Man of the Year (Drake Story)

Chapter Otteogtyve

Last night, I had moved out of the house that now belonged to Keziah. She didn’t say anything to me while I was there, only locked herself in her room. I put the little that I had into my new home, and the next morning I picked up Amanda and helped her completely empty out her house.

She spent the day getting to know the house, making calls to her mother and telling her that a millionaire had swooped her up and dumped her in paradise. Alison was the first one to leave. She didn’t say goodbye to me and didn’t need to; we were never friends. Michael was second. When he was leaving, he stopped by my bedroom and actually hugged me goodbye. Joshua did the same, and Isaac gave me his forwarding address and phone number and said that we should keep in touch. I told him that I’d reach out sometime. The only ones left were Madeleine, Cyrus and Belphoebe.

Bell came into my bedroom with a smile. The smile on her face was a real one, a genuine, natural smile.

“I’m happy for you,” She said. “Really, Aubrey. I thought that I loved you too much to let you have anyone other than me, but I realize that it was only Keziah who I didn’t want you to be with. But that new girl? She’s nice. I spoke to her. She’s pretty, too. You’re perfect for each other. I love you enough to let you go.”

“That’s a mature thing for you to say.” I told her.

“Yeah, well every girl has to grow up some time.”

“Well thank you, Bell.” I said. “I love you too.”

We shared a warm, loving embrace.

“Where are you off to now?” I asked.

“I’m moving to Paris. I’ll send you an email all about it once I get there, but I’ve got to go. Don’t want to miss my flight. Have a nice life, Aubrey.”

She left me alone, and I knew that I’d never get that email. I didn’t mind, either.

Cyrus was next to visit me. He walked in with a mouthful of a turkey sandwich. “Hey, man. Why have you been in your room all day?”

“Because of this,” I held up the paper I’d been going over and taking notes on. “It’s a list of all the servants. I’m getting to know their names and faces.”

He shook his head. “Whatever. Look, I’m gonna split, but before I go I want you to know that I’m going to be around. California is always going to be home. I’ll never be out of your life, man.”

“Thanks, that’s great to know, Cyrus.”

He swallowed the food and sat on my bed. “Seriously, though, you and I have been through a lot. You started off as my enemy, then you turned into my partner in crime, and now I’m sure you’d like us to go back to being strangers. But I won’t give you the satisfaction. Yes, you’ll rarely see me, but you’re still like...I don’t know...the brother I never had. You’re cool. So when I do make time to come around this neighborhood, you’ll have no choice but to treat me like a brother and tak me and your little family to dinner. Understood?”

I laughed and shook his hand. “Understood.”

“Now if you’ll need me, I will be in Hawaii at my new home with a pair of beautiful women, spending all the money I can.” Cyrus stood in the doorway. “But please, don’t need me.”

And he left.

The only one left was Madeleine. She didn’t come and see me, which meant that she wouldn’t be leaving until late tonight. So I got to work.  

All of the ex-slaves were upstairs in the southwest corner of the house. I knocked on the door of one of them and told him to alert the others to meet me in the theater room. They all gathered there after a few minutes. This was only about the third time I was seeing them all together like this. They were terrified of me. I could see it in their eyes, in the way they barely made any conversation amongst each other. They didn’t even sit down until I gave them permission to.