Mick didn't go directly to Shady Spot he walked for an hour or so down by the river first, then he went to the cafe. He felt walking gave him time to think and cleared his head, but all it seemed to do confuse him more and get him cold.

There was no one in the cafe' workers would start arriving soon for their breakfast before rushing off to their jobs.

Just being here suddenly made him feel better, the smell of food and the homey atmosphere.

"Hi Opal did you have fun at the party?" Mick said.

"Sure sugar, always do, you look like you lost your last friend, want to talk?" Opal asked.

"I would really like that," he sighed.

"Come to the booth, I am going to have some breakfast before I go up to bed, want a coke?" she asked.

He nodded, he went to the corner booth.

She sat down across from him, and for the first time Mick realized she was more then a classy chassy and someone he would like to get between the sheets. But a real warm person with a heart and dreams and feelings.

He told her everything about Evie and Sheila and his brother, and how Scott hated him and would never forgive him and he didn't know what he was going to do.

She listened, commented when needed, and then she kissed him on the cheek, and said, "I think what you need right now is some space, your brother will come around sugar. He needs time to realize what you did was a favour for him, getting that Evies hooks out of him before she did something worse."

"You really think so?" Mick asked.

"Yes I do, and there is a room open here, and all you have to do for it is repair my old car for me it is getting weak," she said smiling.

"Opal, you are so wonderful," he said wishing she was younger, she was probably 20, but to her he was just a kid.

But then she kissed him again, this time it wasn't such an auntie kiss, kind of a hint there could be more if he wished it, and he did.

But then he thought she had done it to make him feel better was all.

Then she laid her hand on his, and smiled slightly at him studying him.

"You look done in sugar, why don't I show you that room its almost five, Ruby and uncle Shady will be down here and we will go up to the room.

"Uncle Shady won't mind, our deal?" Mick asked.

"No sugar, uncle Shady likes you, you and your boys ran those dang snots from our streets, so he won't mind." she said smiling.

For two days Mick only went home to work, taking Opals old car with him, it was a good car, nothing a valve job and a clutch replacement wouldn't put right.

"Hows Scott?" he asked, he had seen Angie leave he knew she was a student nurse and one of the tenants, he had fixed her car before.

"Angie said he is really close pneumonia, and he is lucky he should be better in a few days," Sheila said looking at Mick.

"Good, Sheila thank you for taking care of Scott, he doesn't want me near him," Mick sighed, "I can't blame him."

"Well I have been trying to tell him that Evie had planned this, but sorry he still blames you," Sheila sighed.

"You mean you believe me?" Mick said looking amazed.

"Yes I do believe you, but Mick I see now had you really loved me you would have called me to see what was going on," Sheila said.

"I guess you are right," he sighed, thinking he had thought of calling her why hadn't he, stupid pride.

He was starting to leave when Scott came out looking pale and weak but better then he had before.

"Why don't you have dinner with your brother chicken and dumplings," Sheila said.

Mick was starving he hadn't eaten much in the past two days, he had lied to Opal and told her he had eaten at home, and he had told Sheila he had eaten at Shady's.

Mick sat down he couldn't keep this up and Sheila looked tired like Scott had taken all she had to care for him.

"Where are you going?" Scott asked.

"Away, you don't want me here, and I don't blame you," Mick sighed.

"This is your place too, besides Sheila has to go home," Scott said, thinking Sheila was going to get in trouble if she didn't start going to school and go home when she was supposed to and he didn't want that.

Mick sighed, and nodded, maybe Scott could get over Evie and what she had done to them, he was not sure he could part of him longed for her.

"Scott you were drunk and I was too, it just happened, I wish I could take it back," Mick sighed.

"I have to go, I will be back tomorrow after school." Sheila said, sensing the brothers needed to be alone to work this out.

"Okay baby," Scott said, looking after Sheila.

"I don't want to talk about it," Scott sighed, "It's over, I guess I can forgive you but never her, and Mick, Sheila cares about me, and I think I love her, she is the kind of woman I need. I want a chance with her and I want you to stay away from her."

"I will I promise," Mick said.

"You better," Scott threatened, and Mick nodded.

Mick knew he would, Sheila was no Evie, she was sweet and honest, what had he done. He realized now Sheila might have been the one, but he had been too worried about himself to think how she must have felt.

Evie, my God was he going insane but he kept thinking about her and desiring her again, after all this trouble she had caused him.

That night Mick went to see how Scott was feeling.

"I am feeling better in a couple of days I will go back to school," Scott said, thinking he was better.

"I will just grab a blanket and sleep on the couch," Mick said feeling a bit better, Scott did look better.

"Why sleep on that lumpy old thing, sleep in here with me," Scott said almost cheerfully.

