Chapter 2: Not an option

Once I get to the tiny ugly apartment Eddie and I live in now, I feel instantly better. I feel safe here, maybe this is not the house we grew up in, but this is home now. We had to move out of our previous house after my parents died, the rent was just too much for us two to pay and my dad’s mechanical workshop was too much in debt, so we lost that too. 

I find my brother still in pajamas playing video games. It is six o’clock in the afternoon and he hasn’t even showered. The apartment is a mess, there are dirty dishes and empty cans of soda all over the place. 

“Eddie! This place is a dumpster!” I exclaim angrily as I walk in. 

“So? Relax, you act like a mom,” he replies without taking his sight from the TV screen. 

“Eddie, we can’t live like this! Besides, you haven’t changed your clothes all day! How do you expect to find a job if you spend your whole day playing video games?” I scold him.

Eddie rolls his eyes like he’d had enough of me. 

“I’m trying, ok? It’s not easy to find a job as a mechanic,” he justifies himself. 

My brother used to help out my dad at his workshop, but since we had to close it down 11 months ago, he has been unemployed

“I know that, Eddie. But I told you they were hiring people at my company and you didn’t even show up for the interview!” I cry out. 

“Because I don’t want to work at a boring company!” Eddie replies with a frown on his face. 

“Thunder Motors makes sports cars! It’s not a boring company!” I exclaim. 

“Yes, it is! And besides, I don’t want to become a corporate sell-out,” he says like he is disgusted by the idea of working for a big company. 

“At least you get money from it,” I mutter. “I got a job there...”  

“Yeah, answering phones like a secretary, "he says with disdain.” I am not going to do something so basic.” 

“Eddie! You are in no position to be so picky! This whole mess is your fault! We have zero money and we have a huge debt to pay. You need a job... ANY job. Even a ‘basic’ one,” I say angrily. 

“Thank you, sis, you always throw that to my face... making me feel guilty about what happened...” Eddie stands up and walks towards his room. He slams the door shut. 

I feel a pang of guilt. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard with him, he is my baby brother, he made a mistake, but he is the only family I have left.

I walk towards his room and I knock on his door. 

“Hey, Eddie, open the door. I’m sorry about what I said... please come out, I’ll get dinner ready... spaghetti and meatballs, your favorite,” I say leaning my head against his door. 

“I’ll come out once the food is ready!” My brother yells on the other side of the door. 

I start to make dinner for us, once the food is ready and the small kitchen table is set, Eddie comes out of his room. We have dinner together and I tell him about the incident with Alex Ricci at the convenience store. 

“He followed you again? That Alex is a persistent dude,” Eddie snorts.

“He is a nightmare! I hate that he is part of our lives now,” I cry out.

“Yes, me too...” Eddie mutters distracted as he looks around the kitchen, as if our conversation was boring him. 

“I know you said it was useless, but maybe we should try to go to the police...” I suggest.

My brother jumps up from his seat. 

“Don’t even think about it, Emma. That would only make things worst! Believe me, the Riccis is a dangerous and powerful mafia, and Alex is the son of their leader. They have the police on their side, that’s why they can operate all over town with impunity and, if what I heard is true, they operate in other parts of the country too.” Eddie says concerned. “Alex said no police and it is better for us to obey him, going against his orders is going to make him retaliate against us, let’s just get his money and be done with this.”  

“I guess you are right, it is too risky... Ugh, I can’t wait for all of this to be over!” I exclaim. 

“Maybe you should sleep with him... try to make him forget about the money we owe him...” my brother suggests. 

“What?! Have you lost your mind?! I am not doing that!” I exclaim furious. 

“Hey, relax, it was just a thought,” Eddie replies as if I was overreacting.  

“I am NOT that kind of girl, Edward,” I mutter as I look daggers at him. 

“Well, maybe you should consider it, Emma, it would make our lives so much easier,” he says like it’s the obvious solution. 

“Never, Eddie! I am not going to humiliate myself like that! Alex Ricci is a criminal! ” I yell. 

“Oh, come on, Emma, don’t be such a goodie-goodie! It’s not like Alex is hideous or old, he is just a couple of years older than you... I think he is 23...” 

“I don’t want to hear another word, Eddie! That is simply not an option,” I state firmly. 

I can’t believe Eddie just suggested I have sex with a criminal just to erase his gambling debt. I walk to my room feeling outraged. This day has been hard enough, I’m in no mood to deal with my brother’s silly suggestions. 

I go to bed still feeling upset about my brother. He has changed so much since we lost our parents last year... or maybe he was always the same person, but my parents’ presence contained him from being so selfish. There is not much I can do about that, he is my baby brother and I love him, even if he is just younger than me for a year, I still feel like I have to protect him, even form himself. 

I close my eyes and the first thing I see is Alex’s piercing blue eyes. I startle. I open my eyes again and I shake my head. There should be a delete button in our minds so we could erase bad memories, such as sad moments and encounters with stalker mobsters.