"Behind Closed Doors"

The Next Step

Jordan's POV:

Chapter 31:

Jordan stood in the garage, tinkering with an old bike he'd been trying to fix up. It was a side project, something to keep his hands busy while his mind wandered. He had always been the type to stay active, to keep moving, especially when things were calm. And right now, for the first time in what felt like forever, things were calm.

It had been a couple of weeks since Devin had disappeared from their lives, and in that time, Jordan had watched Kayla come back to life. She was smiling again, talking about her future, and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off all their shoulders. The tension that had gripped their family was slowly fading, and now, they could all start looking forward.

He heard the sound of Isaiah's truck pulling up in the driveway and grinned to himself. His brother had been talking about making a few moves of his own lately, and Jordan was glad to see that they were all starting to think about the future, not just surviving day-to-day.

Isaiah walked into the garage, a serious look on his face, but Jordan could tell there was something else there—something like excitement just beneath the surface.

"What's up, Zay?" Jordan asked, wiping his hands on a rag. "You look like you got news."

Isaiah leaned against the workbench, crossing his arms with a small smile. "Yeah, I do. I've been thinkin'... I'm gonna go back to school."

Jordan raised an eyebrow, surprised but impressed. "For real? That's what's up, man! What you gonna study?"

Isaiah looked thoughtful, the smile on his face widening. "Business. I've been thinkin' about startin' my own thing for a while now. Figured it's time to make it official."

Jordan grinned, clapping Isaiah on the back. "That's what I'm talkin' about! I knew you had somethin' big cookin' up."

Isaiah nodded, his excitement more visible now. "Yeah, it feels like the right time, you know? After everything with Kay, I realized I've been puttin' a lot of stuff on hold, tryin' to hold things together. But now that she's good, I think it's time for me to make my next move."

Jordan could see the determination in Isaiah's eyes, and it made him proud. Isaiah had always been the responsible one, the one who took care of everyone else before thinking about himself. But now, Jordan could see that his brother was ready to take charge of his own life, to build something for himself.

"That's huge, Zay," Jordan said, his voice filled with pride. "You always been a leader. Startin' your own business is the perfect move."

Isaiah smiled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I think it's time. I've been savin' up, makin' some connections. Now I just gotta get the education to back it up."

Jordan leaned against the workbench, feeling inspired by Isaiah's decision. "You ever think about what kind of business you wanna run?"

Isaiah's eyes lit up, and he shrugged. "I got a few ideas. I've always been good with people, so maybe somethin' in management or consulting. Help people get their businesses off the ground."

Jordan nodded, impressed by how focused Isaiah was. "That sounds like a good fit for you. You always been the one who could organize stuff and keep things running smooth."

Isaiah chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm ready to see where it takes me."

Later that evening, the brothers sat out on the porch, sharing a couple of beers as the sun dipped below the horizon. The conversation flowed easily between them, the weight of the last few months no longer pressing down on their shoulders.

Jordan took a long sip from his bottle before speaking. "You know, it's crazy how everything turned around so quick. A few weeks ago, we were in the middle of all that mess with Devin, and now... it's like we're all finally gettin' back to our lives."

Isaiah nodded, his gaze focused on the sky. "Yeah. I wasn't sure we'd get to this point, but it feels good. Feels like we all got a fresh start."

Jordan leaned back, resting his hands behind his head. "I think we all needed it. I mean, look at Kay. She's goin' back to school, gettin' her life back on track. You got your plans in motion. Even me, man, I'm startin' to think about what's next."

Isaiah raised an eyebrow, turning to look at Jordan. "Oh yeah? What's on your mind?"

Jordan grinned, feeling a spark of excitement at the thought. "I've been thinkin' about startin' a business too, man. Somethin' small at first, maybe somethin' in custom auto work. I love workin' on cars, and I figure, why not make it my own thing?"

Isaiah's eyes widened with surprise. "That's dope, Jay! I had no idea you were thinkin' about that."

Jordan shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious. "Yeah, I've been keepin' it low-key. But with everything goin' on, I figured now's as good a time as any to start thinkin' seriously about it."

Isaiah nodded, a proud smile on his face. "You should go for it. You're good with your hands, and you've always had a knack for cars. People pay good money for custom work, too."

Jordan smiled, feeling more confident now that he had spoken his plans out loud. "Yeah, I think I'm gonna go for it. Feels like the right move."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their plans settling in. For the first time in a long time, the future didn't feel uncertain. It felt wide open, full of possibilities, and they were both ready to take that next step.

"I'm proud of us," Isaiah said quietly, breaking the silence. "We've been through a lot, but we came out the other side stronger."

Jordan nodded, feeling the truth of Isaiah's words. "Yeah. And now it's our time to build somethin' real."

Isaiah raised his beer bottle, offering a toast. "To the future."

Jordan clinked his bottle against Isaiah's, a grin spreading across his face. "To the future."