Chapter Text
TK Strand checks the address above the small stairs of the house, confirming that the numbers written in his mother’s handwriting in smudged ink in his notes are the same as the ones on the roof.
Number 540, on Lynwood Avenue. The same.
Some of the wood panels on the exterior walls have fallen off, and there are certain spots on the steps that are no longer there. TK closes his eyes, his mind racing with thoughts, primarily questions on if he made a wise decision on coming here today.
He takes a breath before he shuts the driver's side door of his car, taking the short walk to open the backside. The gravel beneath his feet crunches as his younger brother, Jonah, beams at him from inside.
His carseat is brown and green with a polka dot pattern. His mothers favorite colors. It’s tacky, but TK can’t find it in himself to replace it. Not until the boy inevitably grows out of it, which will be soon given his recent growth spurt.
TK unbuckles the straps against his brother’s chest and waist before he picks him up, offering the best smile that he can give the boy. “Should we take a look inside before we unload?”
“Yes!” The boy shouts happily, clapping his tiny hands together. The sound rings in TK ears before he swallows and sets Jonah down, not letting him far out of his reach. Before he locks the car, he grabs his camera from the trunk.
He doesn’t have much to protect it from getting ruined other than a worn out blanket, but he feels at peace when he sees no damage has been inflicted on the fragile object.
In one hand, his brother interlocks their fingers, in the other, he snaps a picture of the gated entrance.
There is an uneasy feeling in his chest, but he finds that that has been his new normal ever since he got the news six months ago. The news that his parents had died not too far from this place, and had laid in a ditch before a commuter found them and called the local police department.
“Hurry up, TK!” The five-year-old beside him shouts, his impatience clear. He tugs on TK’s hand for emphasis, and TK chuckles lightly before he moves his feet, opening the gate for Jonah. The boy lets go, running up the steps.
TK takes a quick photo of the front yard, turning just before he makes it to the house. He doesn’t want to step any further, aware that once he does, it solidifies the fact that this empty house will be his and his younger brother's future.
“Okay, I’m coming,” he moves further, finally standing beside Jonah on the porch. The key sits in the back pocket of his black jeans, the brass cold between his fingertips. At first, the key gets jammed in the handle, but when he twists it just right, it slips out with ease.
“Can I go in?” Jonah asks, eyes wide as he bounces on the heels of his feet. TK looks inside, at just the entryway, biting his lip. He nods, “go ahead.”
The foyer is empty, but as you look further to the right, there is a singular dark red sofa, and to the left, a dining table with three chairs. He had assumed that the place would be empty, but then again, he knew nothing of this place before moving.
“Awesome!” Jonah squeals as he points to the fireplace, grinning from ear to ear. They have never had a fireplace before. “Woah, that is so cool, Jojo,” he gently kisses the boy's head, carding his fingers through his hair before he turns for the kitchen.
The counters are a reddish brown, with what are supposed to be white marble countertops, but are covered in dust that turns them gray. He tries to imagine a slow morning here, making breakfast for Jonah as he sits at the island, but he comes up with nothing.
The cabinets are glass, and he can see a couple of mugs left inside. Movement sounds behind him, and he can see Jonah run just around the corner before he is no longer in eyesight.
TK raises his camera, snapping a quick shot before he turns back around and follows where the boy in the red sweater ran to, finding him looking up at the staircase leading to the dark halls of the second floor.
He is used to stairs, having lived in apartments his whole life, but he’s never had stairs in his actual home before. It’s a weird thought, one that Jonah seems to share. “Let’s go up! Can we go up, please?”
TK smiles, a task that’s harder than it should be when the child in front of him is so happy. “Yeah, let's go find your room.”
The boy takes off running, almost tripping as he rushes to the top. The third step creaks underneath TK’s weight, and he tries to imagine Jonah as a teenager, trying to sneak out and the specific stair exposing him, leading to a night of long talks and tearful hugs.
He falls short.
“Careful, buddy.” TK voices, hurrying to catch up with the little rascal. “I want to see my room! Is my race car bed there?” TK can practically hear the grin on the young boy’s face, and as he turns the corner, he finds that he is correct.
“Not yet. Remember how the moving truck has all of our stuff?” Jonah sighs, nodding his head. He does his best to be patient, and for being just five-years-old, TK believes he does a pretty fine job at the task.
“There are three bedrooms,” TK mumbles underneath his breath, recalling how his mother couldn’t stop talking about her plans for the rooms. A beach theme, for one. A woodsy theme for the other, and an office space with yellow floral wallpaper.
They find the master bedroom with not much trouble, the room having a closet and a bathroom attached. There is a feeling of loneliness that passes through him, to know that this was intended for a happy couple, and will be left to one man who will probably die alone.
“This is where my brother sleeps?” Jonah asks, talking about TK as if he isn’t right there. With his eyes wide, Jonah walks further into the room. The door whines as he pushes it open, the sound ringing in both of their ears. “Starting tonight, yeah.”
Jonah furrows his brows, “where do I sleep?” TK chuckles, rolling his eyes playfully before lifting the boy into his arms and carrying him down the hall. He pushes the door open with his foot, his hands occupied with the weight of his brother.
“If I remember correctly, this is the other room.” He remembers his dad couldn’t stop talking about the huge window on the back wall, how he daydreamed about putting a bed opposite it, to have somebody wake up from the sunrise.
Jonah squeals excitedly, fidgeting in the arms of TK before the older man decides to let him go. “I can’t believe it! It’s so big!” He runs around in a circle, almost running into the wall but managing to avoid it by a couple inches.
“You’re happy?” TK asks, arms crossed as he leans against the doorway, managing a somewhat real smile. Jonah halts, his long hair wild from the activity, and grins. “So happy!”
