Deuce-ace roommate

05: Bar

KAISER

NINE YEARS AGO

The courtyard across the street was known as the second home for every kid in my neighborhood.

Every weekend we spent the entire day playing with older kids, while on weekdays we spent the remaining hours after school there.

Daisy and I would climb the biggest tree and stay up there imagining what other planets smelled like and how big the stars were.

It was after school on a sunny Friday when I returned home and found cops surrounding the house next to ours. It was the Esteban's.

Daisy was absent from school the whole day. Her family was having some trouble, my dad had said the other day. I feared he was right, and I began to worry.

My parents hadn't come back from their day jobs yet. Usually, I would hang out at Daisy's home since, unlike mine, Daisy's parents didn't choose work over their child. Her mom was always home, and her dad often returned in time to join the dinner table every evening.

I dropped the backpack my dad brought for me last night by the doormat. When my parents refused to show up when I needed them, they always believed buying me luxurious stuff would cover up.

I circled around my backyard and climbed over the kitchen's external window, supporting my feet until I could see Daisy's compound. I attempted sneaking in when the cops' attention subsided.

Granted, I succeeded. With stealthy footsteps, I made my way inside the Esteban's house through the back door pet flap. Just like every time I wanted to sneak in, I was slender and inches shorter than Daisy, even though I was a month older.

The place smelled like Mrs. Esteban's fresh homemade snacks, some particular lemon detergent only the Esteban's used, a hint of Daisy's strawberry shampoo, and garden flowers.

The house was quieter than any night. The hair on my body rose, and my pulse began racing.

However, I had to see her. I had to be there for her. Her family was going through the hardest days, and I had nothing to provide but my friendship, my availability. So I was determined to make her smile, to play with her until she wasn't scared anymore.

I searched every room in the big house, every nook and cranny we'd played hide and seek in, every corner we raced through. Every curtain we'd wrapped around our bodies, taking safety when playing attack games. But Daisy wasn't there, nor were her parents.

For minutes, I stood in the middle of the hall with slumped shoulders and a downcast head, hoping wherever she went, she was finding solace as I intended to offer her.

"What are you doing here, kid?" The stern tone startled me. I almost lost balance when I spun around to find an officer with furrowed eyes.

"I-I," I stammered.

"Where do you stay?" he curiously questioned.

"Where's Daisy?" I shot back.

"Come, let's get you to your parents." His big warm fingers circled my upper arm and pulled my resistant body out of the house.

"Whose kid?" an officer with deep blue eyes and a scar by his temple queried the man holding me in place.

"I found him in the house."

The second officer sauntered over and lowered his height until he was facing me directly.

"Hey, I'm Tom. What's your name, kid?" He attempted to smile, but all I could see was a monster.

He was scaring Daisy. I couldn't find her. He had his men take over the house meant for a girl and her parents. I was angry at them all.

"Where's Daisy?" I asked again, this time seething.