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Moving deliberately, I saw him pull something from under the front desk — a checkbook. He scribbled out two different checks and handed one to each of his siblings.
“Thanks bro,” Allison said appreciatively. She hugged him. “This should keep the bursar’s office happy until next month.”
“Yeah, well I’m sorry about the bounced—”
“No,” David told him. “Don’t be. It’s crazy enough for you to be helping the both of us, while trying to run this place.” He looked around and smiled. “Thank God it’s doing well.”
Warren shot me a quick staying glance. I could barely bring my eyes to meet his.
“We’re grateful,” Allison said, folding her check down the middle. She slipped it into a powder-blue phone case, then slid her phone into her pocket. “And we love you.”
She kissed her oldest brother on the cheek, then pulled her other brother by the hand.
“I guess we’re going now,” David chuckled. “Sorry for the short visit—”
They left in a blur of youth and movement, spinning back through the doorway and then hopping into a beat-up old car. I was still amazed that they weren’t the ten-year-old kids I’d always remembered, much less old enough to be driving. When I looked back at Warren, he looked vaguely happy.
“They’re so big,” I sighed wistfully.
“Yeah.”
“Like it happened overnight.”
Warren sniffed, then cleared his throat. He looked more like a proud father than an older brother.
“For you, I guess it did,” he said. “For me…” his voice went low. “I’ve sorta been taking care of them for the past few years.”
I took him by both hands, turning into him. Off in the distance, the sound of an air-powered screw-gun roared to a high-pitched whine.
“You said your mom moved out of town,” I murmured.
He nodded sullenly. “Assisted living. A place just outside of Pottersville.”
“So that’s where you go,” I sighed. “On those mornings you head in mega-early.”
“Not all of them,” he told me. “But yeah. A good three times a week I head out there.”
I hugged him, pulling myself into his body. His overalls were dirty, covered in grease and oil. I didn’t care.
“Most of the time she never knows it,” he went on. “She barely knows who she is, much less the rest of us.”
“I’m so sorry, Warren.”
His arms folded around me, hugging me back. “It’s okay,” he said. “Every once in a while she has a good day. When she does, we talk. She’s told me stories about my father I never really knew. I’ve been saving them in my head, so I can give them to David and Allison.”
“Do the others know?”
“Luke does. He’s come with me once or twice.” He shrugged a shoulder. “It’s not a big secret or anything. I just… well…” he stopped and sighed. “It’s sohard.”
I shook my head. “Honey, I can’t even imagine.”
“No,” he agreed. “You can’t.”
A customer came in, and headed our way Luckily Janice showed up and intercepted the man before he reached us.
“So you’ve been taking care of school for them too?” I asked. “Your brother and sister?”
“Partially,” he explained. “Luckily they’re smart, and they’ve both got some scholarship money. Financial aid helps with another big chunk. I’ve been taking care of the rest.”
