Tiny Tim

Chapter 14

We lay in bed, holding each other and basking in the feeling of relief for a few minutes, before she kissed my nose and produced a cute girly giggle.

“Tell me, Timothy. Was that a nice ‘ego boost’ for you?” she asked, hinting at the conversation I had with Mia and Joan in the car. Apparently, mothers and daughters talk about a lot more than mothers and sons.

“You didn’t pass out. But I’ll just have to put in a little more effort if we get the chance to try again.” I grinned. Quickly, however, my old insecurities kicked in and the grin vanished. “Wait. You didn’t just act like you liked it, did you?”

“Oh no, Darling. I enjoyed myself a lot!” She gave me a marvelous smile. “It’s been quite a while since I got so loud. I admit, finding myself a lover that much younger, but still obviously attracted to me ... it’s quite the ego-boost for myself. But you really took care of my neglected little pussy!”

“So ... You still want to go shopping, or was that just a pretense to get me to take you out of the house?”

“Oh! No, I actually need to get a few things. Though, now we’ll have to do those tomorrow. I don’t think I’ll want to walk around too much today.” she said, before turning almost shy on me. “To be perfectly honest with you, I had thought about teasing you a little. Letting you see me in my dessous and maybe a blowjob. If you’d really wanted me. I didn’t think this would escalate so quickly. I still can’t believe it did.”

“The part about your husband suggesting you’d find yourself a lover wasn’t a lie though, right?”

“No, that is true. Don’t you worry, it won’t be a problem. But now it’s my turn to ask you that question, young man. I saw the photos of you and that woman in your living room. You look like a couple in them.” she said, and suddenly her grin turned mischievous. “And she seems older as well.”

“Yes. She was my girlfriend.”

“Was?” she asked, and I sighed.

“She ... died. Three months ago.” The smile instantly vanished from her face.

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” Nora immediately apologized.

“Thank you.” I got out of bed and rummaged through the pockets of my pants, looking for my cigarettes. “I know I should probably just take those pictures down again. Someone else asked about them before and my answer ruined the mood then too. But when I tried to take them off the wall, I just ... couldn’t. Though, it’s kinda funny. I only hung them just a few weeks ago.”

My voice had grown quieter as I continued speaking. She studied me for a moment, before she got up, stepped close to me, and hugged me from behind. Her mouth close to my ear, I heard her whisper.

“Can I ask what happened?”

“Pancreatic cancer. She was already in stage four when they found it, so there was nothing they could’ve done anymore. She lasted five months.”

She was quiet for a while.

“So, you live all on your own away from your family, work that dangerous job, your girlfriend just passed ... And all that while you’re still in high school.” she sighed. “No wonder you act a lot more mature than my children.”

I just shrugged my shoulders and gave up on finding my cigarettes. She let one of her hands slide up to my chest to lightly caress it, placed a kiss on my neck, and just held me with her other arm still around my waist.

Seriously, though, what is it with mothers? Do their prenatal classes include seminars on how to give comforting hugs, or something!? I had been hugged before, sure, but the way Claire had held me that night in my bed, the way Aunt Danielle had held me that night on the sofa, and now the way Nora held me just standing there, was simply ... soothing. And why was she even doing it? I was just the guy she paid to chauffeur her daughter around, not to mention the guy who knocked out her son! Why would she even concern herself with me?

A look at my watch told me we had been in bed for almost an hour, and now we had been standing there for a few more minutes. I turned around to look at her as I asked myself that question, but seeing our mixed juices run down her inner thighs gave me an idea.

“Wanna shower together? Can’t drive you home with my cum dripping out of you and smelling like sex.” I suggested with a half grin.

“No, Lover, I can’t. I have to get home and present this to George.” she said, matter of fact, while placing her hand right above her leaking Pussy.

That statement confused me immensely. Was she going to taunt her husband? Even if she said he suggested she’d find some extramarital fun, this didn’t sound like she was planning on having a civil conversation about that topic.

“Is that ... won’t that just provoke him?” I asked carefully, causing her to look at me in confusion before she started chuckling.

She pulled her panties back on, her skirt back down, and started buttoning her blouse. Then she stepped closer to me and gave me another wet kiss before talking.

“Darling, when I said that George found himself a little mistress, I didn’t mean a lover. He found himself a Mistress!” she explained with a meaningful look, and I finally understood what she just told me. “I don’t have that in me. I love that man with all my heart, so I tried, but I couldn’t be that for him. I just don’t know how. Finding a lover for myself was also not actually his idea, but hers when I asked her how to go about his needs. Something about showing him that I’m in control of our marriage as a first important step. I’ll need you to take me home now, so I can show him the proof of me doing just that. And, apparently, if I’m convincing enough, even make him eat that massive load of yours.”

My eyebrows shot up as I stared at her. While I really didn’t have much of a problem with tasting myself on a woman’s lips after she had swallowed my cum ... actually eating it? Well, it wouldn’t be that much of a difference, I reckoned, but someone else’s!? No fucking way! My thoughts must have shown on my face, because Nora displayed an amused half smile and shrugged her shoulders.

I got dressed myself and we moved to the car. Throughout the entire drive, I thought about what Nora had just told me about her husband. I didn’t know how to feel about that. On one hand, when I mentally placed myself in George’s shoes, I was sure I would blow a fuse. Especially with my own precarious past, knowing my family had excluded me for years from their sexcapades. Imagining then having a wife who does the same, but in addition even taunts me about it, simply made me sad. I could not understand how anyone could possibly enjoy something like that, much less get aroused by it. On the other hand, I also couldn’t imagine being with another guy, but wouldn’t even dream of condemning someone for being gay, so ... whatever flips your pancakes, I guess?

Despite being absorbed in my own thoughts, I still noticed that Nora was unusually quiet throughout the ride, with her hands folded in her lap, until the car came to a stop in her driveway. She didn’t move for a moment, but then leaned over to give me a rather demure kiss before fixing me with a piercing look.

“Now, I need to make sure we are on the same page, Timothy.” I immediately noted the way she addressed me, and she must have seen the confusion on my face. “Finding a lover was more for my husband to know that I have a lover, than for me actually pursuing it. Though, as I said before, I had a lot of fun with you, and I wouldn’t be against doing it again. Please understand that I do not wish for Mia or Jack to learn about this. Neither what happened between us today, nor that their father encouraged it. So, we most likely won’t be able to get together on a regular basis. Can you live with that?”

I mulled it over for a second, and then nodded.

“Absolutely. You are married with children after all. I wouldn’t expect this to suddenly turn into a relationship.”

“I knew I could count on you!” she smiled before kissing me again. This time, however, the kiss was anything but demure, and despite what she had just told me about keeping it a secret from her children, she certainly didn’t care about who could see us. I felt her tongue fishing for my tonsils within seconds, and I was absolutely ready to go again when she finally stepped out of the car.

