CLOSURE

4

Birthdays weren't my thing anymore since I lost my parents, I used to love them though cause they were the only days my parents got me anything I wanted, made us breakfasts and just spent the entire day together. It was a Baker tradition, we always spent our birthdays together, but now I hated my birthdays, it just reminds me of my parents a lot.

It's been four days since I spoke to Richard and I haven't been able to focus on anything else, I wanted the truth behind my parents' death but now that I do, I'm beginning to regret that. I get out of bed and start preparing to head to the gym.

"Happy birthday, Sam". Max says handing me a  cupcake with a candle on it. "Thank you, Max" I respond smiling.

"It's okay, I know how much you hate your birthdays. Come on, make a wish"
We're interrupted by the doorbell, I open the door and there's a man dressed in a grey suit, he's wearing a pair of glasses and holding a black briefcase.

"Hello, I'm Chris, I was your parents' accountant", he says

"Eh, come on in". I respond.
"Hey buddy, go play in your room, I'll be right up". I say to Max.

After we're both seated, he opens his briefcase and hands me some papers."Your parents' left you and your brother Max with a trust fund, and since it's your 21st birthday today, you're eligible to access it, although Max isn't."

I'm shocked at all of this, at least something good is happening today. OMG I can finally go back to school.

"You just have to sign these and we're set".

After he leaves, I drop Max off at Ben's and head over to work. I'm feeling a little positive today, I guess that's expected when you realise your parents left you with lots of money. Now I could actually pay my tuition and go back to school, I'm still going to be at Mars and Bans just because as annoying as Derrick was, I actually loved working there, and the extra money wouldn't hurt.

I had been thinking about calling Richard since now I actually have time to listen to everything he has to say, but a part of me isn't too eager to finish our conversation.  It's currently six-thirty and after much thought I decide to finally call Richard. We agreed to meet up at O'connors again.

I walk into O'connors and thankfully Richard is already here waiting for me at the same booth we sat the last time. He's dressed in a black sweater with a casual pair of jeans. He must really love black, his hair is styled to the back and he has his phone in his hands. He smiles when he notices me.

"Hey, Happy birthday", he says to me after I'm settled down.

"Thank you". I don't even bother asking him how he knows about that.

"So, why did you call me over here?", he asks

"I just had some questions to ask you", I respond. He urges for me to continue and I do. "Did my dad know about the research my mom was working on?"

"Yes, but not in full details. Cara told me she had mentioned it to him but she didn't tell him she was being threatened because of it" he answers.

"Okay, so how were they able to disguise their death as an invasion?"

"I told you these people are really powerful, I don't really know how they did but I'm not surprised they've been able to cover it all up", Richard says.
I guess that explains why the detectives still have nothing concerning their case.

"But after four years, why did you decide to tell me all these now?" I ask him

"I was scared at first, and after your parents died, I just didn't want to be next".

"So what changed?", I ask

"I guess I'm just tired of these people controlling my life, the cure is the right thing to do and I plan on proceeding with the research but I can't do that with those men after me" he answers

"Okay, how does that have anything to do with me?"

"I need you to help me take these men down", Richard answers and I laugh, like really laugh.

"You are joking, right?" I ask him

"I'm not, you're the only one who can really help me with this. We could go to the police and explain all of these to them, I know a few detectives  we can trust with this" He answers like what he just said isn't crazy. I know I act tough and everything but that's just all it is 'an act'.

"In case you forgot, these people killed my parents and disguised it as a home invasion, so please tell me how you expect me to go against them with someone I barely even know!!" I whisper yell

"I know it's a lot to ask"

"You don't say", I respond sarcastically.

He sighs and doesn't respond for a few minutes before he continues

"Look, they were your parents and I don't understand why you're not jumping at the opportunity to take down the people who killed them" he says.

At this point I'm angry now, I mean who does he think he is to judge me. It's not my fault my mom decided to be a  matyr, she decided that all on her own.

"First of all, you don't even know me or what I've been through these years without my parents, I had to drop out of school, and work two jobs and take care of my little brother. And just when everything is starting to go right, you mess everything up; so I'm sorry I'm not jumping at the opportunity to risk my life or my brother's!!!" I yell and I notice the few people around us staring.

I don't even wait for him to respond as I walk out of O'Connors. I am so mad, mad at my mom for not dropping this whole research, mad at Richard for ruining everything just when I was moving on with my life.

It's not just my life in danger but Max's too. If something happened to him, I would never forgive myself. If I actually decide to listen to Richard and help him, and something happens to me, he's going to be all alone. I can't do that to him.
He had not taken our parents' death well, he cried for weeks straight and barely said anything to me. He'd lock himself up in his room and would only come down when he got hungry. Max and my dad were really close, they would go to football games together, Max would always spend time at the dealership with my dad after school. I can't let him go through all of that again.