“Um, hi”, Ace cleared his throat, standing awkwardly in the entryway of the Wilson house. His eyes went to the living room where weeks ago Mr. Wilson’s body had been laying. It was cleaned up obviously, but he couldn’t get the image out of his head. Mrs. Wilson was smiling at him but her eyes showed that the thought crossed her mind as well. 

Ace wished he had pushed more for them to go to another location but Mrs. Wilson had said she wanted to have one last good memory there and he didn’t want to upset her even more. Behind Mrs. Wilson, her children were giving Ace a look like they didn’t want to be there. Which he knew they didn’t. He would rather not be there either if not for Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. 

“James. Alina. Don’t the two of you have something to say to this young man?”, she turned her head to look at her kids and her smile disappeared, replaced by a mother’s stern expectant face. 

Alina averted her eyes, “I’m sorry for the mess before.”

Jimmy poked his tongue into his cheek before sighing dramatically, "I'm sorry for hitting you.”

Mrs. Wilson placed her hands on her hips, “that wasn’t so hard was it?”. 

“No, Ma”, they both muttered.

It was striking to Ace how much Jimmy resembled Mr. Wilson. It was the same striking blue eyes. But Jimmy didn’t have the same smile wrinkles Mr. Wilson did. He probably didn’t find many things to be happy about growing up with a brother like Jensen. Just like Alina. 

Ace looked at the family portraits still up in the entryway. If I had a sibling, would I have been happier?

Mrs. Wilson placed a hand on Ace’s shoulder, taking him out of his thoughts as he tensed, though he quickly tried to hide it. She laughed guiding him to the living room, “you’re such a shy fellow! I bet your mother has to fight off all the girls that just fall over you!”.

Ace felt heat creep up across his face, “No Ma’am”, he wiped at his cheeks as if it would make the blush go away.

“No!?”,she shook her head “If only I knew a young girl your age that had a good head on her shoulders. I’d call her up to come over and introduce you two”, she gestured to an open spot on the couch.

Ace didn’t sit at first, too shocked by her words, “I - you don’t have to do that Ma’am”.

Mrs. Wilson laughed, her whole body shaking from it. “I won’t. I don’t think you could handle that.” She gestured at the items laid out across the coffee table, “I have some food cooking in the oven but I wanted to show you some of Stan’s most prized possessions”.

Ace sat down and mustered a “hello” to the three young men sitting across from him. The living room had been rearranged with everything in new spots. His mouth watered at the smell coming from the kitchen. The scene reminded Ace that It had been a while since he had sat down to enjoy a meal like this. Carefree and with family. He shoved the thought away as Alina took a seat on the couch next to one of the young men and placed an arm around him, glancing quickly at Ace.

Mrs.Wilson placed a picture album down on the coffee table. She smiled at one of the young men when he stood up to help her organize the table, then her eyes landed on Ace and flickered between him and the three young men. "I don't think you’ve been introduced before. These three fine young men are my grandsons,” she pointed them out as she introduced them, “Andrew and Ivan are Alina’s sons. Tommy is Jimmy’s son. If I remember correctly, Ivan and Andrew were here the last time when you were. But you weren’t introduced.”

Ace nodded at them. Andrew and Ivan managed a smile in return but Tommy stared at him with the same guarded face his dad had the day he swung on Ace. Tommy, like his dad had the same eyes as Mr. Wilson but less cheerful. Ace looked at his lap to break the awkward eye contact. I look like my Papa too. I hope I haven’t copied any of his mannerisms. It’s been a while since I lived with him. I’d much rather prefer to be like Maman. She’s more relaxing and kind to be around. Ace balled his fists into his pants. He already regretted coming. 

Light from the lamps reflected off something on the table, making Ace look up. It was a vinyl record player. He recognized one of the names on the vinyls from the few he could see like Johnny Cash, but he didn’t recognize Otis Redding or Billy Joel. Bruce Springsteen felt familiar but he couldn’t place where. His parents didn’t let him listen to a lot of different music growing up. Unless it was Christian, classical German or French or some pop German or French singers. Music wasn’t something he was heavily interested in.

