I’ve been waiting in the lobby of my father’s office for ninety minutes and counting. My letter of resignation burns a hole in my pocket as I pick invisible lint from my pant leg. His secretary sends me sympathetic glances every few minutes, tipping her head with that “you know how he can be” look pasted across her soft features.
“He shouldn’t be much longer.”
Another glance at my watch tells me it’s been closer to two hours than an hour and a half, and something inside me finally snaps.
I’m done.
I’m done being his business clone.
I’m done being punished for playing hockey instead of going to his client meeting.
I’m done waiting around to be yelled at because of my life choices.
I’m done spending one single more second trying to do right by a man who hasn’t done right by any of us, especially Mamá.
Tugging down my pant legs as I stand, I slide the envelope from my jacket pocket and place it on the secretary’s desk. “Can you make sure he gets this, please, Janet?”
“Oh, I’m sure he won’t be much longer, Mr. de la Peña. He said—”
Raising my hand silences her as I shake my head. “I’m no longer interested in what he has to say, Janet. Please ensure he gets this, and since I’ve always liked you, I’ll give you a heads up. You might want to start pulling employee files to search for my replacement.”
She pales, stuttering and stammering half sentences as she shakes her head, pushing the envelope back across the counter toward me.
“It’s done, Janet. Waiting two hours for a face-to-face to deliver the letter sealed the deal. This isn’t the place for me.”
“B-b-but, Mr. de la Peña…”
I’m already halfway out the door, feeling lighter than I have in years. If my father wants to discuss further business with me,hewill have to make an appointment withme. And should that time ever come, maybe I’ll make him wait for two hours to make a point.
* * *
“How’d it go?”
When I step into Edith’s apartment—ourapartment—there are bodies everywhere. I was only expecting to find Edie on the couch, but she’s got Bacon across her lap staring up at her lovingly like she created celery.
Ares, Artemis, and Scott are at the dining table playing Monopoly, and Athena is on the loveseat with her back to me, scrolling on her phone. The sight of my people gathered to support me—at least I hope that’s why they’re all in my space—brings a lump to my throat.
“Sí, hermanito.How did it go?” Hen tucks her phone in her pocket and looks at me expectantly over her shoulder. Her eyes swim with concern. If I didn’t know her better, I’d say she wants to launch herself over the back of the loveseat and throw her arms around me.
But it’s Athena, and she doesn’t do that kind of thing. At least not very often. She’s more than met her quota for the year.
Except, she’s standing, turning, and coming at me pretty fast. By the time her arms lock around my body, squeezing the air from my lungs, I’m convinced she’s been abducted by aliens.
“I’m so proud of you.” Her mumbled words against my body make my brothers’ heads snap up around the table.
Ares mouths, “What the fuck?” to me, and I can’t even shrug in reply because our sister has me in a death grip.
“Athena? Are you okay?” I try to keep my voice low and even so no one else hears, but Edith’s confused eyes meet mine, and she confirms with a single glance that I’m not overreacting. Athena hugging and being all smushy is just plain fucking weird.
Athena nods against my shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?”
I step back from her. “I didn’t see him.Pendejokept me waiting for damned near two hours. So, I handed my letter of resignation to his secretary and left.” I wait a beat for the fear, the guilt, the regret... but none of those things hit. In fact, relief unfurls the tense muscles in my neck and shoulders, just a little bit more.
“Did you call Mamá?” Artemis asks from the table, moving his top hat a few spaces around the board. He’s picked the top hat ever since we learned to play the game. I don’t think even he knows why at this point. But he’d definitely fight for it if someone else dared to take it at the start of the game.
“No.” I rake my hand through my hair. “I wouldn’t know what to say. I wanted to figure out what we’re going to do first before I called her. Just in case I fucked up, you know?”
Rolling the dice, Ares snorts from the table.“Hola, Mamá. ¿Cómo estás?Did you know yourcabrónhusband is collecting bastard offspring like fucking Pokémon? You could work that into conversation pretty easily,hermano.”
