Elias retreated to his room to wait until the bathroom was freed up. Five minutes was adequate. Annoyance glued him to his bed for an extra fifteen. He tossed and turned before rolling onto his stomach, away from his brother’s side of the room, Elias’s suitcases quietly observing him from the corner. He was flying out in only a few short hours to live with his uncle. A few more minutes passed, and there was aknock, knock, knockat his bedroom door. He sat up, prepared to face her, but didn’t answer. It was universal knowledge to everyone but his mother that a closed door meantGo away. After another set of knocks, there she was in the doorway with a shower cap on her head.
“You still need to go to the bathroom? It’s free now.”
Of course he still needed to go. He hadn’t yet learned how to reabsorb his urine. Elias tightened his jaw and said, “Thanks, Mom.”
“Thank you for making breakfast. It smells good.”
“I didn’t do it for you. I made it for Nia.”
Mom shook her head. “I hope you realize all this is for your own good,” she said. “I just don’t know what to do with you anymore. Maybe getting away from here will help you find your way, figure out what you want to do with your life.”
“You’re going to pretend you care what I want now?” Elias asked defensively.
“Baby, I love you with everything I got, but sometimes you…you scare me, you know? You’re getting into fights and causing trouble every day now, it seems. I just don’t know what else to do. I can’t protect you if you keep carrying on, and I can’t have this around your sister. You’re her big brother, and she looks up to you.Mybig brother can help you—”
“I don’t need help. I can handle myself.”
“Then act like it!” Elias’s mother snapped.
Elias crossed his arms. “What if I don’t want to go?”
“Then you can start looking for your own place to live, because it sure as hell won’t be here.”
“I’ll go, but don’t expect me to be happy about it.”
“You think I’m worried about your happiness? Go fix yourself up.” She clicked her tongue against her teeth and continued her tirade down the hallway.
Elias shook his head and finally went to the bathroom. In the dimness, he was gently touching the tender area around his nose when the door swung open and his dad flicked on the lights without warning. Anger immediately rose within Elias as he squinted against the sudden brightness.
“You all packed up to go?” Dad asked, his usually playful tone uncharacteristically serious. “Your mother needs some rest, but I can take you to the airport.”
Elias blinked slowly. “Are you trying to get rid of me sooner?”
Dad’s body language was neutral. “Eli, no one’s trying to get rid of you. You think I want this? I want you here, taking care of your mother and your sister.”
Elias let out a deep breath. “Why don’tyoutake care of them?” He flattened himself against the wall to get by his father and added, “I’ll call a cab.”
Nia, braids piled atop her head, came down the hallway, a platestacked high with syrupy blueberry pancakes in hand. She shoved a forkful into her mouth, chewing contentedly and exposing her dimples, which matched his own.
“Go back to sleep, kid,” Elias said gently.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she quipped. She leaned in to give him a one-armed hug, but Elias put up his hands in a defensive gesture.
“Chill. You don’t know me like that,” he said with a laugh.
The smile dropped from his face when he realized his dad was still standing there, and his mom had also stepped into the narrow hallway. Elias unclenched his jaw, but his fists remained tightly balled. He couldn’t handle it anymore.
“I’m leaving now,” he declared, returning to his room. Perhaps hehadin fact learned how to reabsorb his urine.
“Do you have everything, baby? Are you sure you don’t want us to come to the airport with you?” Mom asked.
“God no,” Elias said.
He got dressed as quickly as he could, collected his things, and wheeled his bag down the stairs and out of the apartment building.
Nia came chasing after him. “You’re really going to leave without even saying goodbye properly?”
“It’s best I just go quietly. I’ve already made a mess of everything.”
