“Thanks, Nay-nay for the six months.” I pause and my mouth drops open as the next donation comes in.
“Are you kidding me?” I breathe. “Holy shit, bro. I don’t know who you are, Doll Collector, but thanks for the hundred thousand gifted subs.”
Nyla goes completely silent. All I hear is her breathing in my ear and it sounds more like panting. Suddenly my chat is flooded as if someone has started a raid. Everyone’s typing in Judge Sin.
I assume whoever this Doll Collector is, they’re the one who sent this raid and the donation was meant to get Ny’s attention as well. This person has to know we share everything and that what happens for my channel happens for my sister’s and makes her happy that I’m happy.
I pause the game. “Guys, I need a bathroom break. Give me a bit.”
I get up and go down the hall to where Nyla is set up in her room. When I open the door, she startles and drops her phone. Her face is drained of color.
“Hey, you know who this Doll Collector is?”
She only nods as she licks her lips. She shrugs and gives a sheepish smile.
“I guess someone has a little more swag than Jacob. This was his way of calling me. You might want to step up the guys you’re dating,” she teases.
“Don’t try to distract me. Who is he?”
“Avatar and Goliath are asking to play a thousand-dollar wager. You down?”
“Some guy just dropped two thousand dollars’ worth of donated subscriptions to my channel, not yours and you just want to gloss over it? Did you not see all the people who just raided the chat as well? Some guy knows the way to your heart is through your sister and in order to know that he has to know you.”
“Drop it, Liz.”
“Ny,” I growl.
“Let it go. Let’s get this money, sis.”
Something in my head clicks into place. “Oh my God, Doll Collector,” I gasp, putting the pieces together.
“Liz,” Ny warns.
“I’m going to slowly back out of this room because I know you’re not that crazy. There’s no way you’re that crazy.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it,” she says with a trembling grin.
“How do you even know him? You barely spoke when you guys met?”
“I’ve known him for much longer than you know. I knew him before that day. Before you did.”
It all clicks into place. Dad said my assignment was meant to be hers and she redirected it to me.
“Wow,” I breathe.
“Can we drop it?”
“You’re not happy, though, are you?” I inch back toward her.
She shakes her head. “Don’t…let’s get our heads in the game. Having this business and the gaming will allow me to come home. It’s my ace to keeping myself in all of this.”
I bite my lip against all the questions I have. I’m stunned, but my sister is a grown woman. She can handle herself. I have my own life to figure out.
Chapter 9
From The Heart
Lizzy
“Thank you.” The small child with the huge grin on his face says as I place mashed potatoes on his plate.
“You’re welcome.”
I might not like being around people, but I love to give back. I want to see people happy. I was honored when Dante asked me to help out for the annual Thanksgiving turkey drive they put on for the less fortunate.
It’s an all-day affair at one of the larger restaurants here in the city. The Di Lorenzo’s have several New Jersey–based locations.
This one has been closed for the day just for this event. First thing in the morning, Dante’s wealthy friends and connections came in to donate turkeys and money. This year there has even been a toy drive to gear up for the Christmas party Dante has planned for the kids at the children’s hospital.
From afternoon to evening, we’ve given away turkeys and served hot meals. The fixings all come from the Di Lorenzo restaurants around the city.
The little boy looks up at his tired-looking mother and gives her a heart-melting smile. “See, Mama? I’m going to eat, and you can rest. Everything is going to be fine.”
She squeezes his shoulders and returns his smile, but not without sadness in her eyes. I place a good helping of mash on another plate and a big piece of chicken and greens before handing it over to the mother.
“Eat up. If you want, he’s welcome to come play with me and some of the kids in the tent out back. There’s a magic show happening in about twenty minutes,” I say with a warm smile.
“Thank you.”
“No problem. We’re happy to help in any way we can,” Nyla says beside me.
She, Aunt Jada, and Dad volunteered to help. It feels good to have my family here with me. I peek down the table to see Gio, Dante, and Dario horsing around. When I don’t see Carleen, I turn to find her biting her thumbnail as she stares at Dario. She’s sitting on a crate in the corner, off to herself.