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I eat my lunch at the table while I watch the news on TV. It’s the main story in the news.
The bad guys shot the staff during a bank robbery, and the CCTV caught it all.
The sound of gunfire and people screaming makes me shudder. It feels real, even if it’s coming from the TV. All of a sudden, I don’t want breakfast anymore.
Sophie, my sister who just turned seven this month, says from across the table, “That sounds sickeningly cruel and barbaric.”
We’re enjoying breakfast together, but she chose the seat with her back to the TV, as usual, so she doesn’t have to see whatever terrible news she can’t stand to see. Sadly, Dad’s friend always switches on the news at this time every morning.
When I hear footsteps, I look up and see Mom heading down the stairs with her phone in her hand.
“Sweetheart, we’ll be there in no time.” She smiles as she hears the voice on the other end of the queue. I know who she’s talking to. It must be Ethan, my older brother. “Don’t worry. Everyone is excited and can’t wait to see your first karate championship. Just listen to your teacher and take a deep breath. We’ll be there soon.”
Before mum hangs up, they talk some more. I can tell she’s excited when she sighs.
Ethan left earlier with his karate teacher to get ready for the championship. Mom, Sophie, and I will go there to support him. I hope dad can make it too, although he is quite busy.
I’m excited and scared for Ethan because this is his first championship. Ethan has been one of the greatest karate students at his martial arts school since he was 13. It is thought that he will win a medal in this event.
As soon as Mom gets to the table, she kisses my cheek. Next, she goes up to Sophie and does the same thing. She is so happy, but as soon as she sees the TV, her smile goes away.
“Victor,” she shouts, gazing at him. “Again? I told you not to show such violence in front of my kids. Can’t you at least change the channel?”
Victor looks at mum instead. “Sorry. I got too into the case.” He turns the station, which is now showing news concerning drug trafficking.
I can tell that Mom is still mad because she sighs. I don’t understand why mum appears to detest him. Victor is a good person, though. People might think he appears scary at first because of his piercing dark eyes and the cut on his left cheek that makes him look like a mobster in movies, but he’s really fun to be around.
He likes to play games with Ethan and me sometimes, like letting us shoot at his shooting target board with our water guns.
He once let me handle his real gun and showed it to me.
Victor and some of Dad’s other close buddies come over to our house a lot. They generally stay here for a night every other day. There is always room for everyone in our house because it has a lot of rooms.
Because we have more than 20 rooms, some people even term our residence a mansion. Some of them have also said that it’s like a “base.”
I don’t know exactly what my dad does for a living, but I do know that he makes a lot of money. He started a group.
Dad runs down the stairs, which gets Mom’s attention. He looks good in his black jacket and casual clothes. He generally puts on his suit before going to a meeting, therefore that suggests he won’t be going to work today.
Mom appears happy to see us, which means Dad will come with us to attend Ethan’s karate match.
“Have you finished your breakfast?” Dad asks me and Sophie when he gets downstairs. Then his eyes flicker to the TV. “Look there,” he says to us in a fatherly voice. “See those guys over there selling drugs? They’re the bad guys. Our job is to not be like them and to put them in their place. Got it?”
Sophie and I both nod to show that we understand. Mom constantly tries to keep us away from bad things, but Dad likes to show us both sides of the story, the good and the bad, and help us make the right choice.
“Richard.” Victor gets up from the couch and walks to Dad’s office. He asks in a serious voice, “Can we talk for a minute?”
Dad stays where he is, but mum shakes her head to say no.
“Please, not now,” Mom begs. “He’s waiting.”
Based on what Victor said, it sounds like he and Dad are going to talk about an important job. And they always take a long time to talk about work.
“Richard,” Victor calls, and the door to Dad’s office is wide open for him to follow. “It’s about the case you asked about yesterday.”
I heard that Richard isn’t his real name and that Victor isn’t either. I don’t understand why they use so many phoney names.
Dad sighs and looks at Mom with an apologetic face. “Please give me a minute. It won’t take long, I promise.”
Mom can’t believe it when Dad goes into his office and closes the door behind him. She groans in anger and sits down next to Sophie. She strokes Sophie’s hair and tells us to be patient while we wait for Dad to finish talking to Victor.
We can hear them yelling at each other just a minute after the door closes. I can’t make out the words, but it’s evident that they’re both really angry.
I can hear the furniture in the room falling over and crashing, so I suppose they’re going to kill each other. I really hope I don’t hear any gunshots.
Every time she hears a loud voice, Sophie jumps in her seat.
“Come on,” Mom replies, helping Sophie get up. Her eyes are telling me to do the same.
I do the same and walk towards the automobile that is already waiting for us in the driveway. Mom lets Sophie and me sit in the back. Logan, our driver, is already in the car, but Mom doesn’t get in.
Instead, she moves a few steps away and pulls out a cigarette with her shaky hand. When she’s nervous, she always backs away, like she doesn’t want us to see how weak she is.
I can tell when mum is terrified, no matter how hard she tries to hide it. I can tell when she’s depressed or in pain.
I turn my attention to Sophie, who is shivering next to me. “Will dad be okay?” she stutters.
I put my hands on her shoulders to attempt to calm her down. She glances up at me with her huge green eyes. They are full of terror and sadness.
I detest it when Sophie cries. I don’t like it when mum cries. I want to practice martial arts like Ethan does so that I can protect them too when someone attempts to hurt them.
“Of course he’ll be fine,” I say, and I believe what I say.
There isn’t another man as strong as my dad. That’s why he has been in charge of this group. Victor could be his advisor, but his dad is the destroyer. No one can stop him.
I can tell that Sophie is still scared, though, so I try to keep her mind busy.
I say, “Let’s play Sticks,” and I put one finger out on each hand.
Sophie looks at me, perhaps still thinking about whether or not she wants to play this finger-counting game with me.
“Come on,” I say with a sneer, which makes her sigh.
She also rips one finger out of each hand.