Boarding with the Brooks

Nothing in Life is Fair

Roman Reyalgo

My foot taps the floor as the clock strikes 3AM. I can't help but sarcastically sing the song by Matchbox Twenty. I look at my watch one more time before I jump at the sound of someone behind me.

"Dammit, Bekah."

"What are you doing?"

I shake my head, "I can't sleep."

"I might have believed that if you weren't dressed like that or on the edge of your seat about to tap your foot off."

My lip finds its place between my top and bottom teeth, "Go back to bed."

She hops onto the edge of the counter, "Nope. Not until you tell me what is going on."

Angrily, I push my hands through my hair, "I swear, Bekah."

"Is it Dad?"

"No."

"Is it-"

"No, Bekah. Go back to bed."

She slid off the counter, standing up, "Mom worries about you...and so do I."

My tongue slid across my lip, "Well, you shouldn't, because I am fine. Everything is fine."

I could see the concern in her eyes, but she left the kitchen without saying another word.

Another hour passed as I waited.

It was after 5AM before my phone buzzed. I stepped onto the back porch to answer it.

"What do you want?"

"Urmează comanda mea."
Follow my order

I took a deep breath, "I told you that I was done."

"Ți-am spus că este o afacere de familie."
I told you it's a family business

"Nu mai sunt familia ta."
I'm not your family anymore

Static took over my speaker until he spoke again, "You have one chance, Roman."

The line ended and my fist hit the wood of our porch railing. I stood and listened to the whisper of the wind. My entire body was tired but my mind wouldn't let me rest.

The back door opened, "Fiule, totul este în regulă?"
Son, is everything okay?

"Totul este în regulă, mamă," I gave her a reassuring smile and put my arm around her.
Everything is fine, mother

She tilted her head to the side, trying to smile, "Can't sleep?"

"No, ma," I moved my arm away from her and lean against the porch railing, "What about you?"

Laughing, "It's almost six, I have to get ready and go to work."

"Six?," I look at my phone and see the time reads 5:43AM.

She pat my back, "Go lay down before you have to go to school."

I nodded and walked back towards the door, kissing her cheek.

"I love you, son."

My hand grazed her shoulder as I returned inside, "I love you too, Ma."

She grabbed my hand before it reached my side, "Roman, you would tell me if something was wrong, right?"

"Don't worry about me, Ma."

"You are my son, I will always worry about you...until the day I die."