Page 6 of Rainstorm

The lazy, inconsiderate bastard.

Since then the board had handed me his responsibilities, so that’s how come I’d been left to figure out how to deal with the shit fest in the most efficient way. It was a big challenge, but one that could lead to big rewards, an opportunity for me to climb up the company ladder and secure my future.

Easy-peasy they said.

Yeah, right.

That morning we’d had two late supply deliveries, a work site accident—thank God nothing serious—and for the cherry on top, my darling mother had been calling me nonstop the entire week.

When my phone went off again, I was really tempted to throw it through the window, but I resisted the urge and foolishly hit the green button before checking the name on the screen.

Big mistake.

“Hermano!”

Shit. There was only one person who called me brother.

My cousin Zephyr, AKA the black sheep of the family.

And he was the last person I needed to hear from right now.

“Chase, are you there?”

Why had I answered the fucking call? But knowing him, if I hadn’t, he’d just have kept calling back until I took his call, so I guess that’s why I heard myself saying, “Yes, I’m here.”

“Just letting you know I’m hopping in a cab to see you. Aunt Nora sent me your office address.”

No fucking way, this is not happening.

My temples were throbbing, I already had a headache, so I was prepared to fob him off with a couple grand if that meant him leaving me alone. I’d deal with my mother later.

“I’m busy, Zeph, I can’t play nanny to you today, sorry.”

“You have a weird way of showing how much you care, but I forgive you, man. I really need to talk to you, and I’m only in the city for a few hours.”

Thank fuck, at least I wouldn’t have to deal with my cousin’s pranks for too long. I had plans for this long weekend.

Disconnect.

Sleep.

And forget about the world.

I needed some downtime. Maybe even follow the advice of one of my coworkers, about going to one of those massage parlors. Wait, I think he said a chiropractor. Whatever, I didn’t care, just as long as I felt like a new man at the end of it.

“So I’ll be there in twenty, ‘mano. And don’t worry, I have some happy news to share.”

He ended the call, leaving me with the impression he was about to announce he’d gotten some chick pregnant. Don’t worry, he’d said. Fat chance. Knowing my cousin as well I did, I could only expect the worst.

I had no time to think further about it though, as Greta, my assistant, came into my office, iPad in hand, ready to continue working and we did exactly that until my cousin sauntered in as if he owned the place.

After hugging me and clapping me on the shoulder, he plopped himself onto one of the big leather chairs in front of my desk, and once I’d given him a warning glare—he had turned up on very short notice after all—he stayed there for more than two hours while I continued working, just quietly playing on his phone.

“Okay, let’s go eat,” I eventually announced, once I’d reached a suitable stopping point. “I’m famished.”

I hadn’t eaten all morning, and I was in desperate need of some fuel to keep my body functioning.

My cousin chatted incessantly on our way to the restaurant, updating me with all the latest gossip from my parents’ orange grove where he was spending the summer after graduating from college.

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