“Mom, where have you been?” I yelled. Mom was not at home when I returned from Sebastian’s job, and that was now three days ago. Thank god, Sebastian didn’t call me, or I would have been screwed. She was a mess, her hair was out of place again, her eyes were bloodshot red, and her lips were chapped. She looked disgusting. She was oblivious to her irresponsibility and was confused when I asked.

“W-What do you mean?” She muttered, scratching her bare arms. I grabbed her arm and dragged her into her room.

“Get in the shower and fix yourself up. Do you want Yasmina to see you like this?” I hissed. She kissed her teeth.

“There’s nothing wrong with how I look but whatever. As long as it will shut you up.” I stormed out of her room and angrily cleaned up the dishes I made from cooking Yasmina. I don’t know how long I’m going to manage with this woman. She does nothing around the house. She doesn’t look out for her children and there’s no income coming into the house, except for me turning to crime. Is this the life we should be living? I slammed one of the dishes too hard and the edge cracked.

“Fuck!” I cursed under my breath and slowed down what I was doing. I took a deep breath. Just a few more months working for Sebastian, and this will be over. I need to focus on not getting us killed. I almost did at the last job, and Sebastian as well, I hope he recovered from his injuries. Not like I cared about him…I need him to give me work.

“Nathan, is Mommy home?” I could hear Yasmina whisper loudly from the top of the stairs. She was supposed to be in bed. Every night she kept coming down to check if she is home. I felt so sorry for her, this shouldn’t be part of her routine. Our Mom should just be here.

“She’s home, don’t worry.” Yasmina smiled. It was depressing that she cared so much about Mom. Mom clearly doesn’t feel the same about us. She sees Yasmina and I are obstacles in the way, and it makes me so mad. I ushered Yasmina back to bed and briefly checked on Mom. To no surprise, she was passed out on the bed in her underwear. I sneaked in and tried to carefully put her under the bedsheets. I don’t Yasmina to walk in and see her like this.

I was grateful that everyone was safe at home tonight. I dropped on the tattered sofa and sighed. How long have I been balancing two lives? I remembered what Sebastian told me the other day about his parents being incarcerated. I pulled out the locket and admired the picture, staring at my Dad’s warm smile. His arms wrapped around his two children. He looked so happy to have us in his life.

I remember one day he made a basketball ring in the courtyard for me when he saw me playing alone in the street. He organised a little league with other kids in the neighborhood and we played matches, where Dad would be the referee. That was how I met Jay. Everyone loved my Dad, even the cautious old ladies. They would cook him brownies and cakes. Kids would be knocking on our door all the time, asking him to play basketball.

He was an amazing man, despite his flaws, a man that I always looked up to.

Then, he suddenly disappeared from our lives.

His incarceration was sudden. We received a call from the police one evening, informing us that Dad was arrested for armed robbery. Mom was in hysterics, as we helplessly watched Dad receive the guilty verdict in court. When news came two months later that he was killed in prison, the family hasn’t been the same since. I closed my eyes and sighed. I wish Dad were here to sort everything out, to help Mom become healthy again. I knew it wouldn’t happen. It was now my responsibility to look after everyone. But I could never be as amazing as Dad was.

Sebastian is so lucky to have a large family. He has a Dad to look up to and people that he can rely on. I have no one. It’s strange. Even though we have nothing in common, I feel a strong connection with Sebastian when we talk about our lives. When I opened up about my Mom, he never pulled a face of shock, disgust, or made fun of her, like my former friends used to do. He listened, emphasising with my story like he understood what I was going through. I feel like I could tell Sebastian anything and he wouldn’t judge me for it. It was comforting to have someone like that in my life, despite how patronising, obnoxious, and annoying he can get.

“Why am I even thinking about him?” I muttered to myself. Suddenly the phone rang, it was Sebastian. How ironic. Remembering what he said about keeping him waiting, I answered, “Hello?”

“Nathaniel, I’m going to be blunt. You’re not cutting it.”

“W-What do you mean?” He isn’t going to drop me, is he? He told me last time that he wasn’t mad at me for messing things up.

“Your shooting is terrible, you need practice.”

“Right, thanks.” Sebastian chuckled.

“I’m not calling to insult you. I’m offering to take you somewhere to practice. I want to practice too.” Why was Sebastian calling me out of all people for company? He was meant to be my Boss, who bullies and harasses me whenever he gets the chance.

“Couldn’t you go with someone else, why me?”

“Do you want to go or not?” I have never been to a shooting range before. It would cool to shoot guns without being under pressure.

“I…do,” I admitted.

“Good boy. Come over to my place tomorrow morning at ten.” He hung up before I could even complain. Luckily Yasmina is at school during that time. I was excited to go a shooting range but dreading it at the same time. I was going to hang out alone with my intimidating Boss. Although, it was bizarre that he’ll go with me out of choice, rather than convenience.