“These are blow up mattresses. We have to sleep on these until the truck brings our beds,” TK explains as he places the tiny one into his brother's hold, the boy almost falling over from how heavy it is for him.
Jonah goes to respond, but gets distracted by something behind TK. The older man furrows his brows, turning his body and subconsciously stepping closer to his brother. It’s a man, on a rocking chair, sitting on a porch connected to the house across from theirs.
He hadn’t noticed him before. He puts the mattresses back, taking his brother’s hand. “Let’s go say hello,” TK whispers, looking for his brother’s reaction, but receiving just a nod in response.
The distance isn’t too far. Just enough to give them privacy, but not too much where they have to awkwardly grin as they walk closer. Jonah raises his hand and waves as they reach the front step, excitedly jumping up to the next one.
“Hi, sir. We just moved in across the street,” he jerks his thumb behind himself unnecessarily. He finds himself feeling nervous under the man's gaze. The stranger, his neighbor, eyeballs the both of them, his hand shaking as he slides his glasses off his face.
“I see that.” The man mutters, seemingly annoyed by the presence of these boys. TK swallows. This isn’t exactly how he planned for this to go. Until, the front door opens and a woman steps out, wearing a striped green dress and an apron.
“Oh! Hi there,” she grins, a slight southern accent making her words sound softer. “Hello, ma’am. We were just introducing ourselves. We are your new neighbors, from across the street.”
Jonah’s palm stays locked in his, TK’s a little sweaty. “How lovely! What are your names?”
“I’m TK, and this little guy is Jonah.” For a moment, TK looks down at his brother and feels calm, like maybe this place won’t be all that bad. That is until the man speaks up again.
“Tee-Kay?”
His words are laced with judgement, TK can feel a knot forming in his chest before the woman swats at her husband. “Excuse him. He never leaves this porch,” she rolls her eyes, “my name is Theresa, and this here is Stu.”
“Mr. Blake.” He says sharply, like he is spitting at the two of them. Theresa ignores him, looking down at the five-year-old beside TK. “Is this your son? You look too young to be somebody's daddy.” She winks, giggling when Mr. Blake grunts beside her.
“Brother!” Jonah announces, pointing to TK with a tiny finger. Theresa nods her head knowingly, her red lipstick shifting as she smiles. “You don’t got any parents?” The man asks sharply, eyebrows furrowed. TK swallows again, his legs almost giving out from underneath him.
“No, they passed a few months ago. It was unexpected.” Mr. Blake seems to feel an ounce of sympathy, and guilt for what he had said, before his face contorts to the same gray look as before.
“Oh, dear. That is just awful. Well, if you ever need anything, you just come right on next door. I always have tea and cookies prepared,” Theresa winks again, like it’s a new thing she taught herself how to do and now she can’t stop.
The older woman blinks, giving the two of them a look before her mouth opens. “Were your parents that lovely couple who I saw around here? I never met the husband. The wife was pleasant, though. Greta? Genevive?”
She looks to her husband for help with the name, but TK beats him to it. “Gwyn. My mom’s name was Gwyn.” He doesn’t say her name as often as he should.
“Yes, that was it! Beautiful girl, she had so many plans for that house. Told me she was an interior designer?” TK nods his head.
“That’s how she and my dad met. He is– was, a carpenter. Some of her dreams might be too far out of reach, but Jonah and I want to try and make them a reality. For her.”
“For mama!” Jonah shouts with a bright smile, his hair swaying with the action. “Don’t cause too much ruckus, or I will report you to the sheriff.” Mr. Blake says, not looking any of them in the eye.
“The sheriff?” Jonah asks nervously, his grip on TK’s hand slowly getting tighter. Theresa scoffs, “don’t worry, he is all bark and no bite.”
Mr. Blake glares at his wife and mutters something under his breath before shakily standing up and disappearing inside the home. She looks back at him as he walks away, frowning. “Well, I won’t keep you. Please, come over whenever you’d like.”
TK nods, thanking her for being so welcoming. Her new smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes, but before TK can ask if she is okay, she enters the house and closes the door.
“Can we go home?” Jonah asks, his voice quieter than usual. “Sure, buddy.” TK bends his knees and lifts his brother swiftly, crossing the street as the austin sun begins to set. It paints the sky in an orange glow, and he relaxes for just a moment.
“It’s full of air?” Jonah asks, his eyebrows furrowed as he tries to make sense of the blow up mattress on the floor. His entire life, he has always had a bed to lie down in at night, an air mattress was never a believable concept for him.
“Yeah, buddy. You just watched me blow it up.” TK reminds him as he finishes putting his fire truck sheets down on it, making it look somewhat comfortable for the kid. “That is so awesome!”
He mindlessly climbs onto the bed when his brother says so, fascinated with how squishy it is.
“I’m glad you think so. If you need anything, I will be right down the hall. Okay?” He receives a nod in response. TK sighs, kissing his head. He has a small bun in the back of his head to tie up his hair, but not too tight where it will give him a headache.
“Goodnight, Jojo.” As he stands up, he lingers for a moment. He watches as the boy twists onto his side, hugging the small stuffed bunny that had been placed there for him. TK bites his lip, flipping the light switch beside him, painting the room black.
A small night light sits in the plug next to his makeshift bed, illuminating his corner of the bedroom in yellow and green. TK cracks the door as he leaves, leaving it open enough so that Jonah can run to him if he gets scared.
His room is almost identical to Jonah’s. A twin size blow up mattress on the floor, but his sheets are a simple eggshell, making the room sadder than it already had been. The window on his main wall is smaller than Jonah’s, but since his bedroom is at the front of the home, there is more to see out of it.
