"What the hell do you mean you're moving in with Mamma?" My mom was standing in front of the front door, high on Zanex, talking like she was somewhere deep inside of herself, controlling her body like a puppet.
"I'm moving in with Mamma Billie." I said again. "It's no big deal, it's just for a little while."
"But why?"
"It's just what I want to do." I said. "I'm 20 years old, I can do what I want."
"Yeah, but why the hell would she let you?" My mom asked. "Does she have you wrapped up in one of her schemes? You know you gotta watch your ass with her, she don't care about nobody but herself."
"That's not true."
"You don't know her like I know her." She said. "If you think you can live with a psycho crazy-tits nutjob, be my guest."
"I know I can." I said. "I've had lots of practice."
"Well fuck you too." She said. "Did Roy come by here th'other day? His dumbass shift-manager called looking for him."
"No, I haven't seen him." I said. I picked up my pack and waited for her to move.
She gave up arguing and got out of my way. "That woman is not to be trusted JJ."
"Bye mom." I said.
When I got back to Mamma Billie's she was drinking beer with uncle Charlie in the living room. It was dark in there, and the only light was coming from the TV, playing QVC. They were dividing up pills on the coffee table. "Boner pills." Mamma Billie said. "Viagra or some shit..."
"Cialis." Uncle Charlie said. "S'better n' Viagra. You want some JJ? It's five dollars each, family prices."
"No, nu-huh." Mamma Billie said. "You aint takin' no boner pills while yer in this house, I'll tell ya that."
"He stayin' here now?" Uncle Charlie asked her.
"Yup," she said. She looked at me like she was proud of herself. "Why'n'cha put yer pack down in my room and clear out these empty beer cans?"
"Okay," I said, "but I can't stay long." I went down the short hall and tossed my pack near Mamma Billie's easy chair. "I gotta get to work by nine, they got me on the late shift." I said as I came back to the dark living room.
"You still working at the Costco down Route 22?" Charlie asked.
I picked up as many of the empties as I could carry. "Yeah," I said, dumping them in the trash in the kitchen.
"Dump these ashtrays in here too." Mamma Billie said. "And bring me the phone."
I got the phone from its base in the kitchen and handed it to her as I picked up more cans. "What'r they payin' you down there?" Uncle Charlie asked while I went back to the kitchen. His words drowned out whatever Mamma Billie was saying on the phone.
"I'm up to ten an hour." I said coming back for the ashtrays.
"That's not bad." He said. "Hold up, there's a roach in there." I waited while he fished it out.
"I'd like to speak to a manager." Mamma Billie said into the phone. "It is? Oh good, I'm calling about JJ Carter... Yeah, he wont be coming in tonight... No he aint sick, he's quitting..."
"Mamma Billie!" I yelled.
She held up her hand. "What's that? No... No you aint ever gonna see him again. You can take yer ten dollars an hour an' shove it up yer ass... Uh-huh. Fuck you." She pushed the button to disconnect the call and smiled at me. "Looks like yer schedule's a little freer now." She said.
"That was a good job!" I shouted.
"Well you got a new one." She said, glancing down between her legs. I looked at uncle Charlie to see if he'd noticed, but he seemed too buzzed to pick it up. "Besides," Mamma Billie said, "you should be on social security. You had all that trouble in high school right? That's documented evidence of a mental disorder. You should use that JJ."
"Aww fuck." I said.
"Clean out them ashtrays an' get me an' yer uncle some fresh beers. We're almost finished here."
"Oh Christ." I said.
"Y'oughta be thankin' me." She said as I dumped the ashtrays and fetched the beers from the fridge. "Would you rather work for a livin' or get paid for doin' nuthin'?"
Uncle Charlie laughed.
When Mamma Billie was getting ready to leave, changing in her bedroom, uncle Charlie whispered to me, asking why I was living with Mamma Billie. "I'm just helping her out." I whispered back.
"Well just between us, I'd watch out if I was you." He said. "You know when I was your age she tried to fuck me?"
"What?"
"Yeah, it's true." He whispered. "I had to go live with my dad's folks 'cause she kept on after me. One night she got me so high I almost did it."
"Oh shit." I said.
"Yeah, you better watch yerself now."
Mamma Billie came out of her room wearing skin tight jeans and a sequined black t-shirt, slit down the front to reveal her cleavage. "Me an' yer uncle are goin' down to the Crow to try an' unload some a 'em boner pills." She said. "Do them dishes before I get back. I'll have some more work for you to do then. There's weed in the top drawer of my dresser."