Next to the vinyls were a bunch of baseball cards in protective plastic covers and beer cans. One of the cans was in a case, covered in dust, Ace could see an inscription on it, “Never Forget”. His question was answered when Jimmy spoke up, “Yankees lost the world series that year. November fourth, 2001. After the towers fell. Dad kept a hold of it to remember why our boys fight in the Middle East now, he said. Lots of people complain about our involvement over there.”

Ace looked up and wracked his brain for an acceptable answer but all he could do was nod. 

“Jimmy served too”, Mrs. Wilson sat next to Ace, placing down a photo of two men in military uniforms. 

One was noticeably older, the other was less faded and he could recognize Jimmy in the younger one so he assumed the faded one was a younger Mr. Wilson. 

Ace looked at Jimmy, “thank you for your service.”

Now it made more sense why his face hurt like hell during their scuffle. 

Jimmy made a noise of acknowledgment.

“Did your father serve?”Mrs. Wilson poured Ace something into a cup and placed it in front of him.

He thanked her. “My father is not from the United States.”

“Oh! Where is he from?”.

Ace opened his mouth to answer and then stopped, remembering the history of his father’s country and the United States. He swallowed, “Germany.”

The silence in the room stretched for a while before Andrew attempted a joke, “history doesn’t really do you guys justice. It’s good we’re on the same team now.”

Ace made sure to keep his hands from fidgeting and nodded again. 

Tommy looked at his dad, “yeah, now.”

Ivan and Andrew laughed before trying to stifle it when their grandmother looked at them,“That war was madness. All of them are. Men filled with egos and evil handing out orders to young men filled with hate going everywhere and nowhere. Your grandfather went to serve because he thought it was his duty to this country and he wanted to provide money for his family but he hated war”.

Andrew and Ivan hung their heads. 

Mrs. Wilson put on a smile as she directed her attention back to Ace. “What about your mother? Is she from Germany as well?”.

Ace averted his eyes, “she is from France”.

Mrs. Wilson placed a hand on her chest, “The country of love!”.

Was it love that pushed Maman and Papa together? Did he even love her if he allowed her to be taken away and put in that place? Without even a fight? Ace smiled, despite his thoughts. 

There was a knock at the door. Jimmy went over to get it. Ace picked up the cup Mrs. Wilson had poured to distract himself from the small talk going on. It was tea. Tea Ace wasn’t used to but it was still good tea. Allie and her mom were at the door, Allie came into the room, holding a princess teddy bear.

Is that the one Mr. Wilson was talking about? Ace’s hands tightened around the cup handle, eyeing the bear in her arms.

Allie said “hi” to her family but the second her eyes landed on Ace she made a beeline for him and held out the teddy bear in her arms. 

“For you”, she stared at the bear in her arms instead of looking at Ace. 

He placed the tea on the table and gently held out his arms, “thank you Allie”. She has her mom’s eyes but Jensen’s hair and face. 

She rubbed her fingers together, keeping her eyes on the ground, "that’s for saving me. I named her Princess Blue. I have her sister Princess Pink”.

Ace felt his eyes water but he blinked them away, “thank you very much. I’ll take good care of her.” Merde, this isn’t the one I’m supposed to be looking for! I still have to find it. 

Allie finally looked up at him, a smile across her face. 

Ace quickly looked at Jimmy. Making sure the man wouldn’t get the wrong idea but he got an eye roll.  He looked at Mrs. Wilson for reassurance and found her eyes already on him. She had been stealing looks at him since he had arrived as if still trying to figure him out. But now, acceptance was written all over her. His eyes flashed back to Allie. Is it because I helped Mr Wilson and Allie? I’m not a good guy, not like she thinks. I’m nothing like Mr. Wilson- 

Alina stood up and shoved down Ivan’s head playfully, finally cracking a smile. “Lets eat Ma. Our guests of honor are here.” She picked up Allie and hugged her close, whispering something to her. 

It didn’t take long for Mrs. Wilson to set the table with the help of her family. Ace was forced to sit and watch after she had given him the family picture book to look through and told him not to move until he picked which one was his favorite picture. It took a few minutes but he called out to her when one stood out the most.

“Ma’am”, he kept his finger on the one. 

She walked over and laughed. “I bought that ole stubborn mule some cufflinks when we had made good money after he signed up for the military. I had just gotten a job as a telephone operator while he was deployed. He had sold the ones passed down to him from his Pa and his Pa’s Pa when we were struggling. It brought them luck, their wives said. I begged him not to. But… he said ‘what good is a good luck charm when my family is going hungry right now’.” she smiled sadly, “that was the good man that he was.”

