Will’s mother hadn’t suffered for over a year like Sue had. Will’s mother had gone quickly. Less than a month had passed between his mother’s diagnosis and the funeral.
He didn’t often think about the way he’d lost her. He liked to remember her as the woman who ran Flip. As the famous coach who took her athletes to the Olympics. Not the thin, gray woman he visited in the hospital. But that didn’t mean he’d forgotten.
He walked into the kitchen and flicked on another light. Two bowls with the remnants of cereal sat in the sink, and a whiteboard with names and phone numbers hung on the wall. Time for a chat with Aly.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and said a little prayer for patience, then he dialed the number and brought his phone to his ear.
“Hello?” The voice on the other end of the line was small. The woman didn’t sound much older than Andy.
“Is this Aly Gomez?” Will asked. He balanced the phone between his shoulder and his ear as he washed the few dishes in the sink. If he had it his way, no one would be here tonight. Dishes shouldn’t rot in the sink.
“Yes,” she replied. “Who is this?”
“Will Evans. Andy’s coach,” he said tightly.
“Oh. Oh—uh, hold on one second.” She stumbled through the statement.
His annoyance grew at the commotion of voices and noise in the background. Where was she? She should have been helping her brother, but from the sounds of things, she was out with a group of people.
“Sorry,” she said when she finally came back on the line.
He sighed, at a loss for words.
“I just—had to pause taping—sorry.” She stammered again, as if talking to him was a difficult task.
“Taping?” he asked.
“My show?” She said it like a question.
Ah. He’d heard she was an actress or something. The mothers commented from time to time about how she should spend less time in the spotlight and more time taking care of her brother. Sounded like they were right.
“I’m calling about your brother.”
“I assumed.” She sighed. “I think we met at the funeral, but it’s all a blur. Did he do something wrong?”
Will paused, his brow furrowed. Why would she immediately think Andy was in trouble?
“Usually, it’s the school or the nanny who calls. But since the nanny quit and he’s staying with the Demodas—”
“The Demodas?” Will cut her off, wiping his hands dry on his pants before turning away from the sink and grabbing the phone before it slipped from his shoulder. “Andy told you he’s been staying with the Demodas?”
Acid churned in his gut.
“I know it’s odd to let my brother stay with friends as often as he does, but I looked into the Demodas. I’ve met them plenty of times, and the way these babysitters keep leaving with no notice—”
“Andy told you he’s been staying with mysister,andshe wouldn’t drive him to swim practice?”He ground his molars to keep himself from going off.
“W-well, uh.” There was a pause, and she sniffed. “I thought—I mean—it wasniceof them to have him. I get that five a.m. is early.”
“We’re going to start this conversation again,” Will said through gritted teeth. “I’m going to talk, and you’re going to fucking listen.”
“O-o-okay,” she stuttered.
Will took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. “Andy has been staying home alone. Every single freaking time a nanny quit.Your eleven-year-old brother has been home alone in his house, figuring everything out himself.” Will paced to the end of the room, then turned. “He has not once stayed with a friend.Especially my sister, who would have driven him to the moon at any ungodly hour if that was what he needed.” He practically growled the last part.
“What? Alone?” It was barely a whisper.
“Yes. Home alone,” Will confirmed.