Missing Moments

When event occurred:When Luka came to stay with Gavin, Nikki, Ryan, and Levi. After Standing at Tomorrow’s Threshold and before Bracing Against Today from KOYD.

Their ages:Ryan and Levi 17, Luka 19

________________________________Luka_____________________________

Pranking Gavin while I’d been staying with them had become kind of routine.

It was too much fun.

Levi and Ryan had gotten in on it a couple of times too, which only made it better because Gavin always took it way better than Rico ever would. That was probably why I’d started going a little overboard. Playing pranks wasn’t exactly something I got to do much at home unless I wanted Rico putting another hole in a wall with my body.

Okay, so he wasn’t that bad. Most of the time.

I’d done all kinds of things to Gavin since I got here. I’d taped the bottom of his computer mouse so it wouldn’t work. That had been fun. I’d taken his car keys and left a ransom note in their place. I’d even taped a harmonica to the tailpipe of his car so when he started it, it blasted this awful, cringe worthy sound across the parking lot.

The best part? I’d done that one while his car was at work. His colleagues heard everything. Epic didn’t even begin to cover it.

But today, I was about to top every prank I’d pulled so far.

Gavin was always bringing work home with him. A file. A folder. Some official looking stack of papers he’d open in the evenings while he did whatever lawyers did with all those documents. I didn’t know exactly what he worked on in them, and I didn’t need to know, because I wasn’t going to open anything.

I wasn’t stupid. I was just creative.

So I printed several error messages and put them inside a duplicate folder that looked almost exactly like the ones he brought home from work.

The message read:

404Case Not Found

The case you are looking for has been hidden somewhere in your office.

Some of the reasons why this message has shown up might be:> Visiting chaos consultant left unsupervised> Gavin needs to lighten up> Folder is currently consulting outside council> Luka was bored

If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact your local tech department.

They will respond to you...never.

I printed enough copies to make the folder feel just as thick as the real one. Ryan and Levi stood near the office doorway while I worked at Gavin’s computer, both of them watching with expressions that said they wanted to laugh but also wanted to survive.

Gavin was still at work, and Nikki had gone shopping with a friend, so no one had any idea what was coming.

Ryan leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed. “You know this is almost crossing a line, right? I mean, the files he brings home are actual legal documents and all. He might not take this one so well.”

I laughed and kept typing. “I’m not opening the file. I’m just hiding it.”

Levi leaned back in the chair across from Gavin’s desk and shook his head. “Dude, you’ve got a death wish messing with one of Gav’s case files.”

I glanced between them. “I never knew you two were such cowards.”

Ryan laughed. “We’re not cowards. We’re just more committed to survival than you are.”

“Oh, please.” I smiled and arched one brow at them. “Even if Gavin gets mad, it’s Gavin. That’s a kitten getting mad. Trust me, I’ve experienced the full pit bull version with Rico. I can handle this.”

They both knew exactly what I meant. Rico wasn’t what anyone would call a gentle disciplinarian. Gavin was easy. Gavin didn’t have a mean bone in his body. Not that Rico did either, but Rico’s version of delivering a message usually ended with me regretting my life choices, my birth, and sometimes my ability to speak.

He wasn’t that bad. Mostly. But he was freaking intimidating, and he could make a grown man consider relocating with one look. Not that I had personal experience with that.

Back to the subject. This was going to be one of my best pranks yet. One for the record books.

Once I finished the file and made it look official enough, I waited in the living room with Ryan and Levi. They’d already made sure I understood they were claiming no responsibility for my plan.

Wusses.

Finally, Gavin came home, and sure enough, there was a case file tucked under his arm.

“Did you guys do anything today,” he asked, sweeping a disappointed look across all three of us, “or did you just lie around watching TV all day?”

“It’s summer vacation, Gav,” Levi said. “That’s what we’re supposed to do.”

Gavin rolled his eyes, but a grin tugged at his mouth as he walked into his office. From where I sat on the couch, I could see him through the doorway when he dropped the file onto his desk.

He came back out and paused long enough to give us another look. “Maybe you should try going outside and playing basketball or something. You used to do that all the time.”

“Yeah, well, Chris is gone to college now,” Ryan said, “so it’s lost its appeal when we can’t destroy him at it.”

Gavin laughed under his breath and headed down the hall toward his bedroom.

Perfect. I knew he’d be gone for a few minutes because he always changed out of his suit when he got home. The second he disappeared, I grabbed the fake 404 file and headed for his office.

Ryan sat up. “Luka.”

I waved him off. “Relax.”

“That has never once made me relax.”

Levi muttered, “This is how people end up on the news.”

I ignored both of them. The real file looked very close to mine, which made me ridiculously happy. I read the tab on the real folder, copied the same words onto the fake one, and placed the fake file exactly where Gavin had left the real one.

Then I took the actual folder and glanced around the room for a good hiding spot. The bookcase. I slid five books out, tucked the file behind them, then pushed the books back into place until everything looked untouched.

Beautifully hidden.

