Page 12 of Panther's Magpie
He looks over his shoulder. “Meek.”
Weird name, but okay.
“Do they know where Aspen is?” I ask him.
He shakes his head. “They are out looking. Try not to worry about it. Panther will find her. He loves his sister very much.”
He plates an omelet, placing three strips of bacon and toast on a plate before handing it to me.
“We can eat in the other room,” he tells me, grabbing his own plate and two cans of Coke before passing by me.
I follow him, taking the seat next to him. I slowly start to eat as I consider his words.
“I can’t not worry. She’s my best friend. She is all I have,” I tell him.
“That’s not true. Norma and Greg are in Spain right now, but they are still very much alive,” he says so matter-of-factly that I almost forget the fact that he somehow knows my parents’ names.
“How do you know that?” I ask.
“It’s my job to know everything about every person who sets foot inside this place.”
I scoff. “So you must also know that I haven’t spoken to my parents in two years.”
He shrugs. “I do, but they are still alive, so you do still have them.”
“You know nothing about real life, do you, Meek?” I shake my head.
He turns to me and frowns. “What do you mean?”
“My parents might be alive, and I might share their blood, but that’s where it ends. They have never been there for me my entire life. I stopped calling two years ago, and guess what? They haven’t even noticed.”
“They never hurt you, though,” he says, sounding confused.
“Sure, they never abused me. Not physically and not verbally, but emotional abandonment is still a form of abuse.”
We are both silent for several long moments after that. So long that I finish my food before I sip on the can of Coke he set in front of me.
“I’m sorry,” he says suddenly. “You are correct that I don’t understand the world like others. I did not know that parents could abandon a child while supporting them financially. I assumed they were caring because they do support you by paying for your schooling and your apartment. I will not make that mistake again.”
It is kind of sweet the way he heard what I said and processed it. As if he were storing it for future use.
“Thank you. To be fair, they don’t really pay for that stuff. They put money in an account and gave me access. They provide the money, but they have no idea what I do with it,” I tell him.
“So money means nothing if they don’t come along with it?” he asks as if he is trying to put a puzzle together.
“I’d rather be poor and have two parents who love and care for me than have all the money in the world without them.”
He nods. “Aspen is your family then. Like the brothers are mine.”
I assume he means the men in this little club with him, so I nod. He lights up like he finally understands.
“Aspen will be okay. Panther will get her back,” he promises me.
I only wish I could trust his promise. She’s already been gone for over twelve hours. A lot can happen in that little amount of time.
“I hope you’re right,” I tell him.
PANTHER
