Growing up Cody

Chapter 3 - The New Job

Julia is laying on her side on the lounge chair propped up on her elbow, "come on Baz just gimme a hint of what we're planning, you know I can make you tell me,". She says with a devilish look in her eye.

He sits up leaning over towards her "you know I want to fill you in, it's just, right now I can't, Smurf made us promise. What I can tell you is we are gonna need another van, but not for another week or so, I'll let you come with me, to get it if you promise not to tell Smurf."

Rolling her eyes at him, "whatever" she gets up "I'm going inside, if you decide you want to tell me I'll be in my room, I gotta find some loot for Renn." She walks inside

"You know I hate that you do that Jules" Baz calls after her.

Deran and Craig are playing video games on the TV in the sunken living room as Julia walks past on the way to her room, she pauses and calls out "hey Renn, " Craig looks up and Deran takes advantage and wins the battle onscreen. Deran looks up from his awkward victory dance, "thanks Jules." Craig throws a couch pillow at her, "bitch" he hisses, Julia smiles, "you fall for it every time, so I think you are the bitch" she continues down the hall to her room and turns on her stereo and collapses onto her bed, which has been changed and remade. She silently thanks Smurf, then reaches in her bag for her secret vial, fixes herself a line and leans back on her bed.

Craig interrupts her tranquility knocking on her doorway, his large frame filling the door, "Hey Jules Renn just called she's swinging by any minute, can you see if she's got some coke" Julia shaking her head, "why, you too pussy to ask her yourself? I have a little in my makeup bag in the bathroom, come on in, I'll do a line with you." Craig steps into her room, pulling the door shut behind him, crossing to her bathroom he comes back with her makeup bag, sitting on the side of her bed. He reaches for a cd case and fixes them both 2 lines and they quickly sniff them. Julia, looks her brother in the eye, "you know Renn really cares, you just have to man up and tell her the truth, if you really love her, tell her." She gets up opens a drawer and pulls out some cash and puts it in her pocket. Then sits back down, "so are you willing to tell me the plans? I hooked you up"

"Damnit, if anyone asks I did not tell you" he looks around nervously "so Smurf got a line on this little shop out past Vista that cashes paychecks mainly for illegals, she heard it's only 2 ladies in the place at all times and if we pick the right week it could be even more than last night, so she figures if just Deran and I go in case the place, fuck around with snacks then we get Deran to try and buy some beer, that should distract them enough to catch them off guard and bam, money is our." His enthusiasm is infectious, now Julia's on her feet, "so she's cutting me and Pope our?" She's pissed,

Craig looks up at her, "it's not like you're not gonna get your share, but it's a small store, too many people would seem off, but talk to Smurf, just I told you nothing, you promised." He got up and walked into the bathroom. Julia sits back down, she can hear Craig peeing then the door to Deran's room opening and Deran yelling at Craig about what she can't make out. She gets up and goes out to the kitchen where she finds Smurf fixing dinner, Baz is sitting at the island, their conversation stops as soon as she enters the room.

She throws her arms up, "you don't have to stop talking just because I'm here, I mean it's not like I don't know you are planning something without me."

Baz looks sheepishly at her, "Jules, it's not like tha.." Smurf interrupts him

"if she wants to think like that maybe we should, just to show her, I'm so sick of her thinking that she is so special" she steps closer to Julia a wooden spoon in her hand,

"let me guess you are broke again, my sweet daughter, don't lie, we all know why, you know I won't always be here to cater to your every little whim." The words bite into Julia like an alligator locking its bite on its prey.

"Mom that's not even it, it's just you don't trust me and I never did anything wrong, at least I'm home, my loving brother is running around stalking that poor Catherine and you don't even care, he still won't stop coming into my room whenever he wants, but do you care, of course not he's your firstborn son, so nothing he does is ever wrong," she storms out into the garage.

Smurf turns to Baz, "Barry, I guess you better go after her, you know I am not purposely keeping her out, it just wasn't worth the risk, we don't take unnecessary risks. And remind me later we have to keep Pope close as well."

Baz heads out the same door that Julia had left through, he finds her sitting on the wall on the far side of the driveway he can tell she's been crying, but as he approaches, she puts on a smile and try's to play off that she hadn't been crying. He stands right in front of her, leans in and kisses her forehead,

"fuck, Julia, you know you got me in a horrible position, Smurf is just trying to do what's best for the whole family" Julia's arm wrap around Baz's neck, she pulls him even closer, "but what about what's best for us, "

He grins, "yeah I don't think she's so concerned about that, I mean she sees us all as her family, I mean you know I wouldn't be here without her, I have to do what she asks, I mean you don't want her to make me go back to Ray's right."

Julia drops her arms, "she would never make you go back, it was just too awful, she couldn't make you go back," she grabs him by his shoulders, hugging him tight. "I would go with you if she did, you know" he smiles "I know you would, but it's never going to happen."

The phone in Julia's pocket rings, she answers it, "yeah Renn I'm here, hold on I'll make Baz open the gate." She nods towards Baz, covering the mouthpiece of her phone, "please, it's important" he walks to the gate and swings it open.

Renn pulls her truck into the driveway, Julia jumps off the wall and climbs into the passenger side, she hands Renn a handful of cash, "here's this from me, Craig wants some blow, you got any?"

Renn shoves the money in her bag and laughs, "he still to scared to come out and ask me himself?"

Julia laughs, "probably but he finished what I had so he owes me" Renn reaches in her bag and fishes out a bag of white powder, "tell him it's all yours and if he wants some he better grow a pair and call me himself, the little bitch, oh and tell him I'll see him tomorrow at the contest" Julia puts the bag in her pocket and climbs out, "see ya Renn" she puts her truck in reverse and is gone.

Julia closes the gate and starts heading back inside when Baz grabs her arm, "wanna tell me what that was about?"

Julia pulls her arm free, "no I don't, I just owed her a few bucks, no big deal" and she strides inside, leaving Baz standing shocked in the driveway.

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