I waited until I saw her enter the house, and then drove off towards my own home. I couldn’t stop thinking about her husband, and suddenly realized something. I had no fucking idea he was that way in private! When we had met and talked, he was always presenting himself as that powerful and successful businessman he actually was. Even after he had to call Bill to catch the stalker and secure his home, there still wasn’t even a hint of him not being in total control of the situation.

Maybe my demand for Ava to get her shit together and restrain her submissiveness to the bedroom wasn’t unreasonable. Maybe, if Mr. Miller could enjoy himself in the bedroom without carrying it into the outside world and let it influence his businesses, there really was a chance for that to happen with Ava as well. Without even realizing it, I started thinking about how I could support her to reach that goal.

The next morning, after I arrived at their house to pick up Mia again, George Miller suddenly pulled me aside and led me into his den.

“I understand my wife decided to have some fun with you.” he said with an unreadable poker face and a level voice. I had absolutely no idea if he was angry, happy, or even casual about it. But he kept looking at me, obviously expecting me to answer.

“Yes, Sir.” I replied hesitantly but politely, and he nodded.

“I trust her judgment. You understand, however, for a man in my position, there is an obvious need to protect myself and my reputation.” I just looked at him, not eager to find out how far he was willing to go to protect his reputation. “And while I trust my wife’s judgment, you are certainly still young, Timothy. Do you understand what it would mean if anything of this came out to the public?”

“Yes, Sir, I do. I can promise you, I have nothing to gain from telling people about this. Quite the opposite, if I’m being honest here.”

“How so?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

“Well,...” I sighed, resigning myself to having to tell him about my background. “Did your wife happen to mention that I live alone? Despite being so young?”

“Yes, she told me exactly what happened and what was talked about. You have ... familial troubles.” he said vaguely, waving his hand around at the last part to signal how it wasn’t of any importance to him, and he wanted me to continue in my story.

“I’ve been working for Mr. Carter for years, Sir. I have signed more than enough NDA’s over those years to know, if I talk about anything private I happen to overhear or see regarding our clients, I will lose my job. If I lose this job for being a blabbermouth, I won’t be hired by anyone paying even close to what I make now, and I can’t survive on my own with what I would earn delivering pizzas. It’s in my best interest to keep my mouth shut.”

Just like Nora had done the day before while lying in my bed, he studied me for a moment. And what I said was true. Yes, I had roughly a cubic feet of hundred dollar bills lying around, but I could barely use it. That 50’’ smart-TV I bought cost me less than my monthly rent, and when I paid for it in cash, there were quite a few suspicious looks already. Which was the main reason why I drove to six different stores to get all the parts for my entertainment system, and then decided to better pay legitimately for my purchases from Ikea and Home Depot. There was no way I could use that cash to repeatedly pay my rent, or make my insurance payments, or pay my utility bills. So, as long as I was still looking for a way to legitimize that money, I needed that regular income on my bank account to pay for a lot of essential stuff.

“Well, looks like I don’t need to point that part out to you. Do you have any experience with that specific sexual practice?” he finally asked.

For a second my thoughts wandered to Ava and her submissive needs, but I could hardly tell him about that. She was my sister! How would I explain that I knew about what got her off?

“No.”

I don’t know if he saw in my eyes how I remembered the sex I had with Ava, or if it was the slight hesitation before answering him, or if he was just that good at reading people. But I noticed a faint smile on his lips before he nodded again. Only later did I realize he appreciated me demonstrating that I could in fact keep my mouth shut like I had claimed.

“Now, don’t think I’m looking down on you, or that I’m accusing you of anything, but I want it to be perfectly clear upfront; if you will be with my wife, there will be no financial benefits. She won’t buy you pretty things, she won’t pay you extra, and neither of you can tell me to give you anything of monetary value. So, if you got into this while hoping to extort me, forget about it right now.”

I blinked at him for a moment, taken aback by his statement. If I had to be honest with myself, I wasn’t sure if I would really never tell him to buy me stuff, should the opportunity present itself. His house and its interior certainly looked like he wouldn’t even notice if he bought me a new car or something. Sue me, I was seventeen and already tired of having to work for everything! But I can honestly say that I never even had the thought of making him do anything at all for me before he brought it up, so I simply nodded.

After our talk, he dismissed me to find his daughter in the kitchen, where she was having a conversation with her mother. Each of the two held a cup of coffee and abruptly stopped their exchange the moment I entered.

“Timothy! Good morning!” Nora greeted me, followed by an acknowledging grunt from Mia.

“Good Morning to you, too!” I replied, but seeing the expressions on their faces that looked like I had just caught them doing something embarrassing, and remembering all the instances when conversations stopped at home when I entered a room, made me feel quite unwelcome. “I’ll wait by the car, Mia.”

I was reaching for the doorknob when Nora caught up to me and pulled me into another wet and sinful kiss, taking me by surprise.

“Good Morning, Lover!” she finally whispered with a sultry smirk. “You think we could do the shopping today that we couldn’t quite get around to do yesterday?”

“Sure, Nora. Though, it’s Thursday. Mia should have her Cheer practice today, right? We probably won’t be back before five-ish.”

“Yes, that’s right. Mia will accompany us.” she said, in a normal volume this time.

I stared at her with a blank expression for a few seconds, then a boyish smile crept on my face as I couldn’t suppress a stupid thought. She immediately knew what that was about, and slapped me on the shoulder with a laugh.

“Oh no, Lover! This time, ‘going shopping’ is not just an excuse to drive to your apartment.” she laughed, but then got closer and her voice took on a different, more suggestive, tone as she brazenly stroked my groin. “And certainly not with my baby girl in tow. I don’t think she’s ready for that. Yet.”

She snickered upon my reaction to her words and actions. Just like Tess on our first date, I could plainly see how much she enjoyed having that kind of effect on me.

“I’d never even think about something like that!” I protested weakly, but she didn’t buy it.

“By the way, Tomothy, I had a talk with her yesterday evening. And just now in the kitchen, actually.” She finally took her hand off my groin. “I hope she stops giving you such a hard time. Have a great day, Lover.”

With that said, she gave me one last peck on the lips, turned, and walked back towards the kitchen. As I watched her walk away, I noticed Mr. Miller was standing in the hallway, watching our exchange. I decided to better sit in the car and wait for Mia, not eager to interact with him in front of her.

Even after we had passed the halfway mark to school, it was still uncomfortable for me to sit, and there was no way Mia didn’t notice me squirming in that obvious manner guys do in those situations. While she didn’t comment on it at first, the way she looked at me was clearly curious. My thoughts just kept circling from wondering what exactly Nora and Mia could have talked about that would change Mia’s behavior so drastically, to how Mia told her mother about my heroics in that parking lot, and finally to what happened with Nora in my bed after that. Whenever I reached that last part, my dick refueled.