He peeks out, squinting to try and get a better view. On the porch across from theirs, Mr. Blake sits, rocking in his chair. He seems to be zoned out, and TK swallows.
It feels almost stalkerish as he moves and grabs his camera off of the bed on the ground, but he can’t find it in himself to not snap a picture as he pulls back the curtain once more.
This time, Mr. Blake is looking directly at him, and TK can feel a shiver run down his spine as his camera makes an audible shutter sound. He quickly lets go of the cotton fabric, taking a breath as he faces his back toward the window.
He hopes Mr. Blake hadn’t actually seen him, and was just glancing in his direction. He lifts his wrist, his fathers watch telling him it’s almost eleven o’clock at night. He believes the old man should retire inside by now, go to sleep beside his wife, but instead, he remains on his porch.
TK shakes his head, placing his camera gently beside where he will sleep for the night, before attempting to get comfortable. He stares at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to take over his mind and body.
It doesn’t.
The town looks utterly deserted as they stroll through, but when a young couple walks by, TK is reminded he and his brother are not alone. Jonah seems to be in his own little world, skipping as he holds TK’s hand.
When he made the decision to move them, he took into consideration that he would need to work, but wouldn’t know anybody in Austin that could babysit his brother. That was when he discovered the foxthorn daycare in a newspaper, a tiny section dedicated to their recent remodeling.
He doesn’t want to separate from the five-year-old by any means, but his parents' inheritance will only last them so long, and he can’t succumb his brother to a life of struggle.
They find the building pretty quickly. It looks like every other business around them, but this one has fun lettering on the window to let you know it’s a place suitable for children. A bell sounds as he pulls the door open for his brother, the little boy walking inside cautiously.
There is a woman at the front who smiles at them, but she looks confused. “Hello, how may I assist you this mornin’?”
He smiles back at her to be polite, taking Jonah’s hand once again as they walk closer. “Hi, I’m here to sign my brother up?” It comes out almost as a question, and he can feel his own eye twitch from his nerves.
She nods her head and seems to be waiting for something, before her smile grows wider.
“Would you like a tour, sir?” TK nods, his hands now sweaty. “Yes, please. I’m sorry, this is my first time doing anything like this.”
“Oh, don’t sweat it, honey. Follow me,” she nods her head in the direction of the back. TK bends down, picking his brother up swiftly before he slowly trails after her.
Her skirt flows as she picks up speed and opens a door, revealing the large fairytale themed room.
She shows them the bathroom that the children use, and some of the activities they do. There is a playground outside, as well. It’s not very big, but it does the trick. He only got a glimpse of the pricing listed on the wall, but he finds it makes sense. They really take care of this place.
He blinks, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, I never introduced myself. This is Jonah, and I’m TK.”
Grace mimics his motion, “I forgot as well. My name is Grace,” she does a small curtsy, and TK lets his own smile form on his face. After a few seconds, he clears his throat.
“Are you the only employee?” He tries to form it as simple curiosity, in hopes it doesn’t sound like an accusation. She shakes her head, her kind smile never leaving. “No, but I am the only one here right now. On Sundays, I allow my employees the day off.”
Forming a circle with his lips, he nods. “You’re the owner?”
“My family owns it, but when they retire, it will go to me. They let me make most of the decisions.” She snickers, her hands interlocked in front of her stomach. TK smiles back, “you’ve done a wonderful job. I’d be a fool to not want Jonah to attend.”
She tilts her head, “thank you, sir. I’m glad the tour could do it justice.”
There is a lull in the conversation, Grace looks like she is awaiting another question, so he swallows before asking. “What time does it open?”
“Eight in the morning. But kids are welcome at any time during the day. We close at six.” He nods. He’s sure he could find a job within those time constraints. He takes a breath, “okay, what next?”
“I’m going to give you enrollment papers, and you just have to fill them out. Honestly, of course.” She takes the lead, bringing them back to the front door. He stands in front of the desk, reading the welcome! scribbled onto it in a child’s handwriting.
She grabs a blue pen, filling out the form while TK stands, slowly swaying and rocking his brother. “What was your last name?”
“Strand.”
“Lovely,” she compliments, capping the pen after dragging it across the paper once more. “Here you are. Fill these out, and bring them to me whenever. Hopefully we’ll get this little guy in here soon, right?”
Jonah gives her a big thumbs up, and TK feels relieved at the sight of his enthusiasm.
“Thank you so much, Grace. Talk soon.” He sets Jonah down, the two boys waving at the women as they exit, only letting their hands fall when the glass door finally closes.
TK knows that trying to find a job while having a child with him is going to be difficult. He didn’t know that two different businesses would turn him down just because they saw Jonah standing at his feet.
His resume sits untouched in his backpack, sitting next to daycare enrollment papers. TK feels like a scared teenager roaming the halls of a crowded high school, yet there are still no people roaming these lonely streets.
He chews on his thumb as he looks around. He went into a bookstore just a moment ago where a young man under the name of Paul had regrettably told him that his uncle whom he works for wasn’t hiring right then, but recommended he try ‘the photo forge’ a couple of miles out of town.
TK is used to walking — being from new york and all — but he isn’t used to long walks. It’s further than he expected, and he ends up having to carry his brother on his back as they walk almost forty minutes.
When he finds the brick building, he almost turns back. It looks empty, the outside with overgrown vines covering the windows.
Jonah looks at him strangely, just as confused as his older brother. TK takes a centering breath before walking in, putting Jonah down onto the dark tile floors. There is nobody at the front desk, so he waits, bouncing on his heels while keeping Jonah close to his side.
“Nancy, I told you this already, you cannot bring Mateo here to make out with him in the storage closet!” A woman shouts, hidden behind a wall. “I know, I’m sorry. It’s our anniversary, he wanted to surprise me.”
