furrowed, "You think she's going to make a scene?"

Bianca shrugged, "You didn't see her. She couldn't even look me in the eyes."

"Hey," Sarah shifted forward to get the girl to meet her gaze. "She'll come around."

Bianca was tempted to nod just so they could drop the topic altogether but something about the determination in her voice made her hesitate, "What if she doesn't? What if she hates me forever?"

"Bianca, she's your mom," Sarah shook her head like it was that easy.

"No, but even before all this- it's like, we could never agree on anything," Bianca pulled her knees closer to her chest. "We argued about every little thing- I couldn't even be in the same room as her for longer than ten minutes... It was always my dad who would come home and make it better."

"Things are different now. Trust me," Sarah insisted, finishing the last of her ice cream. "No one in a million years could've ever predicted this shit would happen. I mean, it's fucked!"

Bianca placed her ice cream cup down and smiled slightly, "It is pretty fucked."

"Right-" Sarah licked her lips. "And she's just as unprepared as you are. It might take a little longer but yes, she'll come around. She will."

Bianca sent her best friend a grateful smile as they lapsed into silence again. The waves lapped against the shore as the knots in her stomach loosened. There was still a long way to go but being with Sarah made her a little more hopeful.

"Do you think you'll ever forgive him?" Bianca mumbled, her eyes turning back to the ocean in front of them. "Your dad... He really did seem sorry for what happened."

Sarah's face fell, "I don't know. I don't think so," She breathed out. "Sure, I might not be as angry in five or ten years but... I think a part of me will always resent him."

Bianca took in her words. That was kind of like how she felt about her own father. She was just a girl, gulping a woman's grief. All the hate and guilt mixed into one ugly painting. It was hideous, yes but now, she tried to remember the strength it took up to pick up the paintbrush.

"I mean, look at my life right now- our lives," Sarah corrected, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "I am sixteen years old and I think I've been through more than all the Dalai Lamas combined," Her heart soared when Bianca laughed. "But it feels good to do this with you again. Like, get our nails done, go shopping, talk about boys."

Bianca hummed in amusement, "Kind of feels like how our summer should've gone."

The afternoon sun bathed the sand in its warmth, heating the water where a few young girls were splashing around in the waves. Bianca watched them for a few moments, watched as the breeze drifted through their hair and carried away their giggles. Finally, someone called one of their names and they both turned, sprinting in the same direction as the voice.

Bianca swallowed past the lump in her throat, "We should get back soon," She pushed herself to her feet, dusting off the sand. "It's almost time for the party-"

"Five more minutes," Sarah groaned and took her best friend's outstretched hands only to drag her back down.

Bianca rolled her eyes playfully but relented. They lay against the sand this time and stared up at the sky as the clouds rolled past, inch by inch.

"Speaking of boys," Sarah winced. "How do you think John B's going to take it?"

Bianca hesitated, "Not good. I mean, he hasn't been a saint lately but Sarah... what you did-"

"I know."

"I've defended you over a lot of things," Bianca thought back. "But this is..."

"I get it," Sarah nodded to no one in particular. "Look, if this doesn't work out we can always still do Vegas, right?"

Bianca smiled at the memory of their Vegas pact. They vowed to elope, ditch their boyfriends at the time, and drunkenly get married in an old church in Las Vegas. It was spontaneous, and both of them knew it was never going to happen but it reminded Sarah that her best friend would always be there for her, no matter what.

"Sure," Bianca mused, playing along. "I'll ditch JJ, book us a one-way ticket on a private jet but only one one condition."

Sarah braced herself, "Anything."

"I get to walk second."

Sarah's jaw dropped and she shot up from the sand, "No way in hell-"

Bianca pushed herself up on her elbows, "That's the condition! You stand at the altar, I get to walk down the aisle."

"No, I want to walk down the aisle!"

"Sucks for you."

"B, you're not serious?" Sarah deadpanned.

Bianca crossed her arms over her chest firmly, "My wedding, my rules," She'd been dreaming about it since she was a little girl. She wasn't going to let Sarah ruin that.

"Okay, first of all, it's our wedding," Sarah scoffed. "And secondly- that is so unreasonable!"

"Nuh-uh," Bianca argued with a taunting smirk. "Beggers can't be choosers and I'm not the one who's about to get broken up with."

It was meant to be a harmless joke, Sarah knew that. She even giggled but the reminder sprung tears to her eyes, "Oh my god- you're right- he's totally gonna break up with me."

Bianca did a double take, "Are you crying?"

"No- yes-" Sarah tried to stifle her fit of laughter because it only made her cry harder. "I don't know- I didn't mean to!"

Her giggles seemed to be contagious because soon enough, Bianca couldn't contain her laughter, "Tears are literally coming out of your eyes- oh my god, Sarah, I'm sorry-"

"You're laughing at me!" Sarah sniffled through her chuckles.

"I'm not- I promise I'm not," Bianca tried to cover her lips with her hand but it did nothing to hide her laughter. "I just didn't expect it-"

"Me either!" Sarah wiped at her eyes between giggles. "I don't even know why I'm crying- what's wrong with me!?"

"Stop, I can't breathe-" Bianca threw her head back, clutching at her stomach.

"Stop laughing or stop crying!?" Sarah gasped for air.

"Both!"

"I can't, bitch!"

This, Bianca guessed, was as close to normal as she would ever get again. Laughing through tears. The slight, tight discomfort of hair scraped into a ponytail. Her best friend as she gripped her chin to apply lipstick, half-sensual, half-ritual, all hush, like communion. Following those flow charts in teen magazines that described which movie star she'd marry.

This was normal. This was girlhood.

author's note. once again my inspiration for the pogues come from my friends who i so dearly love. my best friend and i always argue about who would walk down the aisle first at our wedding (it's me, duh). anyways what did you guys think of this chapter? obx4 is coming out in 2024! and they're filming in morocco hehe so exciting!