“Why are you squirming so much!?” Mia suddenly laughed, ripping me out of my thoughts. “Please tell me you tried a new laundry detergent and have a reaction to it!”

“I’m glad I could give you a laugh so early in the morning...” I quietly commented, but was secretly grateful for her taking it with humor. At least that was what I thought she did, since she included a joke in it.

“Seriously, what happened?”

“Just ... some memories I can’t shake. That’s all.”

I wasn’t going to tell her that her mother had just stroked me to full hardness, and then left me standing in the hallway. Literally and figuratively.

“And what kind of memories would that be?” she smirked.

Suddenly, I realized something.

“Did you really tell your mother how I got stabbed?” I asked, causing her to look at me in surprise.

“THAT’S what keeps you squirming!?” I didn’t answer and waited for her to just answer. “Yes, I did. Why?”

“How do you even know? I never told anyone outside of work.”

“Duh! Ava told me.” she answered, like I was a five-year-old she needed to remind for the third time that the stove gets hot.

“When!?”

“The day after it happened.” she just shrugged.

If I weren’t so concerned about piloting eight metric tons of steel across the roads, this would have stunned me. Just yesterday, I had accused Ava of not standing up for me. Which was true. However, according to this interesting new piece of information, Ava may have succumbed to peer pressure when her entire cheer team was present, but readily advertised my heroics when it was just her and Mia. Or it was just more of the same. She wanted me to come home after I bought her stuff, and she acknowledged me after I protected her. Neither was to last. Probably. I made a mental note to check.

“You know...” she continued. “I have to admit, that was impressive.”

“I got my ass handed that day. Broken rib, busted eye, and a knife in my stomach. Not exactly what I’d call impressive.” I dismissed her statement.

“That’s not what I’m talking about, you idiot. You guys are all the same. So what if it didn’t play out like you’re the untouchable main character in a Jason Statham movie.” she sounded annoyed, but that changed as she continued. “You stood up for your family. Put yourself on the line to protect them. That ... takes character. Especially with ... I mean, considering how ... your relationship with your family...”

As she stammered in my backseat, I glanced at her through the rearview mirror. She looked just as uncomfortable as she sounded. But not as if she was somehow forced to say something she didn’t want to. It was more like she was considerate towards me, but not used to acting that way. I immediately feared what Nora might have told her about my private life to cause this. It was way too strong a contrast to how she normally behaved.

“What do you know about my relationship with my family?” I asked, playing dumb, earning me one of those looks I couldn’t quite interpret before she spoke quietly.

“We ... don’t you remember that Joan and I were right next to Ava when you told her about moving out? It ... like ... caused a few discussions. Having your own apartment at seventeen, while still in high school, is not exactly common, you know? And Mom told me ... she made me realize some things. It made me remember how you told Ava that you were gone for a week before your family even noticed.” she sighed, and I, for the hundredth time, was wondering what exactly Nora had told her. She should know even less than Mia about my home life. “For what it’s worth ... I’m sorry, Tim.”

“Uh ... thanks? But where’s this coming from?” I asked incredulously. I really hadn’t thought she even knew those words.

“Look, I know I was a bitch, Okay!?” she shot heatedly all of a sudden, throwing her hands in the air and dropping them in defeat again. “After I talked with Mom, I realized that. We treated you like crap, and you still helped Jenny. Ava spread those rumors about you, and you still risked your life to protect her. And Jack and I ... did a lot. And you still helped us. Still ARE helping us.” she paused for a second. “Thank you.”

That last part wasn’t heated anymore, it actually sounded sincere. That stalker dude must have really scared her.

“Well ... you’re welcome. And thank you. Though, I hope you’ll put in a good word for me when Jack comes back. I think he’s not gonna be too happy when he sees me in his home.”

“Oh, I’m sure Mom and Dad will take care of that. But I can still talk to him.” she smiled.

“What did Nora tell you about me, specifically?” I asked, noticing her eyes narrowing somewhat suspiciously when I called her mother by her first name, like it was the most normal thing.

“Nothing specific. Just that you have ‘enough shit to deal with, without me adding to it’. That’s what made me remember the cafeteria thing with Ava.” she answered, making air quotes when repeating her mother’s words. “She also said, you’re going out of your way to drive me around, and the least I could do was appreciate it. Mom and Dad were both pretty angry with us when they learned why we always called you ... you know ... Tiny. Especially Dad. He’s also made it clear how disappointed he’s with Jack after he saw that video of him and Jenny. He outright threatened to disown Jack if he ever did anything like that again.”

I believed she meant what she said, and if she actually could calm Jack down, my job as Mia’s chauffeur would probably continue. I had worried about how I could continue to see Nora once Jack came home for Christmas the following week and possibly protested my being in his home. I actually felt pretty good after that talk, knowing Nora didn’t run around advertising my private affairs.

“Who’s Tess?” Mia suddenly asked casually, ripping me out of my thoughts, but also throwing me off.

“What?”

“When Ava came to you in the cafeteria, and finally learned that you moved out, she asked if you moved in with a ‘Tess’.”

I looked at her through the rearview mirror. She sounded casual, with her head turned to the window as if looking out, but I could see her eyes fixated on my headrest and her hands fidgeting.

“Oh. My Gir ... Ex-Girlfriend.”

“Ouuuh!” she gushed, her eyes sparkling, suddenly intrigued upon the prospect of hearing relationship gossip. “What happened?”

I SO wasn’t going to tell this girl about my love life. Next I have to tell her I’m fucking her Mom. I quickly thought of a way to deflect.

“You know, are you sure you’re not secretly interested in me?”

“WHAT!?” Interestingly, she sounded shocked, but not appalled like I had expected.

“I mean, think about it for a minute. First, there was that sudden interest of yours in my sexual prowess, then you wondered about the size of my dick, and now this. Why do you remember the name of some girl I may have been involved with, even if you just heard it in passing? And weeks ago! If you really didn’t have any interest in me as you claim, why did you even bother filing that name away for future reference?”

I smirked while the car fell deadly silent for the roughly five seconds she just stared at me, her entire body frozen still. Then I chuckled as she suddenly pummeled the top of my head and kicked my seat, accompanied by girly squealing sounds of protest, though it never was strong enough to hurt or even distract me from driving. It actually seemed playful. The rest of the drive was quiet again, though it only took us maybe another five minutes to arrive at school. She almost jumped out of the car before I even came to a full halt.

I spent the day in the library with my laptop again, until it was time for Mia’s classes to end. Since she had her Cheer practice today, I picked her up to walk her to the gym. I was quite glad they moved their practice indoors due to the cold weather, since I had absolutely no clue how I was supposed to stick close to her while every sports team ran circles around us on the field. When she left the classroom with Ava and Joan in tow, she made a big display of ignoring me, causing Joan to giggle and Ava to watch us with great interest. As they went to the locker rooms to get changed, I went ahead and took a seat in the gym waiting for them.

