Push Comes to Shove by Oasis

to a tree branch and climbed to the ground.
    Mr. Reynolds grabbed the doorknob—
    “Mr. Reynolds.” A part-time employee approached. “You have a Mrs. Sanders, Suzette Sanders, on line two. She says it’s urgent.”
    He released the knob. “I’ll take it down the hall.”
    Secret lowered herself to the ground, looked up at the street light, and remembered how her mother felt about their being outside when the lights were on.

    “Yes, they’re fine children. Under the circumstances, I’m honored to have Secret and Junior here. They’re well-mannered and polite.” Mr. Reynolds clamped the cordless phone to his ear as he headed for the children.
    “Are they adjusting well?” Suzette was taking notes.
    “Yes, yes, they are. There is no need to worry yourself. In fact, I spoke with them no more than ten minutes ago. Secret is such the big sister, she was escorting Junior to the restroom. He’s a little bothered by the dark.”
    “Yes, I know. So you wouldn’t mind if I spoke with them for a minute?”
    “Not at all, since they’re awake.” He opened the boys’ room and took note that Junior’s bunk was empty. “Hold on, Mrs. Sanders. They’re still in the restroom.” He went to the bathroom and opened the door.

    The inner city’s nocturnal life was operating at full throttle. Lurking in every dark alley, abandoned house, and ungodly corner was much more than Secret and Junior were ready for.
    “Secret, are you sure you’re going the right way?”
    “Hope so.” She watched a squad car roll to a stop sixty yards ahead of them. “If we don’t get off this street, we’re gonna get in trouble.”
    “We’re lost, aren’t we?”
    “We were lost when we left.”
    The squad car made a left turn and was now moving in their direction at a snail’s pace. Its driver scanned the drug-infested area for misconduct.
    Secret tugged on Junior’s hand and led him up a driveway. “We can’t let the cops catch us.” She was moving faster now.
    “Cops are supposed to help us.”
    “Taking us back to that place isn’t helping.” She opened the door to a Lincoln Mark LT parked in the driveway, and she and Junior climbed into the back seat. “Daddy said when you must win, everyone is a contender.”
    “I didn’t know what he meant when he said it, and I still don’t know now that you said it.”
    “Everybody is our enemy right now; especially the police.”
    “Oh.”
    The officer brought the car to a halt. He flashed his searchlight at the driveway and the Mark LT. After seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he continued his patrol of the area.
    When the bright light vanished, Secret was relieved.
    “We better keep moving. Euclid has to be close.”
    The driver’s door was opened.
    Mayor Brandon Chambers climbed in, then reached over and pushed the front passenger door open.
    Secret put a hand across Junior’s mouth.
    A woman settled inside.
    Secret could smell her Escada perfume—Kitchie’s preferred fragrance.
    The mayor backed out of the drive.
    “Let me have a blast now.” The woman unwrapped a crack pipe from a wad of toilet paper.
    “Dammit, Shea, you know the routine. Do we have to go through the same shit all the time? You suck my dick, you get a hit. I fuck, you get a hit.”
    Junior’s eyes widened.
    Secret scowled at him and put a finger to her lips.
    Shea shoved a piece of coat hanger in the end of the pipe. “I need a little something to wake me up and put me in the mood.”
    “You take care of your business first, then we can get high together. You did this to yourself. I give you a hit now and I can forget about my blow job and some of that champion pussy.”
    “Brandon, baby, don’t be like that.” She scooted over, unzipped his pants, pulled his penis out, and stroked it. “Betcha your wife can’t make you feel like this.” She buried her head in his lap and flicked her tongue against him.
    Mayor Brandon took his wedding band off and dropped it in his breast pocket. “I