Page 75 of Yard Sale

“Um,” he said after a long silence.

“Looking for your uncle?”

Oliver tipped his face down. “I had a huge fight with my mom and dad, and my grandpa kicked me out.”

Rage boiled through me and was nearly spilling out through my mouth before I caught myself. I took a breath. “Did you call Tiago?”

“His phone kept going to voicemail. I panicked and called an Uber, and I’ve been kind of…hovering by the houses here. I wasn’t sure which one was yours. Your, uh…your aunt found me.”

I let out a puff of air. “Wonderful. Okay.” Yeah, this was not how the night was supposed to go. “Are you okay out here? I know it’s dark, but the lights aren’t too dim.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Alright. Sit, relax, don’t fall in the pool unless you know how to swim.”

“I can swim,” he said, sounding defensive.

“Then take a dip if you want. I’m going to fetch your uncle from the beach and explain to him what’s going on because my aunties are early, and now, apparently, there’s some wedding planning happening, and you’re here…”

“I can go back,” he whispered.

“Fuck no.” I stopped myself quickly, then shook my head. “Oliver, you can stay here. Your uncle would literally throw me into the ocean if I turned you away.”

He looked surprised by that, which also hurt to see. “I, uh…just. Thanks.”

I kind of wanted to hug him, but I wasn’t sure he’d appreciate one from a total stranger. “I’ll be right back. And if my aunties try to feed you…just let them. It’s not worth the fight.”

He laughed a little as I turned away and started jogging toward the beach.

In the long minutes I’d been gone, the sky had gone from dusk to almost full dark, so I used my phone to find my way back. Tiago was where I left him, and when I flashed the light at his face, I could see he was not happy.

“Crisse, I thought this was some kind of sick joke! I thought you left me!” he all but shouted.

I dropped to the blanket beside him. “I am so sorry. There’s been, ah…there’s a situation at the house.”

I heard him swallow thickly. “Is that so?”

“Our sanctuary has been compromised.” I quickly gave him a rundown, and by the time I was done, he was packing up the blanket while I was putting the camera away. I’d be able to edge him into oblivion another time.

Maybe. Probably.

I could never really predict how days or nights were going to go with family at the house. But I was going to try. I wasn’t ready to be done with this thing I had going between us.

“Where’s Oliver?” Tiago asked as we reached the edge of the pool deck.

I scanned the area and found him near the shallow end with his feet on the top pool step. “By the water.” I dug into the bag and pulled out Tiago’s cane, pressing it against his hand. “Here, so you don’t fall in. He’s by the shallow side with his feet in the water.”

Tiago bowed his head. “Will your aunts be upset if I don’t come in right away?”

“They’ll understand.” I could see them all standing in the window, watching like we were suddenly their new favorite daytime soap opera. “And I’m going to go figure out sleeping arrangements.”

He caught my arm just before I walked off. “Would it be better for me and Oliver to find somewhere else to stay?”

“No,” I said fiercely. “Just…let’s figure it out, okay? Together?”

Tiago bit his lip, then nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”

He turned and flicked his cane out, then followed the edge of the pool around until he came to a stop beside his nephew. They were too far away for me to be able to hear anything, but I still didn’t linger.