Chapter 0319

“Hey, kid.”

I open my eyes when I hear Daniel's soft voice behind me. Slowly I turn and look at him.

“You all right?”

I don’t answer his question. Instead, I keep my face impassive, forcing myself to move on, wanting desperately to do something.

So, I act. “Call the lawyer,” I say, pulling myself up straight with an effort and uncrossing my arms.

“What?” he asks, confused.

“Ivan said Kent's bail — or lack thereof - has been determined,” I explain, looking at him seriously. “Maybe Jerome’s has too. We

can at least do that.”

“Fay,” Daniel says, turning his head the side, his face dropping with sorrow. “We don’t need to do that now — we can —

“We need to do something now, Daniel,” I snap, looking at him a little desperately. “Or else I'm going to go insane. Okay? So —

can you please just go call the lawyers?”

Slowly, Daniel nods to me, agreeing. “What are you going to do?”

“I'm going to get changed,” I murmur, looking down at the pink pajamas Janeen brought me from our old house. I just feel too...

silly, and sweet, and girly in them. I need to feel...

Well, if I’m going to take charge, and do something? I need to feel like a boss.

Without another word, I walk away to my room and close the door behind me, wanting to be alone.

About half an hour later, Janeen, Daniel and I are again gathered on the back deck. I’m showered and dressed more somberly

now — though by no means formally — in jeans and a black top. I make a mental note to order some serious clothes online and

get them rushed to the house.

My dad watches us anxiously from the kitchen, but he again lets us have our space. Janeen stares down at the table now,

worried, and I wonder if she’s starting to take this seriously. But I don’t have time to wonder too much before Daniel walks over to

us, hanging up his phone and tossing it onto the table.

“Well?” Janeen asks, looking up at him. “What's the deal with your boy, Jeremy?”

“Jerome,” Daniel corrects passively. “He’s got a bail of 25k.”

“Ohhh, that’s a lot,” Janeen says, one of her classic grins starting to stretch over her face as she works — pretty hard — to lighten

the mood. “He must be big time.”

Daniel flashes her a look and shakes his head a little.

“Jerome's low level,” I inform her as Daniel sits down at the table with us, pulling Janeen’s laptop over to him and beginning to

type.

“Oh,” Janeen says, surprised. “Then he must be hot.”

I look up then, wanting to see how Daniel reacts, but he keeps his face totally impassive, ignoring her. Janeen turns to me and I

can’t help smiling and giving a little shrug, confirming her suspicions. And I honestly do feel a little lighter as Janeen throws her

head back, laughing at her suspicions proved correct.

I shake my head at her, grateful again for her sense of humor.

Daniel smirks as well but doesn’t say a word. Then he blinks at the screen, sitting back in his chair with a surprised look on his

face.

“What are you doing?” I ask, leaning forward towards him.

“I'm checking our bank accounts,”

Daniel says, still staring at the screen

and clicking around ‘e@hich iSWnat I

was daing before someone

interrupted. I want to see if we have

enough money to get Jerome out at

least.” Please read the original

content at .

I nod, understanding and intrigued.

“And?” Janeen asks, leaning eagerly forward. “Do you?”

“Well,” Daniel replies, still staring at

the screen but scratching his head.

“I've got about a million,” Daniel says,

at which Sonera matharle Stn the

ainandWrsdps for joy. My eyes go

wide at the sum — I mean, I know I’ve

been living in the house of a

multi-millionaire for months, but we

didn't have much to spare growing

up, so that number just sounds

exorbitant to me. Please read the

original content at .

“But Fay here,” Daniel continues, pitching his voice loud to carry over Janeen’s celebration. She goes eagerly quiet as his eyes

lock on mine. “Has about four times that much.”

My face goes pale as Janeen gasps and spins eagerly to me. “Fay!” she shouts, shoving me on the shoulder. “You're like, rich

rich! What did you do?”

“Seriously, Fay,” Daniel says, smirking and leaning back in his chair, draping an arm over the back of it. “What did you do.”

I hold his gaze for a minute, shaking

my head slowly back and fo om

‘Seriously, Daniel WS) ite ing my

vbite Wer so he understands

precisely what I mean. “Do you really

want to know?” Please read the

original content at .

Daniel sticks his tongue out then, pretending to gag, and Janeen throws her head back, laughing even harder now, which makes

me smile.