"How long?" Maggie asked.

"I don't know. I'll find out when I bring them the vials. I suspect no longer than a week to get the results," Colby responded.

There was no small talk between them that day. The tight lines around Maggie's eyes were a dead giveaway that she was stressed out. It wasn't easy to ask normal, everyday people for favors, as she had the school nurse. It was even harder knowing that at any moment, someone could make her life a living hell by telling Rock about all of the sneaking around she was doing.

Maggie said, "Thanks. I'll see you soon," meaning that she'd see him at Rock's apartment or at Doubles.

Juju raised her hand and gave Colby a small wave before they walked back to wait for the bus to take them into Kensington.

Sitting next to each other on the bus, Maggie focused on the hum of the bus wheels rolling forward against the road as she thought about Seth. The thought of him brought warm feelings of love and connection. He was a sweet child and so protective of Maggie and Juju. He was growing up to be a really nice guy. She felt a jab of pride knowing it was she, and to a certain degree, Juju, who had instilled in Seth the qualities that would make him a man worth knowing.

Suddenly, the thought of Joey popped into her head, and she felt deep gratitude to the young girl for keeping an eye on Seth. Maybe Seth is right, Maggie thought. Maybe someday he and Joey will get married.

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two.

At Doubles a few days later, Maggie gave Emma an update on Seth's condition.

"Well, it's good you're getting his blood checked. How has he been feeling for the last few days?" Emma asked.

Emma knew what it was like to be a teenager with way too much responsibility; she quickly remembered how difficult life could be.

"He's been good, seems to be getting back to normal," Maggie said with relief.

"You know, girl, you're nineteen years old, and you're gonna need to decide what you wanna do with your life. Look, you're one smart cookie. None of these other nitwits know the kind of shit you know. You kept yourself educated...that's cool shit," Emma offered.

"Well, I read a lot, that's for sure, but it doesn't mean I'm educated. It just means I'm informed," Maggie said.

"Bullshit! Go get your damn GED and go to college, just like you told Seth to do," Emma said.

"It's not that simple, Em. Sure, I could get my GED, but Rock would never let me go to college. It's not like I have any money to pay for it, anyway," Maggie argued, her voice trailing off.

"Rock's a brainless dildo! I want you to listen real good to what I'm about to tell you. If there ever comes a day when you can't handle Rock, then you need to talk to Tony and Vincent. I don't know if they could help you, but if there was ever a chance for someone to go up against that piece of stank dog shit, it's the two of them. You hear me?" Emma said.

Maggie considered Emma's advice. She couldn't see herself asking others to get involved with Rock because it wasn't just him they'd have to contend with; there were all of the people who worked for Rock, too-dangerous people who wouldn't hesitate to kill someone.

"Yeah, sure. If it I ever get desperate enough, I'll talk to them," Maggie said, just to appease her friend.

When Maggie ran into Tony and Vincent at the bar later that night, she gave each of them a big hug.

"What's up, guys?" Maggie sang.

"Same ol' shit, little Maggie," Tony said, toying with her.

Vincent's eyes grew serious. "Emma told us your kid ain't been feelin' too good. How's he doing?"

Maggie lit up. "He's doing much better now. It seems like whatever he had is finally working its way out of his system. The school nurse thinks it might be mononucleosis."

"Hey, ain't dat the kissin' disease? What? Ya got a little Casanova goin' 'round kissin' all the girls?" Vincent joked.

Maggie laughed along with him. Then, curiosity peeked by her earlier conversation with Emma, she asked, "So what do you guys do for a living, anyway? We never talk about you. It's always about me."

Tony studied her body language and offered, "We're businessmen. We run a lot of businesses in Philly. Why, ya lookin' for a new job?"

"Ha! I'd love a new job. But for now, this will have to do. So what kind of businesses do you run?" Maggie probed.

"All different kinds. Ya writin' a book or somethin'?" Vincent poked.

"No, not yet. I'll tell you what, though. I could write a crazy book with all the things I've been through and have seen in my life."

Maggie pondered the idea of writing a book. She certainly read enough of them, but to write one would be much, much different. She put it on the bucket list that she kept deep in the recesses of her brain.

Tony's tone grew serious. "Is everything all right wit' cha?"

He sensed that Maggie had something she wanted to say. Maggie sat on the barstool between them. She thought about how difficult it had been working both jobs and trying to care for Seth. She didn't mind her job at Doubles so much, but she hated selling herself for sex. Even though she'd done it since she was a young girl, the anger and resentment never dulled. Some days, she'd sit and fester about John William. Maggie would always blame him the most for all that had happened to Seth and her. There were others, too, like Myles. She hated him with a deep passion. When she was alone in the quiet of the night, she'd pray for superpowers that she could use to obliterate both of those scum-sucking pigs from the face of the earth.

"Hey, ya all right?" Tony asked again.

Maggie came out of her stupor. "Oh, sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked ya if everything is all right," Tony repeated.

"Yeah, sure, everything's fine. I'm tired, that's all," Maggie said, trying to downplay her feelings.

"Well, dat look on your face a minute ago made me think ya wanted to rip someone's nose off," Tony said, studying her expression more closely.

"Nah, I wouldn't mind neutering a couple of people, but they can keep their noses," Maggie teased.

"Ouch!" Tony responded and grabbed his crotch.

Maggie giggled. "I wish I had enough power to get even with some people."

Vincent asked, "Don't cha wanna ever call your mom and dad? They gotta still be lookin' for ya."

Maggie shook her head. "That's not really an option. Like I told you, Rock is a dangerous man. It would be too big a risk. He would like nothing more than to have a reason to cause me more pain. I keep a low profile with Rock and his guys...I've learned the hard way how cold-blooded they can be."