"I didn't think you would want me in here," Mich sighed.

"Well it is your bed too," Scott said, "besides I am not used to sleeping alone."

"Okay," Mick said, hoping Scott was getting over his anger, Mick still remembered all the hateful things Scott had said some of them deserved others down right mean, and had he really meant them?

It was all over school how Evie had slept with Mick Warwick and dumped Scott. Evie had suspected Sheila but Sheila had not been in school for the first day back so it must have been Val. But she was wrong Chris had been the one who had told what really happened. He knew how Evie had schemed it all up. She had made sure Scott was really drunk and Mick was a bit out of it before she made her move.

Some girls admired Evie for her boldness and getting what she wanted but many more thought she was just a rich tramp or a spoiled debutaunt who thought guys were a game.

Liz had told her that she would always be her friend but she was going to stay her distance for a while, until this all died down and Evie didn't mind. She would have probably have done the same and plus she was still school queen, and she would be popular enough.

But on the other hand Val walked up and said, "Evie kiss my butt, and by the way I am no longer in your dumb club the Deltas."

This hurt Evie a little, but then Val and Chris were getting very rebelious.

Rona refused to do Evie's home work. But Rosa her sister who like many Catholic girls transfered over to White Tower to graduate nineth grade with full credits in the middle of the school year seemed to want to be Evies friend, and though she was not as smart as Rona, but she was good in math and would do that for Evie. Rosa was eager to learn some of the things Evie had taught Rona.

Rona now seemed to be Vals new best friend after Liz of course, but val didn't know Liz was still talking to Evie.

Denee' and Jube met after school to watch some TV and talk.

"Did you hear about Evie and Mick?" Denee' asked.

"Yeah, Mick better watch out she is still got him in her sites from what I heard from Tommy, thats Liz's boyfriend," Jube said.

"Poor Mick," Denee' said, "I like him and Scott."

"Not too much I hope," Jube teased.

"I like them, I love you," she said, "After you get out of college we are going to get married, then I am going to secretary school."

"Yes my lady that is the plan," Jube said, thinking Mick was right when he said, what he needed was a woman like Denee' but there were not many like her around.

"You really like Mick," Denee said, she knew Boone had white friends but Jube had never really hung out with any until Mick had come along.

"Yeah Chris is ok, but Mick he believes in me," Jube said, thinking to Chris probably Boone was a novelty his black friend to piss off his rich parents. Mick was a true friend who would stand by him and never bull shit him.

"Well you know when my sister Jenny was going through her man trouble I stood by her, you got to do that with Mick." Denee' said.

"Yeah," Jube agreed and kissed her.

She smiled, how she loved him, he was so differnt from the others, he wanted to make something of himself he worked hard to get his A's and played basket ball the best of his ability because it was a way to get into college, and he was even learning a back up career in auto mechanics from Mick.

Most boys from the neighbourhood just wanted to get through two years of high school maybe three and get a job on the boats or any other labour they could get. Jube wanted to be a teacher and make a difference. Boone talked about college too, but Denee thought to him it was more of a dream that he thought would not come true.

"I cant believe it is only five more months and we graduate," Jube said smiling.

Denee' smiled too.

"Come on have some sandwiches and hot apple cider I made, you children are too thin," Jube's mother called.

Denee' giggled and Jube smiled she made him feel so happy.

Scott returned to school and immediately he was teased and made fun of by some of the kids, who said he couldn't hold on to Evie so he must not be much of a man.

One boy Harry was the worse, he told Scott he was not a man at all, but he hated Mick for throwing him out of the dance.

Sheila really told him off, and threatened to tell the whole school about the time he stole underwear from her moms clothes line when he had been in middle school.

No matter who picked on Scott, Sheila and others defended him and if Evie egged them on it was not obvious. Sheila was really hopping things at school would calm down after a while and people would stop harassing poor Scott.

Scott asked Mr.Jenkins to move him from where he sat next to Evie, Mr. Jenkins did and what was amusing about the move, is he moved Evie to the front of the class where she could not cheat on tests.

Evie did not complain even though she knew now she would have to find another way to cheat as she had in other classes where she had to sit by people who were not very smart.

Of all the teachers Mr. Jenkins was the best, he seemed to want to help his students and not cause them more problems.

Mr. Jenkins seemed to think happy students were good ones, so he tried to keep peace in his class rooms.

In the other class they had together, Ms. Barret would not move her or him, so he was stuck next to her in typing class, Evie told him she was sorry but he ignored her. She was not sorry not a bit, and he knew it.

Mick went shopping tired of Sheila nagging him about what there was to cook at their house and how Scott needed a better diet he was still weak even the day at school seemed to make him so tired he had came home and gone to bed.

