About Abel

 Bella watched her employee Max get up and pack his things in a briefcase he kept with him. He was the last worker to leave, with the longest shift. Poor guy. He must be exhausted.

"Villareal! Don't leave yet. We need to talk."

Max turned around quickly, with such a recognizable deer-in-the-headlights look that it made her laugh.

"It's okay, Max. Have a seat at my desk."

Max obediently pulled up a chair.

"When was the last time you had any kind of sleep? Don't say last night, there's half a grocery store under your eyes. You're not in trouble, I just don't want sluggish employees. We both know what sluggish employees means. Casualties."

Max stayed silent. Fine by Bella. She was good at making people talk.

"How's family life? Any problems at home?"

"Fine."

"Wrong. Tell me the truth."

Max was silent. Then finally "My kid. Abel."

Bella flipped through Max's file. "Yes. Abel. Eleven years old, lovey boy. What about him?"

"He hasn't been able to sleep. Last time he went to school was two days ago, where he failed everything. I told the teachers he was sick."

"Where is he now?"

"At his step-sister's house. She's still at school, but her grandparents are home watching him."

"Why can't he sleep?"

"A lot of the time, nightmares. He started having panic attacks at school. Now he's afraid that he'll have another one, so he's trying to make time go slower."

"What about?" Bella asked, flipping through Abel's small file. He was a happy child. She had just gotten to his ninth Christmas when Max answered "Elsa. His mother."

Bella looked up. "Was she hurting him? Did something happen to him? This sounds a little like PTSD, maybe if I knew more I could help."

"She never hurt him. She wouldn't. She was quiet. Passive. Wouldn't hurt a fly. He got enough of her not to turn out like me, thank god."

"Yes, we all know your tragic backstory. Well, here's what I have to say about this- according to your files, Abel's mother died in a house fire when he was nine?"

"Yes."

"Are you still living in the same house?"

"Yes. I almost have enough to buy a new one in Oasis Springs."

"Smart. If you can, try to have someone live with you aside from Abel, like maybe-" Bella glanced back at Max's file. "Maybe one of your siblings or if you want to invite Emma and your daughter Lillith back into the household. So sleep schedules are roughly back on track. Because like I said, I don't think many people like sluggish employees, and that might just get you fired. I don't think many people will like your resume."

"Thanks?" Max checked the time on his phone. "I probably have to go. Abel is home by now. Lillith just dropped him off."

"You can go now anyways. Remember what I said."

"Get a new house, don't live with just Abel, don't get fired." Max said, smiling. "See you tomorrow."

Author's Note: this is it by the way i'm done here it was one of the only short stories Ive actually completed.