The voice from before sighs, and after a moment of silence, speaks again. “It’s okay, just don’t let it happen again.”
TK stands up straighter as somebody turns the corner, finding him standing there awkwardly. She blinks, licking her lips before she smiles. “Hi, how may I help you? We don’t offer photoshoots, so don’t ask.”
Her finger is now raised and pointing in his direction, red fingernails against a blue pen. “I won’t, ma’am. I’m here looking for a job. I saw the hiring sign out front?” She raises an eyebrow, looking him up and down.
“Somebody recommended us?” He frowns, wondering how in the world she could have known that, before she answers his thoughts. “Nobody comes down this way without being told about us. Was it Sean’ nephew?”
She has some sort of accent, but TK can’t place it. He chuckles nervously, “you got me. The bookstore down the road said you were looking.”
His eyes find another girl, this one with darker hair, peeking from around the corner. They have matching buns to tie up their hair, TK notices. “Well, they were mistaken. Do you have anything to drop off or pick up?”
He swallows, “no ma’am.”
“Then you have no business being here. Bye bye, now.” He deflates, going to turn around before the other voice from earlier speaks up again. “Iris! We need the help, at least give him a shot.”
He looks between the two of them, feeling awkward as he holds his brother's hand. The older woman, who he learned is Iris, groans. She looks back at TK with what could be considered disgust.
“But look at him! He brought his son to apply for a job.” Iris gestures to the two standing in the lobby.
“He’s clearly not from around here.” The older woman adds, shaking her head.
“Maybe that’s good. Maybe he will be different from the others.” TK looks at her, silently thanking her with his eyes. Iris closes her own, looking as irritated as one could be. “Do you have any experience with processing photographic film?”
“Uh, sort of? Not much, though.” The younger woman gives him a look, a pleading one that implies he isn't helping his case. “But I love taking pictures. I’ve sold many photographs of my own, and I know I could figure it out if you helped me learn–.”
“Stop talking.” He closes his mouth, feeling like a child in kindergarten as the woman in uniform glares at him. “I’ll give you a trial run. You have one week to prove yourself to me, and if you do, you’re hired.” He can't help but smile, nodding his head quickly.
Jonah claps his hands together, figuring this is a moment of celebration.
“You can’t bring the kid to work, okay? There’s a daycare back in town that he can go to. And, no funny business with Nancy. She has a boyfriend. They’re committed to each other.” TK nods again, “you have nothing to worry about, ma’am. I already got the papers from the daycare, I just need to look over them.”
She sighs, looking back at Nancy, who looks like she just won an olympic competition. “You’re lucky you’re cute.” She pinches her cheek as if she is a child, but the girl looks at least twenty years old. Tall, too, he notices.
“Stop,” she whispers, dodging the other hand as it rises to mimic the other’s action. She smirks, kissing Nancy's head before she glances back at TK, momentarily sending the man to question what he is even doing here, before she rounds the corner and disappears.
Nancy looks at him before grinning, running over to the two of them and wrapping them both up in her arms. “Oh!” TK breathes, hesitating before letting his own arms wrap around her. “It’s been so long since she has hired anybody under the age of fifty.”
“What are your names?” She asks, fixing the shirt on the five-year-old that she had accidentally ruffled. “I’m Jonah!”
“TK.” He smiles, hoping it looks authentic. “I’m Nancy,” she does a little act of tipping a mock cowboy hat, receiving giggles from the child below them.
TK doesn’t know exactly what to say next, so he asks a question he assumes will have an obvious answer. “Is she your mom?” Nancy nods, and then sighs.
“Somewhat,” TK furrows his brows, “she adopted me about.. thirteen years ago? I was fifteen, too old to know her as mom, but she has taken care of me like a mom would. Sorry, it’s complicated.”
“It’s okay. I’m used to complicated. This guy is my brother, not my son.” He looks down at Jonah who smiles back before he dumps his head onto TK’s arm, similar to the way a cat would if they were craving affection.
“Yeah, that sounds pretty complicated.” Nancy chuckles, shaking her head.
TK laughs too, and it feels genuine. She smiles back at him, and he wonders if it might all work out in the end.
TK yawns as he repositions Jonah in his arms, both of them exhausted after their long day. TK spent his entire day cleaning and getting trained on how to operate a darkroom, and Jonah spent his day doing his best to be quiet and patient.
As he walks up the steps to the front door, he slides his hand into his pocket to grab out the brass key, twisting it in the door handle before they go inside. The air is cold, sending a shiver through TK as he pulls up the jacket on Jonah’s shoulders.
He puts the boy down, locking the door behind himself. “Can we have pizza?” Jonah asks, patiently waiting at his older brother's feet. TK looks down at him, pretending to think it over before he nods.
“Yay!” Jonah yells as he darts for the kitchen. TK follows him at a slower speed, helping the boy sit at the island before grabbing out leftover pizza from the night before. Tomorrow, he will make time to go grocery shopping, until then, they eat cold pizza as Jonah rambles on about something he found at the photo forge.
“You named a crack in the floor Rachel?” Jonah nods his head, swallowing a bite of his food before drinking water from his sippy cup. “Yep! There were more cracks there, but they didn’t talk to me. Only Rachel.”
TK hums, raising his napkin to wipe off excess pizza sauce from the corner of the five-year-old’s mouth. “So, do you think I’ll be a good fit there?”
“Yeah!” TK chuckles, wiping off his own hands with a different napkin. “I’m glad. Hey, uhm, I think we’re going to stay here for a little while. Would you be okay with that?” Jonah stays silent, looking around the large house, too big for just the two of them.