“Mr. Brown. Nice to see you again.” I heard a female voice that turned out to belong to the friendly smiling Mrs. Jenkins, who was clad in tight black yoga pants and an equally tight sports-top. Obviously, her being still in such great shape wasn’t because she was married to our football coach, as I had wondered last year, but because she was training our cheerleaders. I immediately, and not entirely consciously, watched my language like last time I talked to her.

“Ah. I don’t know if you were notified. Mia’s parents asked me to keep an eye out for her, in addition to being her driver. I hope it won’t cause any trouble for you if I sit on the sidelines?”

“Yes.” she sighed. “That stalker situation. Now that I think about it, you driving her around makes a lot more sense after you told me about your security work the last time we spoke. Don’t worry, the other girls already know about young Ms. Miller’s trouble, they will understand. Just ... be so kind and try not to ogle the girls too much.”

“Oh, there is no need to worry about that, Mrs. Jenkins. Why would I ogle the girls?”

It was a casual statement I delivered with a friendly smile, and I kept my suggestive tone to a minimum when I emphasized the last word. For just a split second, I could still see the doubt flash over her eyes, and hoped she would get my meaning. If there was anyone I would ogle, it would be the woman in the room.

Then, to my greatest delight, her expression sported a one-sided smirk that somehow reached both of her eyes, telling me she indeed appreciated my unspoken compliment. The other girls, however, weren’t nearly as comfortable with me being around, and they made that known as soon as they entered the gym.

“What’s Tiny Tim doing here? Is that creep gonna watch us!?” I heard some girl I didn’t know call out in almost panic, causing most of the girls that had followed her into the gym to agree.

I just raised my hands in a gesture of surrender and moved to the exit, perfectly happy with just waiting outside the door for them to finish.

“Don’t call him that!” came the insistent and likewise scolding shout from Mia, Joan, AND Ava at the same time, followed by the three of them sharing a surprised look before walking further into the gym.

As I made my way outside, I looked at Ava and studied her face curiously. She actually stood up for me this time, and not only in front of her girlfriends, but even against them. When she noticed my look, she seemed a little embarrassed but happy. I heard the muffled discussion continue while standing just outside the barely open door.

“Since when are you all defending him?”

“I kinda owe him for helping Jenny.” Joan explained.

“And he got stabbed and almost shot, protecting me and Mom!” Ava added.

“What!?” I heard Mrs. Jenkins gasping. Apparently, she hadn’t heard about why exactly I was out of school.

“AND he’s found out who that guy is who’s creeping on my Mom!” Mia said, matter of fact.

“Wait. That was him?” Mrs. Jenkins asked, sounding so surprised I got the impression she must have thought I lied to her when I told her about my work.

“Yeah. My parents are actually pretty happy with him. Mom won’t stop telling everyone how fast he found the guy after even the police couldn’t do shi ... anything.” Mia explained, before turning back to her group of girls. “And you all should know that already, you were there when he did it.”

“So what?” The girl who started this dispute challenged her. “Then he’s a weird mix of a tough nerd. He still doesn’t need to watch us practice.”

“Actually, he does. He’s been covering my ass all week, making sure that creep won’t get to me.” Mia defended me.

“HA!” They heard my muffled voice travel through the almost closed doors from the hallway I stood in.

“What?”

“You said I covered your ass all week.” I shot back in a half laugh.

There was silence for a few seconds until they realized what I meant. What can I say? I was still a seventeen-year-old boy, and incidentally didn’t give a flying fuck about what these bitches thought about me. That ship had sailed long ago. I realized too late, though, that I shouldn’t tease Mia too much. To my relief, the next thing I heard was Joan breaking out in yet another bout of laughter, telling me that Mia’s face must have been priceless at that moment. I got a short glimpse of Mrs. Jenkins, shaking her head at me, before she closed the door fully.

My resolve to just stand in the hallway was almost gone by the time I heard them finish up two hours later. Apparently, they practice even longer on Mondays, and I was very glad Christmas break would start before I got to experience that. Despite Ava being a member of the Cheer team, I never knew they spent so much time practicing. By the time Mia finally came out of the locker room, arms locked with Ava, all of the others had already gone home.

“Ava will come with us shopping.” Mia informed me in a curt tone before the both of them walked off without me. She had even stuck her nose up while saying that, and I was already expecting to hear one of her well known ‘Hmph’ noises. Maybe making a comment about covering her ass, after I had just teased her in the car about remembering Tess’ name, was too much after all.

With the two of them in the backseat of the car, I noticed something else, though. While Mia was happily chatting away about what stores they’ll visit, Ava looked decidedly uncomfortable while keeping her quiet about Mia’s plans, but I had no idea why. She kept that demeanor up for the entire drive to Mia’s home, and I made a mental note to keep an eye on her when we entered the Miller House.

I just had a little chat with the other guy from the firm who was currently on guard duty, when Mr. Miller joined in.

“Ah, Timothy! I hear you will be taking my wife and daughter shopping?” he said with a weird grin on his face. The kind of grin people have when they want to make fun of you, or know something you don’t.

“Yes, Sir. And, as it looks, Ava as well.”

“Oh, so you’re going shopping with both of my women and one of their friends, then. I have to say, I like this arrangement with you as their driver more and more. Well, I’ll use the opportunity to completely refurbish our kitchen. Should be more than enough time before you’ll be back.” he laughed, slapped me on the back, and walked off.

I never thought the cliché about women and shopping was real ... until that day! When I go shopping, it is because I want or need something, and mostly after I checked where I could get that specific thing. These three women, however, went shopping to check IF there was anything they wanted, and only paused their tour through the stores to get something to eat while I kept my attention on the surroundings.

I had planned to let my eyes wander and think about what presents I should buy myself. I had to get something for Bill and a few of the people from work, though I wasn’t sure if I should include the family in those deliberations. Even if I had no desire to spend the Holidays with them, I still thought I should get a few gifts. Problem was, I really wasn’t sure what I should get for them. I always felt like presents should be either thoughtful or meaningful. For me, presents were something you gave to people so they knew you cared about them in some way, not because you felt obligated to. And if you care about them, you should know about their interests, hobbies, or needs, enabling you to give them something they actually appreciate. By now, however, I really didn’t know the family anymore.

The ladies had different plans, though. While Mia was perfectly happy to use me as her packing mule, she and Nora also kept inquiring about a lot of their purchases, seeking a ‘male perspective’ on different gift ideas they had. To my great surprise, I actually enjoyed the casual conversations I had with Mia throughout the trip, and she even helped me pick out some of the gifts I needed for my female colleagues. I was still quite insecure about this, and didn’t want to give anything that could be considered as inappropriate.

