Page 117 of Beast: Part Two

I climb into the elevator and push the button back to the main floor. I clutch my sore ribs as I lay my head against the wall behind me.

Yeah, I definitely can’t come back to this shit.

chapter thirty-two

Silence

Lucien

“You have to draw four, Hulk,” Gabe giggles.

I look over to a fuming Beast. We’ve been kicking his ass in UNO. At this very moment he has close to twenty cards in his hand.

“I refuse to draw more. Maksim is cheating.”

I fight to hold back my laughter.

Maksim shrugs. “I have no idea what you speak of brother.”

I look up to find Malia and Summer at the island, fighting back their laughter as well. I think Summer knew how much trouble we would get into when she bought this game.

Beast tosses his cards down. “I want a rematch,” he grumbles.

Gabe and Emory burst out laughing. I finally let my laughter out as well. It feels good to laugh. Feels like the house goes through long stints where we don’t laugh at all. Even the kids sometimes lack laughter. It makes times like this so much more special.

“You’re missing out, Seth.”I say into the silence of my head.

I remember the days when I wished I could get rid of my brother, and now I worry about him. He has never been absent this long. I fear that he may be gone for good. I don’t know how to handle that. He was my protector, a part of me. Yes, it took me a while to realize that. Now, I feel as if I’ve lost two people and not just one.

“Brother Beast, you have lost the last three games,” Many says in his nasally voice. “Maybe you are the problem.”

“Shut it, Many,” Beast snarls. He turns to Maksim. “Stand up. I want to check your pockets.”

“Babe,” Summer laughs. “It’s just a game. Let it go.”

“No,” Beast says crossing his arms over his chest. “I want answers.”

Malia snorts and shakes her head as she rolls out the dough for the banana bread she’s making.

I don’t know what we would’ve done in this house if not for Malia, Summer, and Brooklyn. They have all been constantly by our side. They are the light in this house that keeps us going.

“I have no reason to lie. I will prove I am just better at UNO than you,” Maksim stands up. “See, nothing.” Suddenly a ton of cards fall from underneath his shirt. The kids laughter fills the room. Beast leaps up from the table. Maksim takes off running, laughing the entire time, out of the kitchen. Beast chases him.

Emory signs to Gabe. “Come on. Let’s go see if your dad catches him.”

“Okay,” Gabe says, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet. In the past few months, the kid has learned a lot of sign language. No one has to translate for him anymore.

“Don’t leave us,” Many announces, tossing his cards down and following the kids out of the kitchen.

“I better go and make sure they don’t kill each other,” Summer laughs getting to her feet. She goes out after everyone else.

I’m alone in the kitchen with Malia. I stand from my chair and start to clean up the cards.

“That ended exactly like I thought it would,” Malia says with a chuckle.

I look over at her, taking in her large belly beneath her shirt. She’s seven months now. We found out we were having a boy afew days ago. With Brooklyn and Malia being so near their due dates, we’ve ramped up the doctor visits. We’ve even figured out the hospital the girls can go to when they go in labor. Thanks to our allies at the Church and D.O.E for making that possible.

“I know you will come back for that, brother.”I once again try to entice Seth into coming out.

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