Page 31 of Rebel

“Rebel, it looks to be a drug overdose, though we are waiting on some results from the coroner. Might want to call Atlas, tell him to come home.”

That’s when I hear the garage door open and a car entering and parking. It’s either Atlas or Konstantin. With my fingers crossed, I pray for Atlas. When he walks in, I see the surprise on his face when he sees George and Yoggie in the kitchen. Something crosses his face as he places his stuff on the counter, moving to me. After the pleasantries, he asks why they are here.I hang on as Sheriff George tells him that his ex-wife and mother of his boys is dead. I feel his body jerk before his eyes look toward the stairs. He glances down at me and I nod.

“They are in their rooms on a middle school kid time-out.”

As we hear the details, I’m beyond worried on how the kids are going to take the news. After the sheriff and Yoggie answer all of Atlas’s questions best as they can, they take their leave. Looking at Atlas, I can see he doesn’t know how to deal with this unsettling news. Sitting, I don’t say a word just wait, giving him time to process. When the front door opens and Konstantin walks in, Atlas’s time is up. Just looking at his dad and me, our boy knows something is wrong. Walking in, he drops his books close to the hall closet, then moves right to us.

“Dad, what is it, Yia-yia and Papou?”

Seeing Atlas unable to answer, I grab Konstantin’s hand and look him in the eye.

“Konstantin, no, it’s not your grandparents. I’m sorry, honey, it’s your mom, Mindy.”

Looking between the two of us, he sees something as his shoulders drop. Knowing there is no easy way to say it, I just give it to him.

“Konstantin, I have some really bad news. Earlier today, Sheriff George got a call and when he went to check it out, turns out it was your mom. Honey, she’s gone.”

His eyes get huge before he drops down, head in my lap, howling, not what I expected. Grabbing him, I pull him up next to me, telling him to let it out. Hearing a noise, I see both Thanos and Stefanos. I motion them to us and put Stefanos between Atlas and me, while letting Thanos sit next to his dad. Atlas snaps out of it and gently he tells both boys their mom has passed away. We sit together for a long time, no one saying a word. I mean, what can you say?

Turns out someone murdered Mindy, or that’s what the sheriff’s department thinks. Truly it doesn’t matter, except the boys lost their mom. Athena and Apollo came by as soon as the word got to them. So did Tank and Momma Diane, and most of my club sisters either came or stopped by to see that we were okay. Through it all I kept my eyes on Atlas, as he seems to be shrinking right in front of my eyes. Not sure how, but Tank saw something because he starts to tell everyone we need some family time. When it was just him and Momma Diane, he told Atlas that this wasn’t his fault. That’s when he loses it. No one knows what to do, though Tank gently tells the boys to go into the kitchen and someone will be there in a minute or two. From what we are being told, it was a drug deal gone bad. Or that’s the way it was set up, I don’t know. Shadow and Spirit went to the crime scene, along with Freak and Yoggie. Looks like either Mindy or someone overamped her with cocaine. Tank told Atlas he’d take care of the coroner while Momma Diane said she’ll handle the arrangements for Atlas, who just nods. Once everyone is gone, he calls the boys back down and tells them what he knows. The five of us sit in the great room just trying to make sense of this. When the two younger ones fall asleep and Atlas goes upstairs to take a shower, Konstantin and I walk into the kitchen.

Without asking him, I start to make hot chocolate until I feel arms around me. I turn and hold him tightly.

“Rebel, why does this shit keep happening? I mean, our grandparents, the whole kidnapping and rescue. We are all already in therapy, what else can we do to get this shit to move on? Now this. She wasn’t the best mom out there, but she wasours. How do I help my brothers when I don’t even know how to process this?”

I have no answers, so I sit here, my arm around his shoulders, pulling him in tightly. Then he shocks me to my core.

“I remember Dad telling us when she left that any person can either produce or have a child, but it takes a special person to be a parent. You’ve been more of a mother to the three of us than she ever was. I’ve wanted to ask you for a while. Why do you call me Konstantin when everyone else calls me Kon?”

I know he’s trying to avoid the death of Mindy, and I’m not going to be the one to make him face it. I just give it to him straight.

“Konstantin is such an exceptionally cool-ass name and to me you’re very special, so why not use such a cool name for a badass kiddo?”

He face-plants into my chest just as he starts to softly weep. This is how Atlas finds us about fifteen minutes later, with red eyes and wet hair. He pulls Konstantin off of me and helps him to the sectional where the four of them lie together, wrapped around each other. I go upstairs to give them some time and me some quiet time to process what just happened. After I take a shower, partially dry my hair, and put on some clean pajamas, I walk out of the master bathroom to find Atlas and Konstantin sitting on the edge of the bed, I guess waiting on me. It’s Konstantin who comes toward me.

