Page 2 of Mike's Assistant

“You mean his ‘friend’,” Ms. Grace corrected, her voice laced with derision, emphasizing the word ‘friend’ in a way that made my heart sink.

“Friend, my ass. It’s disgusting, really. The boys don’t need to be around someone like that. Jake won’t be able to do anything, will he?”

A scoff sounded. “Not a chance. He’s an unemployed, twenty-one-year-old college student with no job or money. There’s no will or insurance. This is what’s best for the boys.”

“Excellent. The little pansy can have tonight, but tomorrow…”

I couldn’t listen anymore; I felt like I would throw up. Backing away slowly, I turned on my heel, my heart pounding as I made my way back toward the boys. Not only had I lost my parents, but now it seemed I was on the brink of losing my brothers, too.

With a sinking feeling in my chest, I hurried back to the boys, weaving through the crowd of sympathizers, offering their empty words of condolences. I dodged Mr. Travis, who had another comforting platitude ready on his lips, sidestepped Mrs. Evers with her sorrowful gaze, and even avoided the narcissistic Mrs. Talbot. My singular focus was on getting back to my brothers as quickly as possible.

When I finally reached them, Abel looked as though he was on the verge of tears, clinging tightly to Sam, his tiny hands balled up in his brother’s shirt. Sam, meanwhile, was glaring daggers at Todd, a fierce protectiveness etched on his young face. It was clear that my absence, even for a few minutes, had left them unsettled and worried.

I crouched down to their level, my gaze softening. “Hey, what’s going on?” I asked gently, just as Abel detached himself from Sam and rushed towards me. His tiny arms wound tightly around my legs, his sobs muffled by the fabric of my jeans.

“Sam, what happened?” I turned to the elder of my two brothers. He was inching his way towards me, his gaze never wavering from Todd.

“Todd yelled at Abel,” Sam replied quietly, his voice laced with a trace of anger.

“Whatever, the runt started crying,” Todd dismissed, rising from his chair. “About time you got back. What took you so long? Had to entertain your town folks with their sympathies—it gave me the heebie-jeebies.”

A wave of anger surged within me at Todd’s casual indifference. I struggled to suppress it, reminding myself that my priorities were now the two little figures huddled by my side.

Mustering an insincere smile, I directed my attention toward Todd. “Thanks for watching them. I’ll take it from here; you can head out.”

“Really?” Todd’s eyes lit up at my words. “You’re the best, man. Erin Wix is throwing this massive party. Pete’s been sending me pictures. Looks insane.”

A party? Our parents had just died, and all he could think about was a party. What the fuck had I seen in him? Ignoring the bitter taste in my mouth, I nodded. “Yeah, I’m the best. See you later, Todd.”

“Later, dude. I’ll swing by after the runts are in bed,” Todd replied with a wink, practically sprinting towards the exit.

I watched him go, biting back a curse. Once he was out of sight, I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. Turning to Sam and Abel, I forced a smile onto my face. “What do you say we head home?”

“Home? You’re leaving already?”

Judith’s shrill voice cut through the air like a discordant melody, making me wince. The sight of her was just as disconcerting: a formidable woman in her late forties. She had her graying black hair drawn back tightly, casting stark emphasis on her harsh features. Her olive skin looked harsher than it should have for her age, probably from years of disapproval etched into her features. Her large, pronounced nose and bushy eyebrows contrasted sharply with her piercing, dark brown eyes. Dressed in a dark-colored, long skirt and dark blouse, she stood rigidly with a bible clasped tightly in her hands. Both Sam and Abel tightened their grips on me instinctively as they, too, absorbed her daunting presence. I knew they feared her as they often ran to their mother and father to escape from her company.

I gave them an encouraging squeeze before mustering a weary smile at their aunt and answering, “Yeah, it’s been a long day.”

“It certainly has.” Ms. Grace walked up beside Judith, her professional demeanor starkly contrasting Judith’s rigidity. She was a much softer presence, with her light brown hair pulled back into a neat bun and her pastel-colored blouse giving her a somewhat nurturing look. But her carefully practiced smile couldn’t disguise the bureaucratic edge to her voice. “How are they holding up? How are you holding up?”

Her sweet tone caused my stomach to churn, and the bile that had tried to escape earlier made a second attempt. I cleared my throat. “We’re doing okay. It’s going to be bedtime, and I think I should get them home.”

Ms. Grace nodded. “I think that’s a good idea. You try to get some rest, and I’ll be by in the morning to discuss things.”

The dam holding back my chaotic emotions was precariously close to breaking, only held in check by a thin thread of resolve. I forced myself to swallow, attempting to regain control before nodding at her. I was painfully aware of their plans. I had less than twelve hours to figure out what I was going to do.

Judith leaned down to hug the boys, but they tightened their grips and inched behind me, moving out of her reach. Judith’s expression hardened, and she moved closer. I cleared my throat. “They’re tired and cranky. They’ve had a long day, Aunt Judith.”

Judith snapped her gaze toward me at the word aunt. Her eyes narrowed, and at that moment, I felt hatred that I never felt before. After all these years, her mask finally fell off.

She stood up and pressed her lips together. “Yes, they must be tired. You go rest and take care of them.” With those words, she spun around and left.

Ms. Grace gave a tiny smile and patted my shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jake.” She peered down at the boys. “Good night, boys.”

Sam and Abel gave a shy wave, but still held me close. How could this woman think it a good idea to separate us?

She looked back at me. “Good night, Jake.”

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