I went back to the living room and dropped onto the sofa, trying very hard not to smile.

I failed.

Ryan looked at me. “He’s going to be furious.”

I laughed. “It’s Gavin. He doesn’t know the meaning of furious.”

Levi grabbed a pillow and threw it at my head. “You don’t know the meaning of staying out of trouble.”

I caught it and threw it right back. “You two don’t know the meaning of fun.”

A few minutes later, Gavin walked back in wearing a blue T-shirt and jeans. He went to the fridge, grabbed a beer, then headed for his office.

I watched from the sofa as he sat down at his desk and opened the folder. My smile stretched wider as he stared down at the first page.

Then he tilted his head. Then he frowned. Then he looked up and saw me watching him.

He stood with the folder in one hand and walked back into the living room.

I couldn’t stop smiling. He wasn’t smiling at all.

His eyes narrowed. “Where’s the file, Luka?”

I shrugged. “Guess you’ll have to search for it.”

His brow lifted, and for one second, if that had been Rico standing there, I would’ve been running for cover.

But this was Gavin. Gavin was a pussycat.

“Show me where the file is,” he said.

Ryan and Levi both looked at me, their smug little smiles already starting to annoy me.

“Come on, Gav.” I leaned back against the sofa. “It’s hidden. You’ve gotta search.”

Gavin stepped closer. He still didn’t smile. The fake file hung from one hand at his side while he crossed his arms. “Do you have any idea how serious this is?”

My smile wavered.

“That is a legal folder,” he continued. “If anyone handles it outside of me, it can be considered compromised. Now I have to contact my office and inform them there may have been unauthorized access to case materials. Depending on the file, the family may have to be notified too.”

Okay. That didn’t sound funny anymore.

My smile disappeared. “I didn’t open it. So it wasn’t compromised.”

“That doesn’t matter. The file was moved without my knowledge.”

I swallowed and stood. “I’ll get it.”

For some strange reason, the living room had gotten too quiet. Ryan and Levi weren’t laughing anymore, which made the pit in my stomach drop even lower. I went into Gavin’s office, pulled the file from behind the books, and handed it to him.

He took it but still didn’t smile. “Now I have to call my office.”

“But seriously, I didn’t read anything.” My voice came out faster than I wanted. “I never opened it.”

Honestly, if it was that sensitive, why would he bring it home? That seemed kind of reckless.

Gavin pointed toward the door. “Get out of my office so I can make the call. I’ll deal with you later.”

I clenched my teeth. I hated those words. Deal with you later. I’d heard them a hundred times from Rico, and now Gavin was using them too. I walked past him and headed back into the living room, hearing his office door close behind me.

Ryan and Levi both looked at me.

Ryan’s mouth twitched first. “Told you.”

“Shut up,” I muttered, and dropped back onto the sofa.

_____________________________Gavin______________________________

Luka had been trying my last ounce of patience since the day he got here. The kid had a gift for finding trouble, but without Rico around to keep him contained, he’d turned into a spring wound too tight and bouncing off every wall in my house.

Most of the pranks had been harmless. Annoying, but harmless.

The tape on my mouse. The ransom note for my car keys. The harmonica taped to my tailpipe, which had gone off in my office parking lot in front of three attorneys, one paralegal, and a client who’d already been on the edge of crying.

I’d taken it well. For the most part.

But this? This was the one that crossed from harmless into begging for retaliation.

Thankfully, I didn’t bring home confidential case files unless they never left my sight. This folder was nothing more than a redacted case summary with no identifying details and no protected information inside. Luka didn’t know that, though.

Which meant he’d handed me an opportunity. If he wanted to play dirty, I could absolutely play dirty. As soon as I closed my office door, I pulled out my phone and called Rico.

He answered almost immediately. “Please tell me Luka has not gotten into trouble.”

I almost laughed because Rico knew his little brother far too well.

“He’s fine,” I said. “But I need your help with something.”

Rico went quiet for half a second. “What did he do?”

“He’s been playing ridiculous pranks on me all week. Today, he replaced a file I brought home with a fake one full of 404 error pages.”

There was a pause. Then Rico laughed. “I’m almost proud.”

“Don’t side with him.”

“I said almost.”

“I want to flip the prank on him.”

Rico’s laugh deepened. “What do you need?”

“I told him the file was confidential, that I have to report it as potentially compromised, and that the family may need to be notified. He thinks I’m in here calling my office to make the report.”

“Oh, you want him to sweat.”

“I want him drenched.”

Rico laughed harder. “I’m listening.”

“I’m going to go back out there and tell him my office is considering pressing charges of unauthorized tampering with confidential legal documents. Since the authorities may get involved now I need to notify you.”

Rico made a low sound of approval. “You’re meaner than you look, Counselor.”

“I’ve been underestimated. You in?”

“Of course I’m in.” His voice sharpened with amusement. “Let’s terrify him.”

I smiled. “I knew I liked you.”

“But put me on speaker,” Rico said. “I want to hear him panic in front of Ryan and Levi.”

