Patterns of Betrayal

(9) Aftermath

Nikolas doesn't say anything as we pull up in front of the garage. Victor and I exit the van the second it parks, neither of us interested in getting screamed at by our already irritated brother.

On my way out, Victor turns around and cocks an eyebrow at me. His eyes look troubled, no doubt worried about how Mother will react, but he doesn't say anything. I answer with a shrug, not wanting to think about the consequences of what just happened. I don't even know if the client was of any importance. The client couldn't have been important if Mother was comfortable enough to send Nikolas off to deal with him without her.

I twiddle my thumbs in my lap when the door opens and Mother enters the house the next day. Victor and I share a nervous glance as she makes her way into the kitchen with Nikolas, coffee in one hand, and the morning paper in the other. Nikolas goes to call for us to join them, but Mother stops him, telling him we won't be needed for the time being.

***

«What happened yesterday?» A curious Ana asked me in a hushed voice, sliding closer to me on the floor in front of the television. Victor leaves to go to the bathroom, and consequently, all eyes turned to me.

I shift my gaze back to the television and sigh. The situation had been out of Nikolas' hands. He wouldn't get punished for something like this.

Still, Mother has done worse for far less.

Whether someone hadn't gathered enough money one day or if someone had given her any reason to no trust them, the consequences were seldom harsher than a hard slap across the cheek and an evening without dinner. This isn't an unusual practice and has certainly been one that most of us have come to disregard as just another day under Mother's roof. It is the Howard case that leaves me troubled to what Mother can do.

At the same time, I don't know what Howard did. Mother has certainly not given me any reason to question her action negatively. I'm certain Mother had a reason. She always does the right thing, never missteps. I will have to be careful with how I handle tasks and missions moving forward. I certainly can't appear careless in her eyes.

«We didn't get the guy,» I answer. «We were... ambushed, sort of.»

Ana's eyes widened. «Shit, the police? How is that possible» The others in the room lean closer to us as the tension increases.

I shake my head. «Not the police, I think. Have no idea who they were, but they seemed like they knew... you know,» I cock my head in the direction of the kitchen where Mother and Nikolas are having a conversation. Ana's eyes gaze over to the kitchen door, before slowly nodding in understanding. Her eyes remain confused, but she doesn't ask any more questions.

«Wait. So you guys just gave them the guy? And they weren't even police?» Alijah asked bewildered from in front of the television, her body turned towards where Ana and I are sitting.

Adrian, having grown up with Nikolas for most of his life under Mother's roof, speaks up. «They were threatened by a gang that clearly knew who they were, Alijah. The last thing they should do is try to overthrow a group of grown men. Nikolas did the right thing by just avoiding confrontation.»

Alijah scoffs at him. «I would have at least fired some warning shots towards them or tried to compromise with the men. Anything to not make a fool out of Mother and look like complete twa-»

«Alijah, you wouldn't do shit,» Adrian interrupts, rolling his eyes at her. «Try to compromise with guys like that without ending up in a body bag for being annoying.»

I couldn't help but chuckle at Adrian's words, as did the rest of the siblings in the room except for Alijah. The snickers abruptly died out once Mother and Nikolas appeared from the kitchen. All the kids turned their attention back to the television, the earlier conversation repressed and forgotten under Mother's presence.