“Yes, I think so.” TK takes a breath, he doesn’t know how he feels about that answer, but he pushes that thought away in honor of grabbing his camera and taking a quick picture of the happy little boy before him.
“Why do you take so many pictures?” He asks, forehead wrinkled. TK shrugs, leaning his head on his fist as he rests against the countertop. “I don’t know, it’s sort of.. comforting, I guess.”
He’s been taking pictures for as long as he can remember. The first night of Hanukkah when he was seven, his parents gifted him a camera, and he never turned back. His skill has only increased as he has gotten older, but nothing has ever come of the photos.
They’re just for him, he supposes. His dream, meant for his eyes only. Jonah yawns, eyelashes fluttering against reddened cheeks. “Are you ready for bed?” The little boy nods, rubbing his eyes with small hands.
TK stands, grabbing both of their plates and carrying them to the kitchen sink. He rinses them off before scrubbing them, using a yellow sponge and dish soap, watching as the crumbs wash away.
He leaves them on the drying rack, moving to lift his brother into his arms. He doesn’t expect the boy to fall asleep on his shoulder as he carries him upstairs, but he finds the dead weight comforting. Like an anchor, keeping him steady.
He kisses his head, tucking the stuffed bunny under his left arm. TK would love to fall asleep beside him, but he isn’t tired quite yet. He sighs, standing and leaving the room just like the night before.
He walks down the stairs, expecting the creak of the floorboard, and when it comes, he stops. He looks down at it, tilting his head as he contemplates. He kneels, letting his finger trace along the edges, before it catches.
TK pulls his hand back, swallowing hard as he stares down at the floorboard now lifted ever so slightly, as if it holds secrets below. He looks up, almost nervous. He stands, fast walking to the kitchen. Once he secures his camera, he races back, unsure if he should pull it up completely.
He doesn’t think about it any further, turning his camera on with the flash as he bends down once again and lifts the wood, revealing a dark pit. He takes a shaky breath as he reaches down into it, feeling something cold against his fingertips.
As he pulls it out, he is met with a framed photo. A family of five, looking as happy as could be. Two daughters, one son. But in front of their cheerful faces, are red X’s covering each one. He drops the picture, startled.
His heart pounds in his chest as he turns it over, the fall having inflicted a large crack down the center. His mind races with who could have lived here in the past, and if maybe a gang of some sort killed them.
He hears footsteps, so he shoves the frame back inside the depths of the hole, sliding the floorboard back on top of it in its rightful place. “TK?” Sounds from up the steps, and TK quickly turns his camera off, looking up to find the source of the call.
His brother stands there, looking frightened. “Yeah, buddy? What’s wrong?”
Jonah’s lip begins to quiver, just before hot tears begin streaming from his tired eyes. TK rushes to his feet, climbing the steps multiple at a time. His camera and the framed photo are forgotten as TK pulls Jonah into his arms, comforting the boy.
He whispers gentle words, praising him for being brave enough to find TK. Jonah won’t tell him what happened, so they retire to TK’s bedroom together, lying down curled up in each other's arms.
That night, he dreams of the family, and what could have possibly happened to them.
TK has spent his entire morning going through paperwork, and gathering together all of the things he needs to enroll Jonah into playful paws daycare. Inside of a small brown box, one of the few they brought with them, is all of their important documents.
Including his parents’ death certificates. He frowns, tracing the edge of the thin paper with his thumb. It’s only six in the morning, and he has to be at work by nine. He doesn’t have time to dedicate the morning to his parents, but his heart longs to anyway.
His eyes read along the dotted line of his mothers page, the cause of death standing out to him. Blunt force trauma. He sighs, blinking against his suddenly watery eyes.
TK wonders if he will ever be used to it, or if it will always cause the same painful reaction. He tucks them back into the bottom of the box, grabbing out Jonah’s birth certificate instead.
After that, he finishes filling out the daycare form, the radio in the corner playing gentle blues as he writes down his brother's birthdate, and beside that, his nickname.
“Hi, Jonah! It’s lovely to see you again,” Grace cheers. It’s an hour after opening, and she just finished welcoming another little boy into the building. “You too, TK.” TK smiles at her, sliding the backpack off his shoulders and grabbing out the form.
“He doesn’t have a pediatrician, yet. I hope that’s okay.” Today, her fingernails are a faded pink. Her hand is soft as it takes the paper out of his grip, sitting down in her chair and going over it.
“That’s okay, I understand.” She grabs out her pen, writing something on a separate page. “This is perfect. Are you paying for the month, or a trial week?” He glances at his brother, who is distracted by putting his palm against the painted one on the desk.
“Which one is cheaper?” He finds himself asking, embarrassed by the question. Grace just smiles, “in the long run, paying monthly is cheaper. Weekly can add up very quickly.”
He nods, taking a breath. “Okay, let’s do it monthly.”
The keys on her computer begin to make noise, and the room falls silent for about a minute. “For the month, it’s going to be $84. Due to his age, there will be an initial separate payment of $20 for any extra fees and whatnot.”
TK nods, reaching into his wallet. He had stopped by the bank and prepared himself to spend a little over $200, and he tells Grace as much. She shakes her head, thanking TK as he hands over the crinkled up cash.
“Okay, Jonah. Are you excited?” Grace asks as she passes TK’s change over her desk, the man shoving it into his wallet before putting that in his back pocket. Jonah jumps, “yeah!”
TK takes a breath, fixing his backpack before kneeling down. “I love you so much. Be good for Mrs. Grace, okay?”
“I love you too, and I will.” His voice is soft, and on some words, TK isn’t quite sure he heard him correctly. He kisses the boy's cheek and squeezes a little too tight when they hug.
“Thank you, Grace. I’ll probably pick him up around..” he glances at his watch, “five?”