Rosa was at her family store stocking shelves and Vinnie was with her. Mick wondered why Vinnie was always chasing other girls when he had someone like Rosa.

"I got a note for you," Rosa said.

"For me?" Mick asked thinking she was joking.

"Yes, from Evie," she said smiling.

"Oh man I can't believe that chick she cuckholds your brother with you and sends you love notes." Vinnie sighed.

"Evie is nice to me, and she taught my sister so much about hair makeup and stuff," Rosa said, she didn't see what the big deal was, she thought Evie had a lot of guts to go for Mick.

Mick took the note and sighed, she wanted to meet him. She had written the not on pale pink stationary with her heady perfume, which probably cost more then Mick made in a month, no Evening In Paris for Evie.

He sighed, part of him felt like throwing it in the groceries bin, but he opened it. Rosa smiled and said, "she wants me to collect an answer."

"Why are you doing that?" Vinnie asked.

Mick thought at first Vinnie was talking to him but then Rosa said, "I want to learn how to look really good for you Vinnie."

"You look good," Vinnie sighed.

Mick scribbed meet me at Railroad Dinner Saturday morning at nine AM if you are serious, and handed the note back to Rosa.

Vinnie sighed again, what was with this Evie chick that made everyone blind to her Vinnie wondered.

Rosa smiled and took it back.

Saturday morning he got to the Railroad dinner slightly early and took a seat at the counter, there was no way he was going to let her trap him in a booth.

He wondered why he had agreed to this meeting and how he was going to resist her, what was it about her that made him forget who he was and what he wanted to do? Was he really in love with her? Did he even know what love was?

She walked in and sat down next to him. She was pretty but he also knew she was manipulative, and that she would always try to get what she wanted.

He wondered what would happen if someone was to do that to her, and could he do that?

"Ello love," he said in a husky voice.

"Mick, I am so glad you said you would see me, do you realize now I was telling you the truth I do love you?" Evie asked.

"Did ya? Do you know what the truth is Evie?" Mick asked.

"Yes the truth is I am in love with you, and I can't help it . . ." Evie cried, real tears in her eyes.

"Sure you could, but let me ask you something," Mick said feeling himself getting angry and thinking about how his mother had dealt with him and Scott when they had cried. More often or not they would end up hurt and crying out of pain.

"Anything, I told you in my note I want to start over fresh and show you I really love you Mick," Evie said, pulling out all the charm she could manage.

"When your mother wants something from your father what does she do?" Mick asked, he suddenly had an idea. Jube was taking psychology and he and Mick had talked about it while working on cars. It was pretty fascinating to Mick.

"Why she asks him of course," Evie said smiling it was a pretty strange question.

"What if he says no?" Mick asked.

"Well he usually does, he is very hard headed and thinks no one knows anything but him, so mom has to figure out ways to go around and trick him into doing what she wants him to or letting her do what she wants him to," Evie sighed.

"I see so he can't just be reasoned with like you are reasoning with me now?" Mick asked.

"Oh no Mick, he only wants me dating certian people and I have to sneak around to see those I want to be with because he is just so against anything that is not what he wants," Evie said.

"Well that explains a lot, but Evie I am not your father, you can talk to me, you can be honest and we can work on things, IF we get together," Mick said, "That is important for you to understand."

"I do understand Mick, so do we have a chance then?" Evie asked, she wanted to add that she was not stupid but she was afraid he would bring up the homework thing like Liz had.

"Maybe," Mick said.

Evie sighed, when her father said maybe it was the same as no.

"If I said yes, would you go over to the Railroad Hotel across the street and go to bed with me?" he asked.

"Of course," she said.

"I need to trust the woman I love and am sleeping with," Mick said, "We are going to start with some dates, but I pick the place, and what I can afford, understand?"

She nodded the situation was good, and she felt happy as she left to go shopping thinking she needed a new spring wardrobe.

The next day was Sunday and Sheila had spent the night and Mick spent most the night out with the boys, he came home and slept on the couch.

"I have asked Sheila to go steady, just like the movies, and you know what she said?" Scott asked cheerfully.

"I can't date anyone in red pyjammas," Mick joked.

"I said yes of course," Sheila said smiling.

"Good," Mick said, "hope you will be happy."

"Well we have been thinking about setting you up with Maria, you can't just mope around here," Scott said.

"I am not, I get my own girls from now on, no set ups," Mick said thinking about Evie.

"Okay," Scott said smiling, "Maria is pretty nice. Julio might like her."

Right now Mick had all the women he could handle between getting to know Evie, and Opal who he had finally gotten into bed last night.

He had not been disappointed, just thinking about her made him want to push aside what work he had today and go back to her room.

She was very fine indeed.