Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Whoa. What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing,” I mumble.
We sit in silence for a few beats. I’m really not in the mood to be here. I want to head back to Bridge Lake to check on Mary.
“How are things with Achilles?” he asks, thankfully changing the subject.
“It’s business as usual. Nothing to complain about.”
“Is he going to back you to start that entertainment thing?”
“Yeah, I’ve been able to get a few kids into the music studio, but the real challenge is going to be producing the films for them.”
Jeff still doesn’t know that Achilles is my partner, not my investor. We’ve kept my role under wraps pretty well over the years.
“Is that really going to make you any money?”
I shrug. “Achilles asked the same thing. That’s not why I’m doing it. Some of those kids have real talent. It’s not their fault they got a shit hand at life. My goal is to give them the chance I once had.”
I look down at my plate. The food tastes like nothing. I feel sick to my stomach.
Here I sit, about to drop at least two hundred dollars on a salad and a piece of fish. That’s money that could go to one of those kids for books or something. Money Mary could use for medication.
“You done? I want to show you this storefront I’m looking at.”
I lift my gaze and knit my brows. “Here? In Sunnyside?”
“Yeah, I’m thinking of doing a spa. There’s a lot of money around here. Place it next to a yoga studio. You know?”
I knit my brows further. Yeah, I do know. Call me crazy, but he just sat with me and Skittles as we had this same conversation.
Only we talked about the local clinics around here and how we wanted to place the spa between the clinics and a yoga studio for wellness treatments. My foundation deals with helping single parents dealing with cancer cope with holding their families together.
For me, it’s not a money grab. The families my foundation supports in the area will have full access. My phone rings and I shake the thought off.
“I need to take this and we can go,” I say.
Chapter 32
The Squeeze
Kelex
A month later…
“Bro, she’s fighting. We just have to continue to be strong,” I say to a sobbing True.
“What am I going to do if I lose my mom? Where will we go? My dad doesn’t want us. All the rest of our family is gone or doesn’t care. We’re on our own.”
My jaw nearly pops when he mentions his father. I’ve made that motherfucker’s life a living, breathing hell. He’s only alive because of his kids, although I’ve been second-guessing that decision lately.
“You guys have me. I’m not going anywhere.”
“J, I love you, bro, but what are you going to do with three kids? We can’t stay with you.”
“Maria’s House will take you guys in until we figure it out.”
Or they can come live with me.
I’ve thought long and hard about this. It’s not something I’ve brought up to Mary because I don’t want to put more on her plate. It’s my hope she’ll pull through and I don’t want to do anything to block that.
However, it’s been weighing on my mind. I wonder if she should put in writing that she wants me to take the kids. I would be honored to do it.
True snorts. “So we become VIPs at your charity house. This isn’t right. She’s a good mom. Why her?”
“I can’t answer that for you. I’ve been wondering the same thing.”
I grind my teeth as I think of my mother and father. If it was a matter of keeping the better parent, I’d say I got the shit end of that stick too. He’s right. Mary is an amazing person and an even better mom.
At fourteen, True should be out with friends drinking smoothies and checking out girls—his biggest worry getting his homework done. Not this, not what will happen to him and his little sisters when their mother is gone.
However, that’s a question heavy on all our hearts. It’s not looking good. Mary hasn’t been responding well to the treatments this time.
“You should get out of here. You have that dinner, don’t you?” True asks, bringing me out of my thoughts.
I look down at my watch. Zoe is expecting me. There have been new players entering Vander. They have Bridge Lake money, but they don’t seem to understand the ecosystem here.
“That can wait,” I reply.
Zoe and Blake want me to cozy up to the newcomers and find out all I can. Look for weaknesses in case they’re needed in the future. I still haven’t committed to taking over, but my connections have been helpful in doing all I can for these kids and others like them.
“We’ll be fine. I’ll call you if anything changes.”
I cup the back of his head and kiss his forehead. I wish like hell there was more I could do. The one thing I do know—I can’t be a guardian to these kids and take over Vander and Bridge Lake. I hope Mary doesn’t make this sacrifice for my soul.