Page 31 of In Another Time

He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. “Not in the right headspace? So what was tonight? A distraction from something else?Someoneelse?” His words stung because they were true. I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. Jevon stood, grabbing his coat from the floor. “You know, Lennox, I thought you were different. But you’re just as closed off as everyone says you are.”

“That’s not fair,” I shot back, standing as well. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“Yeah, well, it did.” He opened the door, his voice cold. “Good night.”

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving me alone in the silence of my apartment. I stood there for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest, anger and guilt warring inside me.

I sank, sighing as I reached for my phone to distract myself, but it buzzed in my hand before I could open anything. My brother’s name lit up the screen.

“Yes, Lawrence?” I said, trying to sound normal.

There was a long pause before he finally spoke. “Len. . .” His voice was tight, strained.

My stomach dropped. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Dad,” he said, his voice breaking. “He collapsed tonight. We’re all at the hospital.”

The phone nearly slipped from my hand as his words registered. “What? Oh my God. Is-is he. . . is he okay?”

“They’re doing everything they can,” Derrick said. “But it’s bad, Lennox. You need to come home.”

“I’ll be right there,” I said immediately, my voice trembling. “I’ll book the first flight out.”

Tears welled in my eyes as I whispered into the empty room, “What else can go wrong?” I didn’t have an answer. Only a gnawing sense of regret and the urgent need to be with my family.

OMIR

The gym was empty when I walked in, just the way I liked it. The scent of rubber mats and faintly lingering sweat hung in the air as I set my bag down in the corner. It was early, maybe too early for anyone else to be up, but sleep hadn’t come easy since O'Shea’s death. My little brother was gone, and no amount of lifting, running, or punching a heavy bag would bring him back.

I wrapped my hands in the worn, black boxing wraps and took a deep breath. The punching bag swung lightly on its chain in front of me, taunting me, daring me to let it all out. I squared my shoulders and threw the first punch.

One. Two. Hook. Uppercut.

The rhythm was familiar, but the weight in my chest didn’t lighten. I could still see his face—O'Shea, smirking, asking mefor advice he never took. I could hear his laugh. I could hear the gunshot. I punched harder, sweat dripping down my face, my breaths coming fast.

“O. . .” I whispered, my voice breaking as I drove my fists into the bag. The anger, the guilt, the loss—it all crashed over me like a tidal wave.

By the time I finished, my hands were shaking. I slumped onto a bench, staring at the floor, trying to catch my breath. My phone buzzed on the bench next to me, and I hesitated before picking it up. It was Anya.

I wiped my face with a towel and answered. “Hey.”

“You’re at the gym again?” she asked, her voice soft, careful.

“Yeah,” I replied, keeping my tone short.

“Omir. . .” She sighed. “You can’t keep doing this. You have businesses to run. I mean, I’ve been stepping in but?—”

“Better than sitting around doing nothing,” I muttered, tossing the towel aside.

“Look,” she said, her voice quieter now. “I know you’re hurting. I’m trying to help, but you keep shutting me out. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

I rubbed my temples, guilt settling in alongside the anger. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I just. . . I don’t know how to deal with this shit, Anya.”

“Then let me help you,” she pleaded. “We’re supposed to be a team, Omir. You can’t keep pushing me away.”

“I know,” I said, though my chest felt tight. “I’ll do better. I promise.” But even as I said the words, I wasn’t sure I believed them.

Later that day, I sat in my office at home, staring at the stacks of mail on my desk. Bills, vendor contracts, event plans—things that used to excite me but now felt like weights dragging me down. The bell ringing pulled an exhausted breath from me as I went to answer the door.

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