Page 36 of Jace 4Ever
“Well, come on in. Get what you need. That’s why I’m open!” The kind old black man chuckled and motioned me through the doors. “Your brother making trouble again?”
A deep sigh escaped me. “Isn’t he always?”
“I caught that child stealing my apples at four. He has always been trouble. You should stop trying to rescue him from his own disaster. It’s not healthy for you, and it’s not good for him. He’s never gonna change if he knows you’re there to bail him out.”
I cringed at the word bail. “I am always bailing him out, but how could I not? That’s what our parents would have done.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Mr. Donald said, grabbing the broom in the corner. “Your father and I were friends and he always said he hated to think of the day he would have to refuse to help that kid anymore. Even your father knew they couldn’t keep helping him. They could see they hadn’t done things wrong raising him because you were turning out to be such a good kid. Jerrod was just born to be a criminal, and your parents had limits as to how much they could really steer him away from that path.” He paused his sweeping to lean on the broom and stare at me with a pointed look. “And, you, son, are not your parents. He’s your brother, and I get that, but we are not our brother’s keeper.”
Mr. Donald was right. I couldn’t keep bailing him out. But now, I could escape his gravity and find my own orbit. I had the money to do it. I could get out from under Denis and find a new life.
After I picked up food for the week, I headed back to the apartment to put it away. And with my newfound flush of cash, I ordered an Uber to take me to the set. Screw the subway.
Jace: Hey, good morning.
Noah: Ugh, you friggin’ early bird.
Jace: You love me, and I need your help.
Noah: What’s up?
Jace: How do I transfer a lot of money?
Noah: Go to the bank?
Jace: Comedian. I want to put a large amount in a savings. Can I write a check? Do I have to go to the window?
Noah: Your bank should allow you to create a savings behind your checking and you can transfer it there, on the app.
Jace: Sweet. So, I don’t even have to go to the bank?
Noah: Nope. Did you get paid from the script?
Jace: I did. I nearly choked. And I have to make sure that some of this is well out of Jerrod’s hands. I know he doesn’t have the account, and I have the steel door on my bedroom, but I just don’t trust him or his slimy friends. They’d try to take all of this if they saw the number.
Noah: Jesus, Jace, how much did you get paid?
I hesitated for just a moment, but finally typed in the number.
Noah: Whistling. That’s the whole thing at once? That was generous.
Jace: No. That was ten percent.
The dots on the screen bounced for several long seconds.
Noah: Holy Shit, Jace. HOLY SHIT.
Jace: Exactly.
Denis’light was on in his trailer office and I walked straight over and knocked. I was done with this. I needed to be done with this. No more porn. No more skeevy coworkers. No vaginal close-ups, and no more cock and balls in my face unwillingly.
“What?”
Denis’ tone was harsh and unwelcoming, but I didn’t care. I pushed the door open and walked right up to his desk. “How much more do I owe you?”
“Oh, got a little cash, eh?” He chuckled, and it was cruel.
“How much, Denis?”
