Read Summer on the Moon for Free Online Page B

place.”
    “Just in time,” said Delia as Socko walked in. She pointed at the side zipper on her black dress pants. “I could use a little help here.”
    He jerked the zipper pull but it didn’t budge. “You won’t even be able to breathe if I get this closed.”
    “Who needs to breathe? I’m buying a house!”
    Socko gave the zipper one last hard tug and it closed. “Mom, I’m begging you not to do this.”
    “Beg all you want. I’m doing this if it kills me.”
    “What if it kills Damien?”
    “Enough drama! Now, do I have everything?” She twanged a bra strap through her shirt. “I got the check right here.”
    “The check’s in your bra? Gross!”
    “Gross, maybe, but safe.”
    Not knowing where the check was hidden, Socko had spent the past week afraid he might accidentally destroy it. Now he almost wished he had.
    His mother went to the window to watch for the real estate agent’s car. Leah Albin was picking her up—along with the cashier’s check—and driving both to the closing. “You sure you don’t want to come?” Delia asked.
    “Positive.” Socko walked behind his hanging “wall” and threw himself down on his cot.
    “Wait ‘til you see the washer and dryer at the new place, the walkin pantry!”
    Tuning her out, Socko stared up at the stained ceiling. When they’d moved in, he’d been sure the stain over his bed was blood that had seeped through from the apartment above. His mom had assured him it came from a plumbing leak. She’d pointed out that it looked like a clown. After encountering the word “demented” on a vocabulary list, he’d always called the stain “the demented clown.”
    In a couple more days he’d never see the demented clown again. It wasn’t just his best friend he’d be leaving behind, it was his home, his neighborhood—his life.
    Delia’s tube of lipstick opened with a
pop
. She was probably slathering it on, staring out the window. “You’re going to like our new place, Socko. No more squishing together for us! You, me, and the General each get a real bedroom, with one extra left over.”
    Socko bolted upright on his cot. “An extra bedroom?” He rolled off the cot, rattling the thirteen original colonies as he barged out from behind them. “Genius idea, Mom!” In his excitement he borrowed Damien’s favorite phrase—but it
was
a genius idea. “Damien can come with us. Louise won’t care.”
    His mother never lost eye contact with the street. “There are a lot of people in this building who deserve to get out, like Junebug and Mr. Marvin—he’s about to be evicted, you know. But there are only two people here I can save. You and me.”
    Delia stuck her head out the window and waved both arms. “Be right down!”
    Socko followed her out of their apartment and into the elevator. “Can we at least
talk
about it?” His mother stared at the floor numbers as the elevator dropped. “Mom?” The door opened.
    She hurried out of the elevator with Socko right behind. “Sorry, Socko, I can’t do it!” She shoved open the front door of the apartment building with her hip.
    Rapp was leaning against the outside wall smoking. Socko should have paid more attention when Rapp cut his eyes their way, but convincing his mother about Damien was all that mattered at that moment.
    He stood on the sidewalk watching her wobble across the cracked concrete in her high heels. “Tell me you’ll at least think about it.”
    She climbed in the car, then waved at him through the window as the car pulled away.
    Socko smelled the smoke from Rapp’s cigarette first. When he turned, the gang leader was so close it made his skin prickle.
    “Got a little job for you,” Rapp said, but his eyes never left the shiny car rolling slowly away. “Where’s
she
going?”
    “My mom’s buying a house—so—we’ll be out of here soon.” Socko threw the news about the house in Rapp’s path, hoping he might forget about the little job he wanted him to do.
    Rapp’s