Before Tony or Vincent could speak again, the bartender gave Maggie a nod, indicating that her set was about to start.

Maggie jumped off the barstool and said, "See you later," as she walked to the other side of the room.

Vincent turned to Tony. "Ya think it's time we talk to Salvatore about this Rockhead motherfucker?"

"Not yet, Vin. Emma was gonna tell Maggie to ask us if she ever needs our help. For now, we sit tight. We can't get involved until it's impossible for us not to get involved," Tony said.

"Yeah, you're right. But she's such a nice kid," Vincent commented.

The two of them sat silently, watching Maggie and Emma put on their show for the men who sat around the bar. Tony and Vincent wondered what would become of Maggie and whether there was any future for her to become something more than what she was.

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three.

Seth's blood test results came back a week later. Colby scheduled an appointment with Maggie at Rock's apartment.

"There was no sign of mono," Colby explained. "Some of his counts, or whatever they are, were off, but nothing that showed he has a problem."

Maggie let out a long breath. "Thank God! I just want him to be well. He's such a good kid, and he's already had too much shit in his life. He deserves to feel good and be happy."

When Maggie looked up, Colby was smiling at her. His facial expression made her feel special and valued. It felt like that moment when the sun peeks up over the horizon to begin a new day.

"What are you looking at?" Maggie said, her pouty pink lips looking irresistibly tasty.

"Oh, just admiring the scenery. You're very special, Maggie. I've met a lot of people in my short career-people who have been forced to do what you're doing now-and they've all had good things about them. Most of them worked with me to get out of their own shitty circumstances. But you seem to care more about everyone else around you than you do about yourself. I think it's brave and selfless. But sometimes you need to consider your own happiness before others'."

"I do think about my happiness, Colby. It makes me happy when Seth or Juju or Joey has joy, and it gives me comfort to know that Rock will leave my family alone as long as I stay put. It's as simple as that. I'm not any kind of saint; I just know what it's like to feel raw fear-the overwhelming fear that eats away the lining of your stomach and makes you feel as though death would be a great relief. I've watched friends die. I know how it feels to lose someone that you love...someone who you could count on and who counted on you...I was just a baby," Maggie finished, her eyes glistening with tears at the memories.

Colby grabbed Maggie and held her tightly. While he couldn't imagine the fear Maggie described, he was able to empathize with her.

"You're a good egg, Maggie. Someday you'll bring remarkable changes to the world," Colby assured her.

Maggie laughed. "Yeah, sure I will," she said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"I know these things," he joked, rubbing an imaginary crystal ball. "I have the ability to see into the future."

Maggie wished that Colby was serious. She hoped with all her being that he was right, and someday she would find meaning in her life and the reason why God was punishing her.

During the next five months, everything went back to normal for Maggie, Seth, and Juju. All of Seth's symptoms had disappeared, and he was feeling better than ever. He had just come out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. He was chattering about a project his social studies class was working on. In the small apartment, where privacy was nonexistent, Seth dropped his towel to the floor and started to get dressed.

Maggie had been reaching for a box of cereal from the counter and turned around just as the towel hit the floor. Seth was facing her as he continued to describe his role in the project. Maggie's eyes shifted down to his torso.

"Um, are you sure you actually washed yourself in the shower?" Maggie asked.

"Yeah, why?" Seth responded.

Maggie walked over to him to get a closer look. Seth's torso was covered in a red rash.

"Is that itchy?" she asked.

Seth looked down and studied the rash. "Nope. I didn't even know it was there."

"Oh great! Now you have cooties," Juju mocked.

Maggie gave Juju a stern look as Seth walked toward her like a zombie with his arms spread to give her a big hug.

"Ew," Juju squealed. "Don't touch me. I don't want to catch cooties."

By then, Seth was hugging her tightly, and Juju broke down laughing and pulled him into her. Maggie watched them with amusement, but her mind was drifting back to some of the articles she'd read when Seth was so sick.

"Come over here, Seth," Maggie said in a calm voice.

Seth obeyed her, still stark naked. He stood in front of her, knowing she wanted to inspect his rash.

"Aggie, it doesn't hurt, and it doesn't itch," Seth protested before Maggie began to look him over.

"That's fine, but I still want to see it. Do you know how long you've had it?" Maggie asked.

"Nope, this is the first time I've seen it," Seth responded, distracted by thoughts of getting to school on time.

"OK, get dressed. You have to eat breakfast before you go," Maggie told Seth.

Maggie knew what she needed to do. Colby was going to meet her at Doubles later that evening, and she decided not to dwell on it until she talked with him.

"Colby, I need another favor," Maggie started when they were alone in the lap dance room.

"Sure. What's going on?" Colby asked with concern.

"I need to have Seth's blood tested again. Can you hook me up with everything and get your friend at the lab to run tests?" Maggie inquired.

"That shouldn't be a problem. What's going on? Is Seth sick again?" Colby asked, a little worried.

"No, he feels fine, but he broke out in a rash. I need to know for sure what's going on with him and was hoping your friend could run some tests on his blood to see if there's anything unusual," Maggie explained.

A few days later, in the nurse's office at Seth's school, Maggie and Mrs. Booker looked at the rash on Seth's torso.

"Does it itch?" Mrs. Booker asked Seth.

"Nope. I'm fine. Aggie worries 'bout everything," Seth commented.

"Well, young man, you're lucky to have someone who worries about you so much," the nurse told him.

Mrs. Booker tied off Seth's arm in order to draw his blood again.

"I hate this, Aggie. Why do I have to keep getting these needles? They hurt," Seth whined.

"Because the only way we can treat whatever is causing the rash is to know what's causing it, silly," Maggie responded in a voice that told Seth he needed to stop complaining.