all my questionable decisions

viii. a win-win

There were times when Porsche thought that everything that he did ended up as a disaster. His first job - he got fired within a week. His first paycheck - his uncle got his hands on it. His first bike - an accident ten meters from the house. Job after job he tried to find one that would help both him and his brother survive in the city. He was a waiter, a bartender, he walked dogs, and he cleaned backyards in the wealthier houses. Nothing seemed to work and the bills kept growing.

He was doing a third sixteen-hour shift in a row when he met Natta. The other one was a bit older, his eyes holding so much misery and pain behind them that Porsche could not simply give him his order and move to the other customer. Instead, he acted like one of the bartenders in the Western movies and started to talk to him. He learned a little but enough to basically order Natta to move to his and Chay’s part of the house.

The problems started after some time. Suddenly the bar was visited by the health department, then by national security, then by the mercenaries who were looking for a runaway son of some boss from the North. Porsche told all of that to Chay and Natta at dinner time. The younger was surprised and seemed scared when Porsche was recalling them searching every corner of the bar. Natta on the other way… was scared but also resigned. That night, when Porsche sent Chay to sleep, he and Natta sat down on the small roof that served them as a patio and both looked at the city for a long time before the older started to talk.

“It’s my family that is causing all of that,” he said slowly. “My brothers are supposed to inherit my father’s fortune. I’m not even fully their brother, my mother, and father, they… it was an accident, I am apparently. But I have too much value for other houses to be left alone.”

Porsche nodded, lighting a cigarette. He knew nothing about the crime families but he knew how it felt when everyone around you told you that you are worth nothing or had no place but still wanted to use you.

He sighed and rubbed his face with his hand.

“I’ll have to move soon. There’s a chance they will be able to connect my disappearance with you and I cannot put both of you in danger. Not you two.” Natta finished, rubbing his forehead tiredly.

Porsche clicked his tongue and closed his eyes, finishing his cigarette. As much as he didn’t want to do what he was about to do, it was the only way to get Natta safe.

“Two streets from here, on the ground floor lives an old man. He was once a worker for one of the houses,” Porsche said, getting up and patting his shorts around to get rid of the dirt. “He doesn’t say much and never gives details, but he can make you disappear. No trace, tomorrow we will go and pay him a visit.”

Natta looked at him and blinked surprised, his black eyes wide and full of shock.

“But never, never return here. That is my only condition.”

~~~~~~~~

Porsche blinked, his eyes focusing on Thiang running around the pond and guard dogs slowly running close to her. The first time it happened, Porsche dashed out of the house only to be stopped by Kim. The younger told him to watch and with suspicion Porsche observed as three Dobermans turned into puppies around children. Now, Thiang chose her favorite one - Arin - while her brothers ran away as soon as the dogs got close to them. Surprisingly, Venice was also quite taken with the dogs. Two little girls could be seen together most of the time, hand in hand causing mischief around the house.

“You’re smiling, that’s a rare view,” Kinn noticed, taking a seat close to him. “Ah, Thiang is taming the beasts.”

Porsche nodded, his thoughts still taking him away not really hearing what was spoken to him.