Page 29 of Her Brother's Keeper

“Keys,” Nox called and I pulled mine out, tossing them to him. He went for Sage while I went for Ariel.

“Ariel, why is my little brother sitting out in the cold while you sit in your car?” I asked, not rudely, not angrily, I simply asked.

“Maren, it was his choice,” she said putting up her hands, “after I told him that he and Ian needed to take a break for a little while.”

I felt my back go up and I gritted my teeth, “Don’t you think that maybe we should have talked about that before you said something to him?” I asked.

Ariel looked uncertain, “Well, you’re so young…”

“And I’mstillhis guardian, would you mind filling me in on what exactly is going on?”

“I just think that Sage is going through a lot right now and that he’s maybe becoming a bad influence on Ian as a result.”

I rubbed my forehead and looked at Ariel plainly, “Can you tell me why you reached that conclusion?” I asked.

“I overheard Sage telling Ian last night that Ian didn’thaveto listen to me, or his father, just like Sage doesn’t have to listen to you…”

“And your control over Ian issofragile that you thought Sage’s opinion would make that much of a difference?” I asked and I couldn’t help being bitter and even snarky about it.

“Maren, it’s not likethat– ”

“Then what is it, Ariel? Were you even going to give me the chance to fix it? To talk to Sage?”

She was silent for a time and finally said, “You know all about kids and peer pressure these days… I just think it’s a good idea that Sage takes a time out; that you and he sort some things out.”

“I don’t disagree, but wow. Just wow… I’m going to go inside and do just that, but I think you need to leave.”

“Maren!”

“Thank you for everything that you’ve done so far, Ariel. I really do appreciate it. I mean that, ” I called over my shoulder and I went into my house without another backward glance.

I found Nox standing in the living room, arms crossed over his chest, staring down at my little brother who was huddled on the couch, sniffling. I dropped onto the cushion beside him and tried not to cry myself. I felt like I was screwing justeverythingup for him, but had to admit, Sage needed to take some responsibility too.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked gently.

“No.”

“Well,” Nox drawled. “That’s too bad this time, buddy. You need to listen to your sister.”

“Why?” Sage demanded, “She’s only six years older than me! She gets to do whatever she wants, why can’t I?”

I couldn’t help the harsh, choked, bitter laugh that escaped me, “Is that what you think? Because if I were doing what I wanted, I would probably be a lot happier,” I said, staring at Nox, who caught my meaning and inclined his head with a sad little smile. Neither one of us were having much fun having reverted back to pumpkin status.

Sage brought up his head and glared at me savagely and I stared right back, calmly, waiting for it. “It’s like you’re pretending to be all grown up and you’re all of a sudden the boss of me! You’re not! I don’t have to listen to you, you’re just my stupid sister!” he shouted, and Nox hung his head and let out a jagged laugh.

“No, you’re right, you’re right… You don’t have to listen to her, you don’t have to listen to me either, but what youhave to dois live with the consequences of not listening. You feel me, little man?”

Sage glared at both me and Nox, but finally looked a little uncertain, I asked him, “Do you know what happens if you won’t listen to me? If you get into trouble? They’ll think I can’t take care of you. They’ll take you away from me and put you into a foster home.”

“So?” Sage demanded, but I could tell he was losing steam.

Nox cut in, “I can tell you all about foster homes, Sage. It’s not a vacation. You go to live with strangers. If you’re lucky, they aren’t too bad. Then there are the kind who don’t care if you eat and beat you for the smallest thing. Most of the time you get the kind thatjusttreats you like you’re a paycheck. Feed you and make sure you don’t die on your way to school, but other than that?” Nox shook his head. “You can forget help with your homework, you can forget getting any of your favorite foods, or going out to play, or playing video games or a lot of the things you get here with Maren. You won’t get to see her, you won’t get to use the phone to call her, and you probably won’t get to do anything like learning how to drive on time, unless you steal a car.”

“You can pretty much be guaranteed to get caught, and spend some time in Juvie…” he paused and took a deep breath, reordering his thoughts before going on, “It’s a spiral you see, down, down and down… If you’re not lucky, like me, you get put into a home with foster parents like Norma Rae and Duncan. Where a couple of boys barely older than you are the ones who raise you. Your foster parents spend the money that’s supposed to feed and clothe you on booze and cigarettes, your foster father beats you with his belt for stealing a French fry off his stack even though you’re so hungry, you’d eat just about anything…”

“Nox!” I said sharply, horrified and hoping this wasn’t how he’d grown up, but deep down, looking at the pain etched into every line of his face, looking at the well of deep pain in his eyes… somehow I knew it was.

“That doesn’t happen!” Sage said defiantly, but he looked scared. I wanted to agree, to tell him he was right and that nothing like that ever happened, but wasn’t it the exact thing I was terrified wasgoingto happen to him?

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