What made me stop thinking about that problem, though, was Ava’s continuous uncomfortable behavior. I saw her gush over items that would, according to her, be the perfect gift for someone, but then she just placed them back on the shelves regardless! Even if they should be well within her price range, she just walked away with obvious regret on her face. It gave me an uneasy feeling, so I tried to find out what was going on.

“Ava.” I spoke up, to signal I wanted a private word with her, and whispered to her when she stepped close. “Why didn’t you just buy that bracelet if you thought Maggie would love it?”

“I don’t have enough money.” she replied quietly, looking to the floor.

I JUST gave her a thousand dollars for her birthday! That was a week ago. Where did that money go!?

“That bracelet was forty dollars. Didn’t you find the little metal box in the gift bag I got you for your birthday?” I asked, causing her to act even more uncomfortable.

“I did. But ... Dad took it.” Her voice was so quiet now, I could barely hear her over our busy surroundings.

“He what!?” I failed to control my volume when I asked that.

She didn’t answer, but I didn’t want to press the matter with Nora and Mia around, who had now started watching our exchange with badly hidden side glances.

“Alright. Let’s make a deal. I don’t have the slightest clue what presents to get for any of them. So, how about we join forces? Your insider knowledge and my funds?”

“Really!?”

“Yes, really.” I said, pulling out my wallet and handing her the 500 dollars I had attached to it.

She raised herself onto her toes to give me a kiss on the cheek, took the money with a bright smile and thanked me before starting her own shopping. Nora and Mia regarded me with a strange look, as they saw Ava’s sudden display of affection while my own face showed nothing but indifference towards her.

Ava’s revelation was unnerving. I just couldn’t imagine that Aaron would simply take her money. From me, sure, but not from his Princess! I already knew that Logan had probably drained their liquid funds, but it surely couldn’t be THAT bad. If they really gave Logan so much money they now had to basically steal from both of his siblings, there was no way for our relationship to ever work out again.

As I thought about it, though, I realized a lot more money had vanished over the last three weeks than just the thousand bucks from Ava. I just hadn’t noticed it going missing because of the cash in my bedroom. I would need to ask Aaron about this.

When we dropped Mia and Nora off at their house, it was already Eight PM. By the time we arrived at the parents’ house to drop Ava off, it was another half hour later, and I realized that I would not get much sleep this night, which had my mood somewhat suppressed before the confrontation with Aaron could even take place. To my surprise, when I helped Ava carry her shopping bags into the house, the living room was filled with people.

“Ah! Finally!” I heard Danielle’s version of a greeting.

“Am I somehow late?”

“Yes.” she laughed. “We have a proposition for you and were waiting for you two.”

My eyes scanned the room as I registered a few strained faces, especially from the grandparents, though most of the others were at least trying to seem relaxed. Claire smiled at me, genuinely happy to see me. Instead of saying anything, however, she grabbed two of Ava’s shopping bags, and accompanied her upstairs while starting a whispered conversation between them. At least this didn’t seem like another intervention.

“Okay.” I sighed, expecting the worst. “But it’ll have to wait a few minutes. I need a word with Aaron.” Shifting my attention to him, I added “Outside? Now!”

He hesitantly got up from the armchair he was sitting in, and made his way to the front door. I was already in the car, waiting for him to get in. I didn’t know what was going on, but I knew that, whatever it was, could be potentially embarrassing for him. So, I decided to broach the subject while at least trying not to be an asshole about it.

Suddenly, I realized just what exactly I had just decided to do. It was remarkable how a mere two weeks in my very own home, away from them all, had enabled me to be a lot more relaxed around these people! I just knew, if they got on my nerves or tried any bullshit, I could just walk out of that door, drive home into my very own sanctuary, and ... not concern myself with them. Just as I felt a content smile form on my lips, the passenger door opened and Aaron sat down next to me.

“Nice car! Where are we going?” he asked in a light tone, after sitting on the passenger seat.

“Nowhere. I just thought it would be best to do this without the others overhearing us.”

“Oh?” he now sounded concerned.

“I just accompanied Ava and our newest client on their Christmas shopping. I noticed that Ava couldn’t afford anything, even though I just gave her money for her birthday. A lot of money, actually, since it was her eighteenth.”

He didn’t respond, though he did start to look a little tense. I continued.

“When this whole crap with Logan’s Bookie started, your wife took eight-thousand dollars from my bank account. I told you to use that money for hotel rooms and whatever else you needed to make a quick escape, but you hid out at John’s instead and didn’t need it. Regardless, I never got that money back. On Ava’s birthday, I dropped another four-thousand Dollars on the coffee table, and told you to order Pizza. I never got that money back, either. And now, I hear that you took the thousand dollars I gave Ava for her birthday. That makes thirteen-thousand dollars in three weeks. What is going on, Aaron?”

He still didn’t answer. He just stared straight ahead at his living room window, watching the shadows of his family members projected onto the moving curtains.

“Did the Bookie’s crew or their successors demand more money?” I asked.

“Oh, no! God, no. It’s nothing like that, Son. It’s...” he sighed. “We’re just plain broke.”

“How!?”

I was afraid there was some kind of aftermath from my trip to Austin. I had not expected this development at all! I hadn’t heard anything about that. Which wasn’t unusual, when I thought about it, but I also never heard about any changes in their lifestyle I would expect from people that are suddenly broke.

“The usual way. I screwed up.” he shrugged his shoulders in defeat. “Made a bad investment a few months ago. Well, it wasn’t actually bad, it’s just a long-term thing we can’t pull out of without losing more than would make sense. We didn’t expect your mother’s job to be downsized without warning and her income gone.”

Did that man just freely admit to fucking up, and tried to take responsibility for something that was actually out of his control? Was hell freezing over!?

“Claire lost her job? I had no idea.” His expression turned somber with my comment.

“So, we had already pledged a ... sizable part of our savings before the problem with Logan started. Then your hospital bill came through, and...”

“Wait!” I interrupted. “My hospital bill? I have insurance.”

“Yes, you do.” he nodded. “But they said something about you not being injured on the job, so there was a copay. And since you’re still a minor, the hospital sent the bill directly to us. It wasn’t that much, considering you had surgery, roughly twenty-two-hundred dollars. With my copay and deductibles, that’s actually less than what we’d have to pay if you’d have used my insurance. But with the situation we were already in ... And now we need to come up with Logan’s next board and tuition fee for the spring semester.”

“Didn’t he have a scholarship?”

“Yes, he does.” he nodded again. “But it’s not a full ride. His tuition is $27,000, the scholarship pays about thirty percent of that. We need to pay within the next eighteen days, or he’ll have to sit out this next semester.” he concluded, sounding extremely exhausted.

Something about this explanation didn’t sit right with me, but I decided to just listen for now.