“Sounds great. Have a wonderful day, and don’t worry, Jonah is in great hands.” He nods his head, watching as Grace extends her hand and takes Jonah’s, allowing him to wave with his other as they disappear into the back of the building.
He hesitates to leave, waiting to make sure he doesn’t hear his brother cry out for him. As he exits, he almost storms back in to snatch his brother up and never return.
But he stays brave, beginning his walk to the photo forge, the five-year-old on his mind.
TK examines himself in the mirror, zipping up his long black pants. He rubs his face, noticing just how exhausted he looks. He fixes his tie before washing his hands in the sink, exiting the facility's bathroom.
His jobs for today are mostly just cleaning everything he can. Film tanks, countertops, developing trays, sinks, etcetera. Iris keeps sending him looks, which makes TK overthink everything he is doing.
As he sweeps under the couch in the lobby, the bell above the door rings. He looks up for a quick second, a woman with long dark brown hair enters. She has a purse hooked on her shoulder, looking annoyed as she walks to the front desk.
“Sadie, I told you that you aren’t welcome here.” Iris states, and TK quickly looks away. The last thing that he needs right is to be in his boss's business on his first day of work. “I’m just here to ask about that hiring sign out front.”
Out of his peripherals she reaches into her bag, pulling out lipstick that she drags across her lips. Iris sighs, backing up. “Please leave. Don’t make me call the sheriff.”
Iris looks nervous. TK wants to say something, but he doesn’t want Iris to view him as aggravating or nosy, so he keeps quiet, but his eye stays trained on the strange woman.
“Where else am I supposed to go? Nobody will hire me in this godforsaken town!”
“Sadie, I can’t help you–.” Just as Sadie reaches into her purse once again, TK speaks up. Or, he tries, but the glass door at the front opens with a loud creek.
A tall man steps inside, his hands on his hips as he looks around, taking TK in, before walking further. “I was told there was a trespasser?”
“Yes, sheriff. She will not leave, and I have the right to refuse service to anyone.” Sheriff Ryder, TK gathers from the badge above his heart, nods his head in understanding. “Sadie, you know you are not supposed to be here.”
She deflates, rolling her eyes as she lets her hands fall down by her waist. “This is discrimination. I’ll have your badge for this!” She points her finger in Ryder’s direction, glaring daggers into the man’s skull.
He keeps a straight face, giving her a hard look as she exits the building. When the door closes behind her, Iris lets out a breath, thanking the sheriff through her relief. Nancy comes from around the corner, her phone in her hand as she chews on her bottom lip.
“I assume you called?” He asks her, the woman nodding her head. “Good job. If she does it again, I can arrest her for a third degree felony.”
TK can’t stay silent any longer, his eyes finding the three of them. “What just happened? Who was that?”
Sheriff Ryder shuts his mouth, Iris mimicking his movements. Nancy rolls her eyes at them before speaking, “that was Sadie Becker. She’s, well, to put it nicely, a master con artist.”
“Now, Nancy, we can’t make assumptions–.” Iris is cut off by the large man laughing, holding his head in his hand. “No, Nancy is right. That woman has been terrorizing this town for decades, but we can’t get her on anything. She’s good at what she does.”
TK frowns, shaking his head. He finds himself asking what he has done, why did he uproot his life to this strange town in the middle of nowhere, with what seems like many secrets?
“Hell, kid. That’s a good question.” TK swallows, looking between the three of them, and discovering that he knows he can’t trust any of them, not now, anyway.
TK stares at the ditch before him, waiting for the tears to come. He finds it’s almost worse when they never do.
His mind knows that this is where his parents were killed. His parents, who were finally happy again. He thinks of those months before they died, how they would stay until four am discussing the house.
He can’t see what his parents saw in it. It’s quiet, and cold. The neighbors aren’t friendly. There is nothing special about the house, hardly even a fixer upper.
There is a round drive safely sign stuck into the grass, pink and red flowers surrounding the outside. Jonah hasn’t come here yet, and TK doesn’t know if he should let him.
Is it morbid? To bring your five-year-old brother to the spot where his parents' bodies laid in the rain until an innocent and scared civilian found them?
Maybe, it would offer the boy closure. Maybe, he would stop asking “where is mommy?” every night, if he could see the blood that trickled down into the cracks on the road. Before this, Jonah had never been faced with death and grief.
Everyone that TK did lose, were lost before Jonah was even in the womb. Jonah had nobody but his parents and his brother, and now, he only has the one person who could possibly screw everything up for him.
TK finally cries, rapidly wiping away tears. Tears that fall for his brother. Tears that fall for the failure he will inevitably be.
“Froot loops? But what about frosted flakes?” TK asks, viewing the colorful boxes of sugary cereal stacked high on a shelf. Jonah frowns, shaking his head. “Okay, how about fruity pebbles?”
Jonah thinks about it before he accepts the compromise, watching as TK rises to his tippy toes to grab the red cardboard. Once he secures it in the cart, TK pushes it out of the aisle. The last thing they need to grab are crackers, so TK can make homemade lunches for his brother.
The five-year-old sings a song, bobbing his head while pretending that he’s in a monster truck and driving at ninety miles an hour. As he turns the corner, he is met with Grace from the daycare, a little girl, and Sheriff Ryder.
He seems to be teasing her about something, causing the woman to throw her head back in laughter as he kisses the sweet smile off of her face. The little girl looks away, eyes finding TK and Jonah rather quickly.
“Jo!” She shouts, grinning as she races toward them. Sheriff Ryder stops her in a second, not letting the girl go far before she is swept into his arms. “Woah! Slow down, Charlie girl.”
“Char!” Jonah says, looking at TK with pleading eyes, begging to be let out of the buggy. TK complies, lifting the smaller boy up and out, before he takes off to the tall man. “Judd, let her down. This is her friend.”
