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“Yes,” Dad says, smiling at Mum. “But we’d like to know if we can stay with you for a while, to give us time to find a place we can buy that’s close to you.”
My grin is immediate, and so is my excitement. “Dad, you and Mum can stay here as long as you need to, but you know the process can take quite a bit of time, yeah? And it’s not like you don’t have family in New Zealand.” My parents both come from large families, and though my grandparents are all deceased, Mum and Dad have siblings who are very much alive with families of their own.
Mum and Dad share another look, and then Dad says, “We already reached out to an immigration lawyer, months ago actually. And just about everything is done. We just wanted to talk to you in person before we finalized everything.”
“Dad, you know you and Mum are welcome here anytime, there’s plenty of space for all of us, and we’d love it if you were closer.”
“Yay!” Aroha yells, jumping up and down in her seat. “You’re going to live here?”
Mum cups her face, and smiles. “Yes, puawai. Koroua and I are going to live here, just until we find a house of our own.”
“So I get to see you every day?”
“Every.Day,” Mum says.
I’m watching my family celebrate when I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I don’t usually keep it on me when we’re having dinner, but because I’ve been working half-days while Mum and Dad visit, I’ve made myself available for emergencies. Taking my phone out, I frown when I see it’s an unknown number.
“This is Mika.”
The background noise is ear-piercing, so I put the phone on speaker. “Hello?”
Some rustling, some sniffling, and then, “Mika, it’s Zach.”
My brows furrow when I hear the tremor in his voice, and quickly conclude that the sniffles, and the whimpering in the background are Nelly and Holly-Anna. “Zach, is everything okay?”
“No,” he whispers something to his sisters, “I can’t get ahold of my mom or Aunt Amelia, and I didn’t know who else to call. We’re not okay where we are.”
“You did the right thing, Zach.” I’m already standing up. “Can you tell me where you are?”
“We were supposed to be spending the weekend with our asshole of a father, but we’re at one of his friend’s house, and Dad and Crissy have disappeared. The, uh, other adults here are, um, doing things, Mika.”
I give Dad a look, and he stands — he knows what I mean. “Okay, I need you to send me your location, Zach, pin it. Is there a safe place you can hide until I get there?”
“You’re coming to get us?” The kid sounds so damn surprised, and it makes me wonder, not for the first time, what type of presence his father has in their lives, and if he’s a good parent or not. Dion certainly doesn’t speak highly of him.
“Yes, Zach. But until then, I need you to keep yourself and your sisters safe, okay? I’ll let you know when we get there.”
“O-okay, thanks Mika.”
“Hang tight, yeah? And remember what we spoke about when I told you about Lola? I need to be that brave man again, okay?” I’m walking through my house, and grabbing my keys, my father behind me.
“Yes, I remember.” I hear the moment his voice changes. “Are you going to call my mom?”
I’m about to answer him when Ny rushes in holding her phone. One look at it, and I shake my head. Dion still looks drunk off her ass, and quite honestly, I’m livid that her son was unable to reach her when he needed to. “No,” I reply, snatching my gaze from Ny’s screen. “I’m leaving now.”
I only have to wait five minutes for Zach to pin me his location — Nine on Hudson. It’s in the city. Sort of. Dad climbs in the passenger side of my truck without question, and given his size, and maintained state of fitness, he’s still as big as I am. Which makes for good back-up when you’re going into a situation blind. Zach wouldn’t have called me if he wasn’t scared.
“Any idea what we’re walking into?” Dad asks.
“Not a clue, but Zach can’t reach Dion, and he wouldn’t have called me unless he needed help.”
When Dad doesn’t respond, I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. We have about forty minutes before we get to our destination. “You think I should call Dion?”
He turns his gaze to me, and replies, “I think you’re in way deeper with this woman than you’re allowing yourself to admit.”
“Honestly, Dad, I have no idea what I’m doing with her anymore. It started as one thing, and became something else, and I don’t know that she reciprocates my feelings. If I were to want more, and be serious with someone, it would be with her, but she hasn’t said or done anything to prove, or indicate, that she might feel the same. I’m still deciding whether or not I want to take the risk.”
“You already are, Mikere. You won’t be on your way to help her kids if you weren’t already taking the plunge.”
“Maybe, Dad. But right now, all I care about is getting to Zach, and his sisters. I’ll deal with Dion after that.”
It’s a wordless drive after that, and fortunately, I have a friend or two in the Nine on Hudson building, so I’m familiar with it. Shooting Zach a text, I let him know I’m here, and he tells me which apartment they’re in. Though the term apartment is inappropriate for the luxurious homes in this fancy-ass building. On the fifth floor, I knock on the door allocated to the apartment number Zach sent and grow more and more agitated when there’s no response. I’m not even sure why I expect one when the music is blaring so loud, the door thumps with the bass. Out of patience, I step back, and kick the door in with my foot, and walk into the sound of screams and screeches. And a whole lot of people in different stages of undress.
“What the…” Dad mumbles beside me.