“So ... the hospital bill is paid?” He nodded. “Then the tuition is ... what? $19,000 after the scholarship?” He nodded again. “What are you gonna do about Christmas?”

“I have no fucking idea.” he shook his head.

“Damn.” I concluded.

“Yup. Damn, indeed.” he concurred with another sigh.

“Do the others know? Is that the ‘proposition’ Danielle just talked about?”

“No. Claire knows, of course, but only her. Danny wants to talk about the shitshow with the social worker your grandparents put us in.”

“Oh, shit. I almost forgot about that!”

“Lucky you!” he mirthlessly chuckled.

“Why did they call them, though!? I don’t get it!”

“Neither do we, Son. Danny told them it wouldn’t end well. That it would even backfire. But they ... knew better, I guess.”

Both of us just shook our heads. Without warning, I realized that this was the first meaningful conversation I had with my father in years. We had a problem, and now discussed it on equal grounds. This was almost like we were having an actual father-son-moment, and I didn’t hate it! Maybe, if we were able to be honest with each other going forward, and this newfound consideration for me proved genuine, there was hope for us.

However, as I thought about how we got to that point, and what had led to this newest revelation, I suddenly understood what part of his earlier explanation rubbed me the wrong way, and it was in equal parts disturbing and pissing me off.

“When exactly was that investment?” I asked.

“February, why?”

Yeah. I decided it would be warranted if I no longer tried to not be an asshole about it.

“So ... help me understand this. You pledged a ‘sizable part’ of your savings in February. Then Claire loses her job sometime in March. Logan started college in August, though. That’s almost half a year. More than enough time to tell him to get a job and apply for federal grants, isn’t it?”

“Son, we...”

“I mean, it can’t be that bad. I see his $25,000 Mustang is still parked right there, which you bought for him after Claire lost her job! That would be more than what you need for his tuition. I’m not a car guy, but how much mileage could that thing possibly have by now, that you couldn’t give it back?”

“We’re leasing it, and I can’t tell him to give up his car!”

“But you CAN take your daughter’s birthday gifts away!?” I returned, starting to get louder. “Do you know what a student loan is, Aaron?”

“Tim! Please! Do you think it’s easy for me to admit this!? I don’t want my son to know we have problems! Especially since it’s his old man who screwed up! And he can’t just pause a semester without losing his scholarship. We’d have to pay even more when he eventually goes back to school!”

I decided not to comment on him saying ‘Son’ instead of ‘Sons’.

“So, you rather steal from your other children than to tell him to switch to the local community college instead? As long as the favorite child looks up to you, what the others think doesn’t matter, I take it?”

“Tim, I know this isn’t fair to you or Ava, but this is his education! This college degree is important for his entire future! I can make the money up to you two once we catch a break!” he pleaded.

“Are you now? Then, what’s your plan going forward, Aaron? Please, tell me how you’re planning on reducing your spending so much you suddenly save up three and a half thousand dollars EVERY month, so you can pay his next tuition. Because, what about the six months after that, when it’s time for Ava to go to college as well? How do you even intend to pay your mortgage next month, after you gave everything you had for Logan’s future at UT Austin, despite employers not giving a shit about which college he went to anymore!?”

He didn’t answer, but the sudden nervous shift in his facial expression and body language told me exactly what he had thought about.

“You were just going to use my savings, weren’t you?” I asked, and he wordlessly confirmed my suspicion. So much to the possibility of him finally showing some genuine consideration for me. “Fucking hell! You know, for someone who enjoyed belittling the way I earned that money for as long as I’ve been working this job, you sure don’t have a problem using it! I actually thought you just kept the money I dropped, because you knew how much I stole from the Bookie. I’d understand that. You could rightly assume I wouldn’t miss a few thousand from THAT pile of cash. But then I would’ve expected you to ask for some more of that cash instead of taking it from my bank account without asking and antagonizing me even more!”

When he answered, he looked just as defeated as when he admitted to being broke.

“When you told us how much money you took, I immediately started thinking about how we could use it. Your grandfather joined right in, but John set our heads straight. He told us about all the problems that would come with that money. Then he called Carter to ask for specifics of what happened. So, we know he told you to burn it because it would’ve been more trouble than it’s worth. I just figured you at least kept enough to make up for what you lost.”

The day my exhausted and drunken brain revealed the sum of cash I had taken, I never even considered that it could be problematic to let them know about it. The bookie was gone, the family would have nothing to gain by ratting me out to the former owners, and they had no way to access it without my say so. That was quickly turned around when I started the renovations of my apartment, and feared they would call the cops on me. Bill was obviously a lot smarter than I was! Thanks to him, they didn’t know I still had the money! I made a mental note to thank him as I leaned back in my seat, closed my eyes, and tried to figure out how to salvage this.

I had my apartment fully furnished and renovated, so that was taken care of. The certifications I wanted to get would not come cheap, though. The basic entry-level certifications were ‘just’ a few hundred dollars per exam, but that was without tutoring or mandatory classes. The advanced and specialized ones were a lot more pricey. The whole process would quickly accumulate to a five-figure sum.

If the full amount Aaron needed came from my bank account, it would either be massively overdrawn or simply closed. I needed that account to get paid and pay my bills! What choice did I have, though? He already admitted that he had planned on simply taking the money without even asking, and I had to admit that his argument about Logan’s scholarship made sense. Though, I still didn’t understand how they simply sent him off AFTER realizing that they wouldn’t have enough money to keep him there. The only explanation I could come up with was that they were either in denial, or planning to use my savings from the beginning.

No, that money in my bank account would be gone. All I could do now was to try and save the account from being closed. Worst case scenario, even if Claire wouldn’t find a job before Logan’s next tuition was due, I would be eighteen before the next winter semester had to be paid. As soon as I turned eighteen, their names would be removed from my account! I would see to that!

Or, maybe, I should just let Aaron do it. The family lawyer told me to not petition the court for emancipation unless I had a damn good reason for why it was absolutely necessary. If my parents took my money and put me in debt with the bank, that would certainly be an argument in my favor. But then again, I only had less than a year before I turned eighteen anyway. I’d rather put up with their crap for another few months, than to start adulthood completely broke and in debt. One thing was clear now: I really needed to find a way to make that money in my bedroom closet available.

“Alright. Here’s what you’re gonna do. First, you give Ava her fucking birthday money back. That leaves you with the twelve-thousand dollars in cash you pocketed. Deposit nine-thousand of that cash in your bank account to stay under the threshold that gets yourself reported to the IRS. Take the other ten-thousand dollars you need for Golden Boy’s tuition from my bank account. NOT a DAMN penny more! That’ll leave me with just enough to pay my rent and utility bills next month, since I don’t get paid until the fifteenth. Use the remaining three-thousand dollars in cash for the mortgage, Christmas, and whatever else comes up. And lastly: Your favorite child will have to get a job. Tell him it builds character. It would do him some good.”

