By late afternoon on the twenty-ninth day, most of Vivian and Christine’s paraphernalia were vacated from the house and taken to their new rental down the hill. Vivian’s least important belongings had been put in storage.
A movers’ truck had been positioned by the gate, the limo sat idly in front of the truck, and a sheriff’s car was parked across the street. Two sheriffs maintained scrutiny.
“Are we about done?” Christine asked Vivian, irritable.
“Yeah,” Vivian said. “Let’s do a walk-through just to be sure we didn’t forget anything.”
Christine entered the guest room, where she shed tears of anger and bitterness as she looked around. After a few moments, she composed herself, picked up the suitcases loaded with the valuables she stole from the trunk, and walked out of the room.
“There’s nothing left,” Vivian said to Christine as she came down the stairs.
“There’s nothing left for you.”
Christine stepped out of the house and as she passed the limo, she swung one suitcase so that it banged against the rear passenger door where Rose sat as she examined her reflection in the compact mirror. She flinched at the impact.
“Don’t think for one second it’s over,” Christine said to Rose, “because it ain’t over till I say it’s over. Bitch!”
Christine went to her convertible parked several feet behind the truck. She placed both suitcases on the floor in front of the passenger seat, got in the car, and drove away.
After Vivian and Christine brought some of their belongings into their new place, they took a break. They ordered pizza with chicken wings and soda. Vivian looked around the front room with a sigh. Boxes lay everywhere.
“I feel like such a damn fool,” Vivian said.
“If anyone’s a damn fool,” Christine said, “it’s that ancient, withered old mummy.”
“I realize now it was a mistake to go back there in the first place. I thought I had done the right thing. It took a lot of courage, what with the unpleasant memories of having been kicked out before. It was her mistake to do this to us . . . again. This is the second time she’s thrown us out.”
“I assure you, she’ll most definitely get what’s coming to her and then some. I guarantee it.”
I’ll make damn sure of it, Christine thought as she munched on a chicken wing and sipped some soda.