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“Hey, Pa,” I answer, holding the phone tight as I ask, “How’s Abuelo doing?”
Dad exhales. “He wants to stop treatment.”
I close my eyes. That can’t be possible. I mean, the doctor said stage two colon cancer is treatable. He’s been responding well. I dare to ask, “Because it’s not working?”
“No, he says he needs to go back to work. The brewery needs his attention, and the sports bar isn’t doing well,” Dad responds, annoyed. “I need you to come and help us. He needs you in Luna Harbor.”
Are they insane?
I do more than enough for the family. I can’t just pack my stuff and leave New York indefinitely because… I close my eyes, massaging my forehead. I sound like a selfish prick. If my family needs me, I should go.
Family is more important than the empire I run or all the money in the world.
But what if I say no?
The day Abuelo dies, I’m going to regret not giving him at least the peace of mind he needs to go through treatment.
I do have one remaining card up my sleeve to get me out of this ordeal. “No offense, but aren’t there four more grandchildren that should be ready to help their abuelo out?”
“Yes. Of course, I’m counting on you—your three brothers and sister—to help me out while my father is getting treatment. I need you to herd them all back to Luna Harbor,” he says, and I feel slightly better about the situation.
If I make sure my three brothers and my sister are there, I won’t have to move. If I were twelve, I’d love to spend my summer in Luna Harbor, but I’m thirty-four and not in the mood to deal with insects, a brewery, and God knows what else they want me to do there.
“You got it, Pa. I’ll have them shipped to Luna Harbor by next week,” I assure him.
“Listen, Iskander. I know you think that you have a lot on your plate, but please remember these are thefamilybusinesses—your heritage. You can run your business and mine from anywhere in the world. Wicked Luna needs your attention—of the entire Cantú family,” he states.
“You’re the only one who has a sense of business. The other three need direction.”
“Myka knows how to run a business.” I try to keep my voice calm. “She might get upset if you tell her I’m better than her.”
“She doesn’t need your direction. That’s why I said three. Your sister knows what she’s doing. I will not ask her to babysit your brothers, though. You’re in charge of them.” Someone speaks in the background. I can’t hear what is being said, but Dad comes back on to tell me, “I need to go. Make this happen now, Iskander.”
It’s my childhood all over again. He can’t handle my siblings—or brothers that is—so I have to step up. Myka might be five years younger than me, but she’s pretty mature for her age. She likes to mother us, and my brothers sometimes take advantage of that. Fine, not Manelik, her twin. He’s very protective of her.
“Okay,” I say. “I’ll give you a month.”
“I’ll let your grandfather know he has a month to get better,” he says in a serious, almost angry voice.
“And here I thought you weren’t going to guilt-trip me,” I mumble, squishing the stress ball Myka sent me last week.It came to me with a note that read:Stop being so fucking stressed. Take a chill pill and get laid.
Nothing says you’re my favorite brother better than this. I’m not her favorite, though. That’d be Mane.
“It’s not about guilt, Iskander. It is your duty.”
I hate that he’s right. It is. Abuelo and his business partner helped me establish my company. They loaned me the money, and I can’t just let their legacy go under because I don’t want to leave my comfortable office or my apartment in Brooklyn.
It’s okay to hate what I’m about to do, right? “I’ll be there soon.”
“Don’t forget your siblings,” he reminds me.
Even if I wanted to, you always remind me that I’m in charge of them.
* * *
If there’s something I’ve learned in life, it’s to never avoid the inevitable.
I cancel my appointments for the day and drive to my place. While I pack my things, my assistant rents me a charter, secures me a car I can use while I’m in Luna Harbor, and even finds me a room at the inn for the night.