“Thank you, Son!” he said, and I was surprised to see his eyes getting somewhat glassy. I was not surprised about now being his son again. “But ... Why are you helping me?”

“You mean, apart from the fact that you would just take the money anyway, and didn’t plan on asking, so I have to work with you in order to not have my credit score fucked?”

As far as I was concerned, I was done with him. It didn’t matter to me if he regretted it anymore, because now I knew that, no matter what, I would always be just an afterthought for him. This was the last fucking time I got my hopes up and entertained the idea of maybe trusting him again. That made four people out of my family that I had completely written off, since I would never forget Logan’s smile as I was beaten by his friends, and the grandparents had tried to force me home, completely ignoring the damage it would do. But if I made that clear right then, and thereby also made it clear that there was no hope for reconciliation anymore, he no longer had any reason to not just take everything from me to give it to his preferred children while he still could. I decided to appease him. But I needed to go about it in a way that didn’t seem too obvious or desperate.

“First, if I don’t help you out with Logan’s tuition, he’ll be here instead of a three-hour drive away. Second, your argument about him losing his scholarship does make sense.” I said, and then took a deep breath. “And third ... I’ve been talking with Danny a lot lately. She keeps telling me how you’re all actually trying to find a way to prove your sincerity to me. Shit like this doesn’t exactly help that cause, but I will admit that you’re in a shitty situation you obviously weren’t equipped to handle. So, I’ll help you fix this. Again. And then we’ll see what you do when we get a break from dealing with this constant string of existential threats.”

The car was silent for a few seconds, before Aaron spoke again.

“God. I keep screwing up, don’t I?” I assumed that was a rhetorical question and refrained from answering. “I’m really sorry, Son. I want you to know, I will make this right. At least ... as soon as I figured out this crap right now.”

“Uh-huh. You know, this was nice. I think, as a family, we bonded. Next time we should do this with a couple of beers. Maybe make it our regular father-son-thing.” He heard the sarcasm in my voice, but I think he was still happy that I was prepared to give him yet another chance. Or he was just happy about the money. I honestly couldn’t tell.

I didn’t feel like acknowledging his promise about repaying me, so I simply got out of the car. As soon as I turned to slam the car door shut, I saw rapid movements in the kitchen window. When Aaron and I stepped into the house, we both heard the furniture squeak like people just jumped onto it. That caused Aaron and me to share a knowing look before I rolled my eyes. And when we stepped into the living room, we were greeted by a multitude of tense faces, trying to figure out what we had talked about. I also noticed that, while Claire was back, Ava had not joined them.

I watched Aaron walk past me into the kitchen, open the fridge, and pull out two beers. He opened one, handed me the other with a wry smile, and sat next to his wife.

All of the people watching us noticed the change in the way he carried himself as he sat on the sofa next to his wife, took Claire’s hand, and gave her a happy and reassuring smile. Her eyes got wide as she immediately understood why Aaron was suddenly so relaxed, and I could literally see the tension leave her body as well.

“So...” I said to Danielle as I sat in the armchair Aaron had vacated earlier, and opened my own beer. “ ... sorry for the wait. What was it you wanted to talk about?”

“Well ... we ... What just happened?” Danielle stammered as her eyes kept jumping between me and Aaron, trying to interpret his behavior. I was in no mood to entertain her curiosity.

“Don’t be nosy, Danny. Let’s try again. What did you want to talk about?” I rejected her question. Danny immediately picked up on my bad mood. The rest of them didn’t. So, while Danny immediately backed off, Granny tried next.

“No, I think we all would like to know. What just happened between you two?” she asked.

“We bonded over making up mean nicknames for the people who called social services on my ass.” I crudely rebuffed Granny’s insistent demand. She didn’t like it, but I didn’t care. “Listen, can we please just get on with this? I have about seven hours before my alarm is going to wake me up for work. But before I can get to sleep, I still have to make the hour-long drive home and haven’t had a chance to eat since breakfast. So, either Danielle starts talking, or I’ll leave.”

“Why haven’t you eaten yet!?” Claire asked as she jumped up and rushed into the kitchen.

“Oh. Well. Okay.” Danielle started, visibly gathering her thoughts. “You just mentioned social services. Yesterday, Ms. Potts did her interviews with Aaron, Claire and your siblings. It went well. For the most part. They are obviously not thrilled with the idea of a minor living alone, and it’s possible she will show up again to check on you ... and us. So...” She paused to take a deep breath. “ ... we thought it would be best if you no longer lived alone.”

“I just finished turning the place into my home, I’m not moving out again.” I answered straight away, right as Claire showed up and presented me with a plate full of sandwiches. “Ouuh, nice! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, Baby!” she smiled while squeezing my shoulder, and sat back next to her husband. “And we’re not asking you to move back here. Even though I’d like to. We were thinking that ... maybe ... if you’re Okay with it...”

At that moment, I heard a dull thump in the hallway, and turned to see Ava standing right next to an almost bursting travel bag she had dropped to the floor.

“Oh.” was all I could say.

“She is eighteen now.” Danielle quickly supplied. “If she moved in with you, social services wouldn’t have any reason to worry about you being on your own. At the same time, she would be removed from the house, so even if they had any suspicions about our ... relationships ... that would become a non-issue as well.”

“And you’re fine with this?” I asked Ava.

“Yes.” was all she cared to comment on. So, I turned to the parents.

“And you’re fine with this?” I asked, looking at Claire and Aaron.

“Well, I don’t like the idea of all my children being hours-long drives away from home so suddenly, to be honest.” Claire explained. “But ... it’s only temporary, right? Maybe we’re lucky and they’ll check on you even before Christmas.”

Yeah, I doubted this would be over so fast, and wasn’t thrilled with suddenly having my sister in my personal sanctuary. I also couldn’t understand Danielle’s second argument. Since Ava was eighteen now, social services had no business with her anymore. So, even if they had any suspicions about their relationship left, they had no way to force Ava into another interview apart from calling the police. Then it would hardly matter where she lived. But after I thought about it while eating the sandwiches, I couldn’t deny that her first argument was decidedly more important. If letting Ava into my home would get social services off my back, I didn’t have much of a choice. They all watched me anxiously as I chewed.

“Fine. I have a spare bedroom ready that she can use.” I said, before turning to Ava and continuing. “But I only have a single parking space, so you’ll have to leave your car here. Though, I seem to already drive you around just as much as Mia anyway.”

When I stood up to put my plate into the sink, Claire embraced me in a tight hug.

“Thank you.” she whispered, not clarifying whether she was thanking me for accepting Ava into my home, or for helping with their money troubles.

“Sure. Not like I have an actual choice in any of this.” I mumbled as I removed myself from her embrace, causing her to regard me with a confused look before glancing towards her husband.

