Page 41 of Cupcake of the Month
Zach nodded. “I miss them.”
“So do I, buddy.” Maybe not them as people, but what they had represented. Family. Security. A future.
“I need that wine, Josh.” Barb waved her hand. “And make sure none of those olives have pits.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, grateful for the distraction. He would’ve already gone insane if he’d been unable to confide inher.
Jordan could have been his confidant all those years ago, if only he’d been able to admit his role in his current nightmare. Images of her eyes narrowing behind her squared glasses, of her nose wrinkling in distaste were all in his imagination.
Or so he’d like to believe. Everything he thought was good in his life had been tainted by the actions of Marian and Clint. He didn’t want to suffer the same disillusionment with Jordan.
Barb snapped her fingers and Josh handed her the bowl of olives and the measured wine. Then he went to work on the mini beef filets.
“Do you think they think about me?” asked his tenacious brother. “I know they’re busy trying to prove their innocence, but they must think about me sometimes. And you, too.”
The letters from his parents that the FBI had returned were hidden in the apartment where Zach would never find them. Knowing how little space they spared for him would break his heart. “I’m sure they do.” Maybe by the time Zach was old enough to understand everything that happened, they’d have been located and extradited from wherever they were back to Georgia.
“I think I have enough carrots, Zach.” Barb placed a bowl of sour cream and a cutting board with dill in front of the boy. “Chop. Finely.”
Zach took the knife and focused on the herb, his tongue peeking out between his lips. “I was watching a movie where a guy was receiving coded messages in the newspaper. Do you think they’d try something like that? But we don’t get the newspaper. Maybe there’s a website we could try.”
Yeah, like Felons and Families.com.
“Maybe,” Josh stalled. He used to be able to get around Zach’s ideas, but the kid was older now. He wouldn’t be distracted as easily.
Protecting his brother’s ideals of what a family was supposed to be gave him the same raw ache Josh experienced when he received the early morning phone call from Zach’s dad Clint, telling him they were leaving Zach behind and fleeing before their sentencing. Reminding Josh of the part he had played.
Threatening Josh, more like it.
Josh would never let his brother experience that feeling of abandonment, of knowing he ranked second behind their parents’ own selfish wants. Zach had to come first. It had meant sneaking out of Jordan’s apartment that morning. He had figured then once everything got straightened out, he’d call her and explain what happened.
Things never got straightened out.
But now he needed a change of subject, and fast. “Hey, Monday after school. Want to go bowling?”
“Yeah! Can we go to the one next to the ice cream place?”
Josh laughed, finding joy in the simple things that made his brother happy. “Sure thing.”
“You’re flying solo at Fountenoy Hall tomorrow, right?” Barb asked.
“Yes.” Josh took the dill from Zach and made it finer. “Ms. Eulalee is leaving sometime after lunch for the city of love. Plus I’m pulling a double shift.”
“I would wish you luck, but I won’t lie to you. I want you to fail miserably so you have to take over when I retire.”
That wouldn’t be happening anytime soon. “How did I get to have such a cold hearted boss?”
“Great misfortune.”
Once food had begun circulating, Josh took a break and read the text. A fierce surge of emotions wrapped around his heart at Jordan’s words.
In case I don’t see you, good luck tomorrow.
He glanced around, on the edge of being embarrassed by the swell of feelings. He wasn’t worthy of having her in his corner, but there she was.
An ache filled his gut. She’d leave again once she realized he betrayed his own family by giving evidence to the police, even though he did was right. He shoved his phone into his pocket and got back to work.
He and Barb managed to keep Zach busy for the rest of the party so the conversation never turned back to their parents. After Barb dropped them off, Zach scurried inside.