 Jimmy placed a beer in front of Ace, interrupting the moment before it could drag on. Ace stared at him, mouth open.

Jimmy patted his mom’s back. “Just drink it.” He didn’t look in Ace’s direction. 

Mrs. Wilson smiled at the interaction, wiping her eyes. 

A little while into dinner, Ace spilled some beer over his lap, trying to chug it like Jimmy.

He let out an unmanly yell at the wet sensation soaking his pants and tried to dab at it with a napkin. Laughter filled the air. 

“There’s a bathroom down the hall Ace”, Alina offered. 

He thanked her and got up taking some offered paper towels. In the hall, there was a door slightly ajar with pink walls and princess dolls inside. Allie’s room. He stopped and looked in the open door. A promise is a promise. He won’t let Allie get a chance to eat drugs. A quick glance to make sure the kitchen was out of sight and he pushed the door further open slowly. His heart skipped a beat. I shouldn’t be doing this. If I get caught Jimmy might actually kill me. And Mrs. Wilson might let him. 

Luckily for him the teddy bear was in sight on the bed. He snatched it up and flipped it over looking for anywhere you could put something inside. His eyes darted back to the door. I have to be faster! He nearly gave up hope before he lifted the dress on it and found a zipper on the stomach. There was a bag of things inside. A powder, pills and something that looked like crystals. He pocketed them and fixed the bear so it looked the same and placed it back down. 

As soon as he was in the safety of the bathroom with the door closed he let out a breath, his shoulder relaxing. He took a few more calming breaths. The water helped clean the mess but not in a meaningful way.

“I’ll have to call Margaux”, he sighed, “hopefully Papa doesn’t find out about this”.

He splashed some water onto his face. Would he be upset? What would he be upset about? … I’m sure he would find something.

He nearly ran into a chest as soon as he opened the door, too deep in thought. 

“Sorry, uh”, he looked up and froze. 

It was Jimmy. 

Jimmy looked Ace in the eyes, “I just wanted to talk man to man”.

Ace looked down the hall toward the kitchen, “oh. Um.”

Jimmy held out an arm to stop him from running away. “I’m sorry about before… when I attacked you. I was on edge. With …everything. You really helped me, protecting my niece from Jensen and from seeing my dad like that”, Jimmy cleared his throat, “I was only trying to protect her when I saw her talking to a guy I didn’t recognize but I shouldn’t have punched first. … I guess we have that in common. Acting without thinking.”

Ace blinked. Jimmy seemed genuine. “Yeah. … We do.” He held out his hand. 

Jimmy looked down at it. Then up at Ace. And for the first time he smiled at Ace, and shook the offered hand. 

Everyone was watching them closely when they came back but said nothing. Dinner passed by more easily after that. No more second guessing looks or trying to overanalyze if words had hidden meanings. After Ace left, he felt more at peace. Content with the progress he made. 

Now I can talk to them if Mr. Wilson needs me to tell them something. It won’t be awkward. And Allie isn’t in danger of eating that stuff. And Jensen won’t get his hands on it. He stopped in the middle of the hallway. Jensen won’t get his hands on it but I still have to find him and stop him from doing anything else. If he can hurt his family, there’s no telling what he’ll do if the police try to arrest him.

Something moved in Ace’s peripheral. He immediately balled his fists and took a step back. It was the same thing that had been in his hospital room. The same thing that was following Jensen. 

Ace cursed under his breath. “What do you want?”  Wait. I shouldn’t talk to that thing. I don’t know what in God’s name it is.

But it did not respond to his words, it only turned its head to Ace’s door and then looked back at Ace before turning and almost gliding away. Ace watched it leave, not daring to move an inch until it was out of sight. Then he looked around, checking if anyone had seen him. The apartment complex was seemingly devoid of any life. Ace entered his apartment and called out for Mr. Wilson placing down the containers he got from Mrs. Wilson but no response came. He searched the entire place but there was no sight of the old man. 

“Did he leave back to his place after I left?”, he looked at the wall that was in the direction of their apartment as if the old man would materialize through it. 

Then Ace remembered the thing that was waiting for him in the hall and looked  to his door. “Did that thing do something to him!?”.