Once Claire took the plate out of my hand, Danielle grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to the side.

“There is another reason I was hoping you could take her in.” she said.

“Oh?”

“Ava told me about the conversation you two had in the car a few days ago. Apparently you suggested she’d talk to me about her submissive tendencies making their way into her everyday life?”

“Yes.”

“I think you were on to something.”

“You think, huh?” I commented, trying not to sound too sarcastic.

“Tim ... Again, I could only give you the excuse that Ava doesn’t live with us, so I only ever saw her submissive behavior when we’re ... getting together. She seemed to enjoy it that way as well. I never knew they were encouraging it so much when we weren’t together. Creating some distance between them would help. In that sense...” she made an awkward pause, making it clear that she would ask me something I wouldn’t like. “I was hoping I could ask you to do something more than just letting her stay with you.”

“You need me to go the extra mile to fix the crap you all caused? Wow! That almost never happens!” This time, starting to feel exhausted again, I made no attempt to conceal my sarcasm. “Well, I gotta deal with Aaron’s shit anyways, so what do you need?”

She looked at me with a similarly questioning look I had gotten from Claire just a minute before, but decided not to push my patience by asking about it.

“You already know that she told me about the day you two got together. Just do the opposite of what she likes inside the bedroom when you’re outside the bedroom. She needs to understand that she can be a strong, focused, and independent woman, while still being submissive in bed. But only in bed.”

“Well, if it’s just that, no problem!” I didn’t bother to even try to keep my anger out of my voice. Yes, letting her live with me could actually get social services off my back, but why did the psychologist ask ME to deal with Ava’s psychological problems!? As if she was sensing my thoughts, she spoke up.

“Look, I’m sorry, Tim! I know this is a big ask, but after what happened over the last month, she kind of ... fixated on you. And, honestly, I can’t even blame her. When shit hit the fan, it wasn’t her Daddy who fixed it for her, it wasn’t her big brother who stepped up, it was you who single-handedly pulled our collective behinds out of the fire. And you did so, right after she watched you single-handedly take on three armed men to protect her. That kind of thing leaves an impression on a girl. Now that she spied on the two of us that night, and she learned just how far you were willing to go to keep us safe, it’s like you’re the new Alpha Male in her life.”

She grinned, hoping this would somehow appeal to me. She was wrong. Her smile died pretty quickly once she saw how utterly unimpressed I was. I had absolutely no interest in taking over responsibility for their family, and she must have seen that in my expression, because her voice was suddenly pleading when she continued.

“We only have a few months before she goes to college. If any of us has a chance to help her in that little time, it’s you! There is nothing I could do that wouldn’t require a lot more time. And while I know that you don’t think too highly of me right now, I know you well enough to be sure you won’t abuse that influence you have on her.”

I still wasn’t pleased with this, but as I mulled it over, and a plan started formulating, I began to see the appeal of having my own little fucktoy living with me. At least during the nights. I would JUST need to find a way to make her gain confidence in herself outside the bedroom. But when Danielle phrased it as ‘being a strong and focused woman’, I actually knew a possible way to do it. It worked wonders for me, so maybe it would for Ava too.

“Fine. I won’t make any promises on not abusing my power, but I think I have an idea. I’ll try.”

I moved to the hallway, grabbed Ava’s travelbag, and left the house without saying goodbye to anyone. I just couldn’t wait to get out of there. The drive was quiet, and when Ava saw my apartment, she immediately started familiarizing herself with it.

“This looks so cool!” she remarked after looking into every room. “It’s seriously lacking a personal touch, so it’s kinda like a hotel room ... but a nice hotel room! There’s even a huge TV in my room!”

I realized I was actually smiling. I was extremely proud of what I had done with the place, and her acknowledging it felt rewarding.

“It’s a Smart-TV and already connected to the WiFi. If you want to watch some shows on Netflix or hulu, just launch the app.”

“It’s nice to have a rich little brother!” she giggled.

“Yeah, not so rich anymore.” I commented under my breath, but ignored her questioning look. I showed her the connected bathroom after pointing out which room she would sleep in, and pointed out the pre-packed convenience kit in case she forgot to bring anything.

“Now, you probably know I’ll have to pick up Mia tomorrow morning, so unless you want to take the bus to school, we’ll have to be on the road by six-thirty at the latest. I’m sure the Millers won’t have a problem with you tagging along, since you and Mia are friends. I don’t know how long you need in the mornings, but I’ll definitely go to sleep now. Shout if you need something. The bed’s already made, just pull the comforter off and you’re ready to crash.”

As I lay in bed, I realized just how happy it had made me to hear someone compliment my handiwork. Though, I suspected a big part of Ava’s enthusiasm was because she saw all this as some kind of vacation. Her first home away from home, or something like that. She would certainly act the same when she left for college. Actually, I didn’t even know she wanted to go to college, until Danielle told me.

That caused my thoughts to drift to the conversation with Aaron. I needed to figure out how to make use of the stolen cash. That talk about college tuitions sparked an idea. Maybe there was a way to use Ava’s impending college departure, combined with my newfound fondness for renovating, to turn that cash into legitimate income. At least until I turned eighteen, and could open a few offshore accounts to clean the money myself. But most important of all, I’d have to learn how to economize, and quickly.

I remembered the year before, when I thought I was already earning enough to have a small family of my own, and shook my head about how clueless I was. Now, with my bank account almost tapped, I finally realized just how expensive living was when I didn’t live in someone else’s house. After paying all the fixed expenses like rent, the utility bill, and my car insurance, I had little over six hundred dollars left. And that was before I put gas in my tank. Now I also had Ava to sustain, since I doubted Aaron would send me money for her food expenses or water usage. Because I left my apartment at Six in the morning, and didn’t come back before Eight in the evening, I regularly spent between a hundred and hundred-fifty dollars every week to lunch out, and only cooked on the weekends. So, first thing, I would have to learn how to prep meals in advance.

My thoughts were interrupted by my phone chirping with a notification from the phone trap I had placed in the Miller house. A quick call to Mike informed me that Jack had arrived home for the rest of his Christmas break, and was in the process of unpacking his car. The short lived adrenaline rush died down, and I already loathed picking Mia up the next day. Despite Mia’s and Nora’s assurances that they both would talk to him about me being around, I still wasn’t too sure what would happen once we ran into each other. As far as I was concerned, I got my revenge when I publicly knocked some sense into him and his friends. But if it was too public, he could be having a harder time letting it go than I did.

The problems just kept piling up. The parents being broke and threatening to take my money again, Aaron being a shit excuse for a father once more, having Ava in my home despite me telling the family how much I needed some distance for a while, and now the impending confrontation with my old bully. It took quite a while before my mind had calmed enough to let me fall asleep.