You Tell Him
Max
I eat up the ground as I walk home. Could I have handled that any worse?
Why did I let my emotions get the better of me? Fiona was being kind.
Or trying to at least.
And now she’s going to think I rejected her.
Because you did, you fool.
I shouldn’t have come near her when I felt like this.
Everett! It’s all the kid’s fault. I came here to get him.
To bring my brother home.
That’s a weird thought.
How is Dad going to handle having another man’s son in his house?
How would I handle it if Fiona had been forced to have a child? Someone would be seeing the other side of my personality right before they died.
Whatever just happened with Fiona can be fixed.
And if Dad can’t handle having Everett living at home, he can stay in one of the penthouses I own around Urbium.
My brother isn’t living here like the other orphaned children.
I reach for my phone to peek into Maddox’s security camera and find Everett when he walks up the street.
One thing was easy at least. “We’ve got to go.”
Everett raises an eyebrow at me.
How didn’t I believe him?
“It’s just a few hours until curfew.”
Don’t care. “I’ll take care of it with Maddox.”
“It’s not Maddox I’m worried about. Ms. Jules scares me.”
Don’t roll your eyes. “I’ll take care of her, too. Let’s go.” I turn and walk away.
“See you later,” Everett says to the kids with him, who I completely ignored, and rushes to catch up with me. “What’s this all about?”
“My brother doesn’t live on Willow Street.” The words come out harder than I meant them to.
Everett stops walking. “What changed? Because I told you that days ago.”
And I almost believed you then. There’s no point in pretending. I turn to the kid and look him in the eyes. “The DNA test came back. You’re my brother.”
“And?”
“And my brother doesn’t live here. You have a family. We protect our own.”
He shakes his head. “You just declare it so, and I’m supposed to jump up and do what you say? That’s not how it works. I don’t care if you’re a billionaire. You don’t tell me what to do.”
Today isn’t the day for me to forget my brother is a person, but I really don’t have the patience for this. “I’m sorry.”
“How did you get my DNA, anyway?”
“I stole it off your head.”
Everett looks shocked and then angry. “I need to disappear, and it’s your fault. I liked it here. I told you they’re dangerous. You ruined everything.”
“Cool your jets. No one knows anything. I had the DNA run privately.”
“Privately?”
“No records. No paperwork. No names or addresses. No connection to you or me. I listened to you and took you at your word. Nothing changed. You’re still safe here.” And you will be at home.
“How did you do that?”
I raise an eyebrow back at him. “I’m a billionaire. How do you think? Now, are you coming?”
“Yeah, I’m coming.”
We start walking side by side.
“How did your dad handle it?”
The knots in my stomach twist tighter. “We’re about to find out.”
***
Nonna opens the door before I can reach for the handle. “You’re late.”
“I didn’t know we had plans for tonight.” I lean up and kiss her cheek.
“We didn’t. I decided I wanted to have dinner with my family tonight. Hope said you’d be late.” Her eyes move from me to Everett. You can always count on Nonna not to miss a thing.
“I need to talk to Mom and Dad first.”
“Dinner will keep.” Her eyes don’t leave the boy.
What’s the point of pretending? “You can take the time to get to know your grandson while you wait.”
Nonna's face lights up, but worry is hovering behind her eyes.
“I’d like to tell Hope.”
“You know she’ll handle it just fine.”
She’s made of strong stock. “I know. But I still want to be the one to tell her.”
Nonna nods. “You can call me Nonna, Everett.” She reaches an arm out to him. “Do you like biscotti?”
A small part of the knot unwinds.
“Your parents are in the library ‘reading’.”
Ewww. “I’ll knock first.” Very loudly. How can a couple who’s been married as long as they have still act like teenagers?
Is it wrong that I want to be like that in fifty years?
“Come in,” Dad shouts through the thick door.
Neither of them bothers to put the books down that they’re reading. Nor does Mom climb out of Dad’s arms.
Will they be this warm and loving after I tell them my news?
How can Mom smile and live like everything is perfectly normal when her son was out there on the streets, barely surviving? That just doesn’t feel right.
Mom fought to save me. She’d do anything for me. Anything for Milia. My heart won’t let me believe that she wouldn’t do the same for any child. But DNA doesn’t lie.
“Did you want to talk about something? Nonna came for dinner. It should be ready in a few minutes.” Dad’s easy smile slowly changes.
How do I do this?
Fiona said to let her tell him. Mom gets one chance to tell the truth. My eyes move to Mom. “Everett came for dinner.”
“Do you think that’s wise? That boy sounded a little unstable.” Dad’s answer is perfectly reasonable.
“Not unstable. Confused. That can happen when children endure traumatic events. I’m sure he will be just fine during dinner.”
Stop lying. The words manage to stay in my head. You don’t know what Mom has been through. You need to be kind. Patient.
My patience ends where her safety begins. My eyes move to her, and I will her to tell the truth. “Shall you tell him, or will I?”
“Tell me what?” Dad’s voice sounds confused.
“It’s better that he hears it from you than he hears it from me.” Please.
Please, just admit the truth and let us protect you.
Mom stares at me with confusion.
She’s never been that good of a liar. I could tell from the first time I walked in her apartment door that she loved me, no matter how much she tried to push me away. “Mom. Please.”
She shakes her head. “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t make me say it. Please, just tell him.” My heart fills with pain. Did she push the memory down in her brain so far that she doesn’t actually remember?
When they shot her, did it cause a traumatic brain injury?
Could she really not remember?
I can’t believe that my mother would forget her child. I can’t believe that.
“Whatever it is, just say it. You’re upsetting your mother.”
Upsetting her? I take a deep breath. “I did a DNA test on Everett.”
The room goes cold.
“Everett is my brother.”