Sheriff Ryder looks at Grace before nodding and letting the girl slip down his side, and as soon as she reaches the ground, she wraps her arms around Jonah. TK pushes the cart closer, greeting the two of them with a smile.
“Hi there, TK. How are you?” She smiles back. Today she is in a cream turtleneck sweater, paired with blue skinny jeans. It’s different from the outfits she wears to work, but the cross on her neck is the same.
Sheriff Ryder, or Judd, is wearing a light blue button up tucked into dark wash denim, cowboy boots never forgotten at home. “I’m doing good, how are you?”
She tells a short story about how she’s doing well, but Charlie has been giving her hell today because she missed Jonah so much. Earlier, when he dropped Jonah off, Grace hadn’t been there, just a woman named Tommy Vega.
“Judd, this is TK. TK, this is Judd. This is the Jonah I was telling you about.” She nudges him, her smile still present. It’s now that he notices the ring on both of their fingers, and if it weren’t for the kiss he had seen prior, that would have been enough to solidify.
“We’ve met, actually. He works over with Iris. I had to go that way yesterday, and almost arrested Sadie.” Does everybody know everybody in this town? He wonders how fast word gets around.
“Ohh, that’s great! Iris is a sweetheart,” TK gives her a look, “once you get to know her.” She finishes, giggling.
TK lets his eyes fall to the children for a moment, watching as Jonah squats to look at Charlie’s shoes before exclaiming about how cool they are. “Sorry if this is an out there assumption, but you two are married?”
“Yep. Going on thirteen years this december.” Judd smiles for the first time since this interaction began, letting his arm fall around his wife’s shoulders. TK hums, congratulating them. There was a time in his life, over a year ago now, where he thought he’d be getting married.
It didn’t happen, of course. “That’s wonderful.” A silence settles between the three of them. Judd clears his throat, “well, we best get going.”
“It was really nice to see you, we should have you over sometime.” Grace says, taking Judd’s hand in her own and interlocking their fingers. “Yes, that would be fun.”
“Come on Charlie girl, grandpa’s waiting for us.” She is sad at first, but at the mention of her grandfather she lightens back up. “Bye, Jonah! See you later!” There is a small lisp present as she talks, but Jonah understands all of what she says.
“Bye bye!” He waves aggressively, his hand flying back and forth as the trio turn their backs and walk away. “That was the sheriff,” TK says as he lifts Jonah, sliding the boy back into the cart.
“What? Really? Why didn’t we get his autograph?” The world autograph doesn’t come out quite right, but TK understands nonetheless. “Next time, okay?”
“Okay!”
TK wakes to music playing at the loudest volume, the man wincing as he hopes the sounds haven’t woken his brother. It’s only nine, who could be playing Elvis Presley right now?
He stands, rubbing his eyes as he tightens the drawstring on his sleep pants. He tiredly walks to his bathroom, brushing his teeth along with the notes of viva las vegas. He leaves his bedroom before getting dressed, peeking into Jonah’s to check if he’s awake.
TK finds that the boy is still sleeping soundly, cuddled up with his bunny. TK smiles softly before taking to the stairs, skipping one step at a time. He opens the front door, grabbing his coat before fully exiting.
There are people on his street, some getting out of their cars and entering the Blake's household. He bites his lip, looking around to spot any familiar faces that he can ask about maybe turning the volume down.
He finds one that he didn’t expect, Nancy Gillian.
TK continues down the walkway from his porch, crossing the road in his royal blue slippers. He's sure he looks a mess, having just woken up and still looking like he belongs in his bed.
“Nance?” He calls, having to repeat himself before the woman turns. Her black hair sways, and TK believes this is the first time he has seen it down since he has met her. She looks beautiful, and he finds himself saying as much.
“Oh, thanks.” She blushes, a small smile playing at her lips, before she frowns. “Wait, what are you doing here? Did Iris invite you?”
TK looks away, finding Iris in the swarm of people. He hums, shaking his head. “No, that’s actually what I was going to ask you. What are you doing here?”
She points to the house behind them, the one across from TK’s. “It’s my grandpa’s birthday. Well, sort of grandpa. You know, adoptive grandpa.” TK’s eyes slowly widen, his lips parting.
“Wait– Mr. Blake is your grandpa?” She laughs at his surprise, shrugging. “He’s Iris’ dad, yeah. Hold on, you haven’t explained why you’re here?”
She holds her hand up between them, a glossy black polish shining at the tips of her fingers. “I live over there.” He juts his thumb in the direction of his own house, watching as Nancy puts it together in her head.
“Oh!” She laughs again, shaking her head. He finds himself laughing along with her, his eyes watering with the action. “Okay, that makes sense.” She gestures to his attire, which only gets the two of them going more.
“Babe? Who is this?” A man, a little bit on the shorter side, asks as he steps into view. TK wipes at his eyes before extending his hand, waiting for the man to accept. “My new coworker, TK.”
“Aha!” The man claps before he pulls TK in for a hug, the same way Nancy had when they first met. “This is Mateo, my boyfriend.” She supplies with a grin, and TK swears he can see the love floating behind her eyelashes.
“Hi, Mateo. It’s great to meet you.” He says as he pulls away, feeling a little embarrassed about his outfit now that other people have begun to notice him. “You too!” He smiles happily.
A woman calls his name, and Mateo quickly kisses Nancy’s cheek before he rushes off. She looks back at him as he runs, smirking when she turns back. “Pretty smile and a great ass. I’m lucky.”
TK snickers again, rolling his eyes playfully. “Very lucky.”
Behind Nancy, Mateo and a stranger hang a banner, one that reads Stuart’s 90th birthday party!
