Page 100 of The Saint

So instead, I said, “I’m sorry.”

Mom was on her feet and coming toward me before the words were out of my mouth, and Dad was quick to follow. Both embraced me, hugging me so tight it felt like they were squeezing my organs so hard they were clogging my throat.

“I’m sorry,” I told them again. “This was exactly what I told you I wouldn’t do anymore. And I did. I kept her a secret. I should have come to you. I should have told you about her. We could have found her earlier. We could have—”

“Rolly.” Mom’s hands gripped my cheeks, and she pulled my face down so I was forced to look straight at her. “We are so proud of you.”

My head jerked back, and her hands fell away. “What are you talking about?”

She shook her head, giving me the saddest smile I’d ever seen.

“We’re proud of you, son,” Dad told me, gripping my shoulder. “Befriending this woman, taking care of her the way you did. You’ve definitely got your mother’s big heart.”

“Why don’t we have a seat?” Zio stood off to the side, close to the chairs Mom and Dad had vacated moments before. Mom tugged me along, directing me into the chair next to hers.

“You’re right when you say you should have come to us earlier,” Zio said before taking a sip from his coffee cup. “We had this discussion almost a month ago.”

“I know, I—”

Zio held up his hand. “We understand how difficult this is for you, to share these parts of your life that you’ve always felt the need to keep secret. And I want you to know, we are not angry with you.”

“You’re not?”

He shook his head. “We are here to support you, the way any good family would. We want you to feel comfortable coming to us with anything. Whether it be the love of your life or a friend in need.”

My chest swelled, and I was out of my chair, taking a single, long step toward my uncle. I bent to hug him but was too overwhelmed to say a word.

But my uncle, he seemed to understand. He patted me on the back as I held on to him, never pulling away, never rushing to get on with his busy life. When I finally released him and sat back down, I couldn’t even bring myself to look at him or either of my parents. Mom gripped my hand while Dad put his arm around my shoulder and tugged me close.

“Just to be sure, you don’t have any other old ladies out there that you’re taking care of, do you?”

Laughter shot from my chest. “No. No, it was only Mrs. T. And Tyler and Penny.”

“Speaking of Penny.” I lifted my gaze from the floor to my uncle, waiting as he sipped from his cup. “I spoke with her down in the cafeteria a little bit ago. She said she’s had troubles with her grandmother walking away from home the past couple years.”

Nodding, I said, “Yes. She can’t afford full-time care, and some of the people she’s hired to look after her don’t stay with her like they’re supposed to.”

“And you’ve been giving her money?”

My teeth clamped down on my lip as my eyes squeezed closed. “Yes,” I finally said, and it came out just a whisper. “I’ve been trying to help them for years. Them and a lot of the other people in our buildings. They don’t have much, Zio. I’ve been… I’ve been putting money in envelopes and having one of the boys in the building deliver it to those who need a little extra help.”

“Yes, Jael told me all of that. Or, at least as much as she had figured out.”

I cringed, my shoulders lifting. “You talked with Jael?” Zio’s brow raised, and I swallowed hard. “Does Penny know?”

“No. Lev helped keep her occupied while Jael and I spoke. But Penny does know about something else.” Zio paused, and I forced myself to look up at him. “She agrees Mrs. T needs more help.”

“I’ll try harder!”

“More than she or you can provide.”

My chest grew tight and I flinched when Mom squeezed my hand.

“I’ve offered my assistance,” Zio said quietly. Gently. The way you wouldn’t expect a man as hard and as dangerous as him to speak. “There’s a home, not far from here, that specializes in caring for those with dementia.”

“Green Rivers?” Zio nodded, but I shook my head. “She can’t afford that. We’ve looked into it before.”

My uncle raised his brow, otherwise ignoring me completely. He lifted a finger to his ear. “We’ve secured her a room. One near the courtyard, where she can go outside and enjoy the weather when it’s warm, or she can watch the people and the birds through her window. She’ll be given the care she needs, but you and Penny and Tyler will still be able to visit whenever you want.”