Hawk
“What are you working on, buddy?” I muss Sam’s hair as I walk by and grab myself water from the fridge.
“Math.” His shoulders slump as he drops his pencil.
“Let me see.” He’s seven, how hard can math be? He’s adding two-digit numbers. Even though it’s not hard, I’m not sure I can explain it to him the right way. Shit, I don’t remember doing this type of math in the first grade. To be honest, I don’t recall the first grade.
“And you have to show your work?”
He lifts his head and looks at me with his steel blue eyes, the same eyes of the man that I know are no longer walking this earth. “Yeah.”
He sounds so defeated, and I want to do anything I can to help him. My gaze lifts when I hear the back door open and see Jenni walkthrough. “Oh, hey!”
“Just the person we need.”
She pulls out a chair and sits on the other side of Sam. “What’s up?”
“Sam’s having issues with his math. He’s adding two-digit numbers.”
“Ahh, say no more.” She gives Sam a smile. “Grab your stuff, and you can come over to my house. The kids are getting ready to do their homework, so I’ll be able to help everyone.”
I pat Sam on the back then stand, pushing in my chair. “See how lucky you are to have a teacher in the family?” He nods his head as he stands as he stands, stuffing his book and papers in his backpack.
“I’m not a teacher until I get an actual teaching job.”
“Hey.” Tessa comes from the hall. The dark circles from under her eyes have lightened up a bit. She’s still on the thin side, but Bianca is making her eat more. “Where are you going? You have homework.”
Jenni gets up from her chair. “I’m taking him to my house. He needs help with his math, and Roxy and Ryder need to do their homework, too. I thought it would be easier. I’ll bring him home before dinner.”
The front door opens, and I hear Sin, Cut, and Bianca’s voices. “Mija,” she addresses Jenni.
“Hey.” Jenni eyes the boys. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. Mom told me and Cut to head over, so here we are.”
A knock comes from the front door, and Cut goes to answer it, but Bianca grabs his arm before he can take more than one step. Bianca looks at Jenni and Sam. “Do you think you can take Sam to your house, mija?”
The corner of her eyes crinkle when she looks at Bianca. “I had already planned it, but now I’m curious as to why you want me to take him.”
The doorbell rang this time. “Ma.”
“I’ll open the door. Jenni, please take Sam. Now.”
Jenni looks at the four of us. She raises her hands. “I can take a hint when I’m not wanted.”
“It wasn’t a hint, really. I think Bianca told you to leave.”
“Don’t make me flip you off, Hawk.” She pulls Sam’s bag from the table. When she sticks her hand out, Sam takes it.
“Seems like that husband of yours is rubbing off on you.”
“Only in the best possible ways.” She gives us a wink, and both Cut and Sin groan in protest. She shakes her head. “I’ll just take him out the back.”
Bianca sticks her head around the corner. “Are they gone?”
“Yeah, Mama, they’re gone,” Sin responds.
She drops her head then appears with one of the last people I ever thought I’d see in this house.
“Mom?” Tessa questions. “What are you doing here?”
Gloria stands with both hands gripping the brown leather of her oversized purse. The tension is radiating from her body, and I almost want to laugh at her uneasiness.
“Mija,” Bianca interjects. “I think it’s time that you and your mother have a heart to heart.”