Chapter 21 - Felix lives with me
Felix hated my house after three days.
Not because it was scary.
Because security was annoying.
“Why does Mateo know when I leave?”
“Because it’s his job.”
“I hate it.”
“Reasonable.”
Then school.
He stayed in his school.
Driver.
No transfer.
No Ravelle academy fantasy.
Homework.
Sports.
Primrose followed him everywhere.
He complained.
Then looked for her when she stopped.
Normal.
One night:
“Uncle Benedict.”
“Yes?”
“Are you really Mafia?”
I nearly choked on coffee.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Everywhere.”
Good point.
“What do you think mafia means?”
“People who hurt people for money.”
There.
Children simplify what adults spend careers obscuring.
I answered:
“I have done business with dangerous people. I have made choices I’m not proud of. I’m not discussing adult investigations with you.”
“That sounds like yes.”
“It sounds like bedtime.”
He rolled his eyes.
Then:
“Did Mom do fake paper because you’re scary?”
I thought about her testimony.
“Fear may be one reason she told herself it was necessary.”
“Did you scare her?”
“Sometimes without meaning to.”
“That sounds fake.”
He was right.
Sometimes I meant to.
I corrected:
“Sometimes I wanted people afraid of me.”
He stared.
“Why?”
“Because fear gets compliance quickly.”
“Did it work?”
“Yes.”
“Then why stop?”
I looked toward Primrose’s room.
“Because it teaches everyone around you to hide things until they become disasters.”
Felix thought.
“Like Mom?”
“Yes.”
That answer hurt.
Then he asked:
“Are you going to stop being scary?”
“No.”
Honest.
“But I can be more careful about who pays for it.”
May you like
Not perfect.
But true.