“Both Thanos and Stefanos want all of us to sleep together downstairs, so we are here to get you.”

I nod ’cause at this moment I’d give them anything if I could. So, the three of us make our way downstairs and with the television in the background playing softly, we sit and the boys ask questions, I guess they never asked before about their mom. And Atlas tries to be as honest as possible without causing more pain to his boys. When Konstantin sits next to me, I put my headon his shoulder, and before I know it, my head is falling forward. Last thing I hear is Atlas’s deep, husky voice trying to help his sons through more drama. He’s a great dad,I think to myself as I fade deeply into sleep.

TWENTY-FOUR

‘REBEL’

MYA

Once again, the Devil’s Handmaidens and the folks of Timber-Ghost came together to support Atlas and the boys. The plan was to have a simple service at the only funeral home in our town. In fact, it’s one of Tank’s brothers from the Intruders. Smokey is a quiet member, who does what he’s told, no questions asked. His parents own the funeral home and they did a beautiful job for Mindy’s service. After, everyone went to the Wooden Spirits Bar and Grill where Cook had prepared a buffet. The grill side of the place is set up so pretty. Simple flower centerpieces with a few large bouquets around. A large photo of Mindy is on an easel. I know Atlas did this for the boys, but I think it’s good for him too.

Now, almost two weeks later, and there is still food being delivered and finally the plants stopped coming. I’m worried that none of the boys or Atlas seem to be processing Mindy’s death. It’s like business as usual, which I know is not good. I’m so concerned, I finally broke down and spoke to Taz about it. She suggested that maybe if everyone agrees, have a “family” therapy session so everyone can talk about their issues together. It took me two days after I spoke to Taz to bring it up one night at dinner. Konstantin agrees immediately so does, to my surprise, Stefanos. Atlas and Thanos, not so much. Once againKonstantin has my back, finally saying that I have never asked them for anything with all that I do for them. Thanos caves first and Atlas agrees when Stefanos tells him he’s the minority. That night was not pleasant with Atlas. Well, actually, since Mindy was found he’s been very distant. So much so, I decide to give him some time so I’m back to staying at the ranch instead of with them at the Giannopoulos home. Konstantin has reached out a few times, asking me if I was okay. After that, I would go over to Atlas’s house, have dinner with the family, then go back to the ranch. It’s getting to be too much and I feel drained all the time. And to top it off, Atlas has gone cold to me. He barely kisses me, let alone making time for us to be together. I’m getting the feeling that he’s trying to figure out a way to dump me, which I know will devastate me. Not just because I’m in love with the man, but I also love all three of his boys.

One day, as I am helping out with some ranch chores, both Apollo and Athena ask me if I have a minute or two to talk. Of course, I tell them, so we make our way to the conference center and I take us to one of the offices. I grab bottles of water for all of us. When I sit down, I look at both of them and if you judge by appearances, they look really good, though I know the truth. They are also struggling with everything that happened. I see them generally every day but this is the first time they’ve asked to speak to me, so I’m worried. Athena must see that because she reaches over and squeezes my hand.

“Rebel, honey, don’t worry. We don’t want to stress you out. Both Apollo and I see that Atlas is struggling, and we wanted to touch base with you to see if we can do anything to help.”

Not sure why, but with everything they’ve been through, they still want to help Atlas and the boys out. That’s when Apollo puts it all on the table.

“Like Athena said, we want to help if we can. What she didn’t say is that we already consider you like our daughter-in-law, sowe want to help you too. Both of us can see how much this is hurting you and after talking to Konstantin, he opened our eyes to his dad’s struggles since Mindy passed. Now before we start, honey, please know something must have spooked Atlas because he adores you. He can’t say enough about how much he cares for you. So, let’s put our heads together to see if we can get his head out of his ass.”

His words take me by surprise and I actually giggle. We are relaxed after that and I explain what I’ve seen and how Atlas has changed toward me. It isn’t Apollo getting pissed, it is Athena. We come to the conclusion that when we meet the therapist tomorrow that they will also be there, but will give us some time before they literally burst in and confront their son. I’m not sure if this plan is a good one, but I’m also not sure what to do to get us back on track. Later that night, Atlas calls to talk for exactly three and a half minutes to catch up on each other’s day. He’s so shut off that I don’t even want to talk to him, which scares me because I love him so much. Fingers crossed; I pray for some positive vibes that tomorrow helps all of us to move forward.

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