TK’s jaw drops, “he’s ninety?”
Nancy turns, reading the lettering before she giggles a response. “Yeah, and he totally acts like it. He can’t get off that porch without breaking his hip.”
TK’s eyes widen, looking at her nervously. She sighs, “I’m allowed to say that. He has bullied me since the day that I was adopted.”
TK frowns, “bullied you?”
“Yep. I was always too tall, or too skinny. Or his favorite, an ‘orphan’. He never liked me.” She sounds sad, so TK reaches out and rubs her shoulder. Nancy looks back at him with a fake smile, one that TK can understand. Something he has mastered.
He doesn’t know how to ask if she’s okay, or if she wants to talk about it. So he doesn’t. He checks the watch on his wrist. “I should get going. Work is in an hour.”
She nods her head, and the sadness from before floats away. “Okay. Wait, what did you come over here for?”
He laughs, shaking his head. Currently, I can’t help falling in love with you blares on the speakers from the backyard. “No reason.”
Couple murdered six months ago in Foxthorn, Texas. Any new leads? Read more to find out.
TK takes a long sip of his water, the ice feeling like shards of glass trailing down his throat. The couch he sits on now is uncomfortable, like it was meant just for show, never to be used.
The article is clickbait, of course. In the end, there are no new leads on his parents, and they have ruled it out as an accident. He doesn’t know whether or not he believes it, and he will likely never find out the truth.
The ceiling light above him begins to flicker, before it gives out completely. He groans, rubbing his eyes as he checks the time on his wrist. Almost three in the morning.
TK leaves his papers and documents spread out on the coffee table, using the candle he lit a little bit ago to find the electrical box outside.
The wind is heavy right now, as you would expect it to be at this time of night. He is surprised when he finds that Stuart Blake is not sitting on his porch, not watching as TK blindly searches.
He remembers the party that had lasted from when TK left for work with Jonah, and returned home with the sleeping boy. Stuart is probably out like a light inside, fast asleep. He shakes the thought, continuing his search for the panel.
When he finds it, it’s an easy fix.
Or so he thought, for when he goes inside, the whole downstairs is dark. He groans, deciding to just call the electrical company in the morning before work. He begins to gather up his notes, sliding them neatly into a tan colored folder.
A loud thud startles him, and he feels a rush of cold air settle around him. He turns around, squinting. He expects to see his five-year-old brother looking for him, but instead, is met with the figure of a grown man.
TK feels fear throughout his entire body, mind running wild. Could this be the man that murdered his parents? Perhaps, here to finish off the entire bloodline? He stays silent, the man’s back towards him.
He reaches for the fire poker behind him, the metal inflicting a loud noise. The man doesn’t turn though, he inches further toward the dining room. TK takes a shaky breath before he lunges, ready to tackle the man.
What he discovers is that he goes right through him, landing on top of the wooden table. He flinches in pain, not expecting the hard surface. He sets his own aches aside, twisting his body around to find the man looking at him, sort of.. scared?
“What do you want? I already called the sheriff, he is on his way right now!” A lie, but TK is a good liar, so it eases right out of him. The man steps back, “what?”
“You heard me! You better–.” He stops, pausing with his hand still in the air, his weapon at large. The man is familiar, glaringly so. “Who are you? Are you here to kill me? My brother?”
He looks confused, shaking his head viciously. “No! I’m–.”
“What? You have ten seconds to explain yourself, if you don’t, I will use this.” TK could swear the man about whimpered.
“My name is Carlos. Carlos Reyes. I don’t know what happened, one second I’m at home with my family, the other I’m in this.. room. No lights, no seating, just me, alone. And now, I’m here. Again.”
TK tries to believe him, he genuinely doesn’t want to have to hurt anybody, especially not with a vulnerable Jonah upstairs. He decides to pretend, if he can get this man to let down his guard, he could possibly find a way to tie him up. Maybe even get some answers.
“You lived here?” He asks slowly, trying to slide off the table without the man, Carlos, noticing.
“Yes. With my sisters, and my parents. I can’t find them. I– I think something happened to us.” TK looks down, taking him in. He’s wearing a plaid button up with a pair of khakis high up on his belly, tighter by the waist and looser in the calves.
On his feet are sneakers, but they’re torn up, like he had been needing new shoes for awhile. TK finds the stranger's eyes again, dark brown giving off a sense of innocence. TK thinks of the photo within the stairs, and takes a breath.
“Can I show you something?” Carlos nods, his hands staying awkwardly to his sides. “Don’t move, okay?” He nods again, like words are hard to come by.
TK moves, crossing the small distance to the staircase. Finding the picture frame is easy, TK having memorized exactly where it had laid. There is still dust covering the image, but he stands and finds Carlos looking back at him.
“Is this you? Is this your family?” He passes the photo to the man, watching as his face represents so many different emotions. He opens his mouth as his eyes begin to water. “Yes. That’s Ana, and Luisa. My mom, dad.”
A tear slips, shining silver as it trickles down his cheek. TK tilts his head, finding only honesty in the man’s saddened expression. “What happened to them?” He looks up, sniffling. TK shakes his head, “I don’t know.”
The picture suddenly falls from his grasp, TK quickly bending to pick it up. He discovers that there are no new cracks, apart from the one TK had left the other day. With this new information, TK doesn't know what to believe.
He sets the fire poker down, feeling a little bad for having kept it in his hand for so long. “Do you know how long it’s been since you left the room?” Carlos looks away, chewing on his bottom lip.
“Five days?” It comes out more like a question. TK looks away. Carlos has been here since the day he and Jonah moved in, and if this man is being truthful, that has to mean something.
TK parts his lips to speak, but nothing comes out.