The Nerd Can Fight (#1)

Chapter 44

Your Christmas Bonus is here and you'll finally know what Casey promised Carla. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Happy birthday to my little sis. You'll always be annoying but you'll always be stuck with me. Love ya sis, here's the shoutout you've always wanted. @grumpyprincess

~•~•~

                  

I watched Adam closely. His gaze was still trained on the same spot for the last 5 minutes and I was honestly growing worried. I mean, I am worried but I was starting to go into a panic attack if he doesn't move soon.

A few hours ago, the hospital called Adam to inform him that Carla passed on and the news broke him. A lump was lodged in my throat ever since, I wanted to cry and grief for Adam but I knew I had to be strong for him.

He needed a support and between the two of us, he was the one who lost his mother and I was the only one there that wasn't sobbing her eyes out so I was currently comforting the whole Jones' family.

Pio was seating on my lap with his head tucked under my chin and I could feel the tears dribble onto my shirt softly. I couldn't bring myself to care about it though, the crying little boy was the only thing in my mind right now and I couldn't be bothered to care about anything else than to be a line that this family can cling onto right now, no matter how thin.

Cali was on my other side, her small hands locked around my waist and her head on my chest while she buried her face into my shirt and sobbed loudly. I was still stroking her hair silently as she cried. My fingers were treading into her locks and smoothing them while my other hand was holding onto Pio's small body close to mine.

All the while, my lips were sealed shut while they were pressed against Pio's forehead, trying to offer them some kind of comfort. Jerry was somewhere in the house, wanting to be left alone for a little while and Preston was in his room, with music blasting out of it.

I knew what he was trying to do since I used to do the same thing all the time after Bryant's death. Turn the music up so high to make sure that it will drown out your cries and prevent your sobs to sought out to anyone in the other side of the door.

Adam was sitting on the other end of the couch, not wanting to leave me alone to handle his younger siblings and yet needing some space. I didn't want to drag him out of his thoughts so I didn't bother object.

Even when the whole room was silent, with only the sobs and sniffles of the kids, my thoughts was racing with things popping up. I hated feeling like this, so useless. So I conjured up a to-do list. It was the only thing I could do and it consisted of all the dramas in my life.

Finally, after making up a mental list of all my problems, I crossed out Penelope and fighting and dragged my conflict with Sonia all the way down to the bottom of the list.

It was the least of my problems and I couldn't find it in me to care if some police officer barged into the house and arrest me this second.

I was so tired.

The thing that was on top of my list is surprisingly not Dom or Quentin or baldy, not even annoying ol' scowl-face.

The only thing I can actually think of and focus on is Carla's last wish that she reminded me of that day in the hospital.

I took the small wrinkled paper out of the pocket of my jacket and opened it slowly. It was a small piece of paper and inside was a series of number that didn't make sense to me.

Why would Carla want to give me this? What do these numbers even mean?

Nevertheless, I remembered what I promised her and my gaze flickered to an immobile Adam that was still staring straight ahead and into nothingness.