“That does make it better.”

“It makes it perfect.”

I ended the call, rolled my shoulders, and let the smile slide off my face. Then I put on the lawyer expression I’d used in courtrooms for years, the one that said I could sell almost anything if I kept my voice calm enough.

Luka had no idea what was coming.

_______________________________________Luka_______________________________________

When Gavin walked out of the office, he looked angry. Actually angry. He came toward me with the folder in his hand, and I could see Ryan and Levi watching us from the corner of my eye. Neither of them was laughing now.

“I don’t know what the big deal is,” I said before he could start. “It was just for fun.”

Gavin crossed his arms. “Luka, my office is considering pressing charges for unauthorized tampering with confidential legal documents. Do you understand how serious that is?”

I sat up straighter. “Are you serious?”

His eyes narrowed. “No, Luka. I made up a serious sounding charge to scare you. Yes, I’m serious.”

My stomach dropped.

Ryan leaned forward. “Gavin, I saw him. He never opened the file.”

For the first time all day, Ryan sounded serious too.

“Can’t you just tell them it was a dumb prank?” Levi asked.

“No,” Gavin said. “I can’t. He’s not a minor, and they’re taking it seriously because people’s lives are tied to those files. He interfered with a family court case.”

I felt a little dizzy. “What can I do to fix it?” I asked, and I hated how small my voice sounded.

I felt sick. I should’ve listened to Ryan and Levi.

“You can’t.” Gavin pulled his phone from his pocket and started scrolling.

I knew the answer before I asked. “What are you doing?”

“Calling Rico to let him know what’s going on.”

Yep. I was dead.

“Gav, you don’t have to call Rico.” I stood so fast the Levi had to shift besdie me to stay upright. “I’ll do whatever I have to do. I’ll give a statement or something. I’ll take a lie detector test.”

Ryan blinked. “A lie detector test?”

“I’m panicking. Don’t judge me.”

Gavin didn’t even look amused. He hit call, then tapped the speaker button. The ringing filled the room. I almost threw up.

Rico answered on the third ring. “Hey.”

“We’ve got a problem,” Gavin said.

I wanted to fold myself into the couch cushions and become part of the furniture.

“What kind of problem?” Rico asked, and he already sounded annoyed.

“Luka had a brilliant idea to replace a confidential legal file with a fake one. I had to report it as potentially compromised, and now my office is discussing whether this qualifies as tampering with confidential documents and considering pressing charges.”

A sharp silence followed. Then Rico said, “You have got to be kidding me.”

That wasn’t his annoyed voice. That was his pissed off voice.

“Is he there?” Rico asked.

“I’ve got you on speaker. He’s right here.”

“Luka,” Rico said. “What on earth were you thinking?”

I rubbed both hands over my face. “I was playing a joke. I had no idea it would get this complicated.”

“Complicated?” Rico snapped. “That’s what you’re calling this?”

Ryan and Levi both stared at me with wide eyes. I felt like a complete fool.

“I told Gavin I’d do whatever I had to do to fix it,” I said quickly. “I can give a statement that I never opened the file. I don’t know what’s inside it, so it wasn’t compromised.”

“That doesn’t matter when it comes to legal issues,” Rico said. “I’m sorry I was just having fun isn’t a defense.”

Gavin held the phone in front of him, his face still serious and stern.

“I’m sorry,” I said. I knew I said that a lot. I also knew it probably wasn’t going to fix anything right now, but what else was I supposed to say?

“You don’t owe me the apology,” Rico said. “You owe Gavin one. He’s the one whose job you just put on the line.”

Oh, crap. I hadn’t even thought about Gavin’s job. I looked up at him, and the guilt hit harder. “I’m sorry, Gavin. I wasn’t trying to cause trouble.”

Gavin didn’t answer.

Rico sighed heavily through the phone. “All right. I’m catching the first flight out there to help Gavin deal with this, and then you and I are going to have a little chat.”

I was past feeling sick. Now I was fairly certain I might actually die.

“What kind of consequences are we looking at here, Gavin?” Rico asked.

Gavin tilted his head at me, and his eyes narrowed. “Well, first of all, they’ll probably want a written apology to the folder that was tampered with.”

I frowned.

Gavin continued, perfectly serious. “It was a victim. There may be a victim impact statement.”

Ryan’s mouth fell open. Levi looked down at his lap.

Something about that sounded wrong.

Gavin kept going. “Then there will likely be mandated confinement to the bedroom for twenty four hours, followed by dish duty every night for the rest of his visit.”

The corner of Gavin’s mouth twitched. Just slightly.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Wait a second.”

Then Rico started laughing.

Ryan and Levi caught on at the same time, and suddenly they were both laughing too.

Gavin lifted the phone and snapped a picture of me.

“Rico, if only you could see his face.” He tapped the screen. “I’ll text it to you.”

I stared at him. Then at the phone. Then back at him. “You two were in on this together?”

Rico laughed even harder. “Luka, next time you want to pick on a lawyer, find one who doesn’t fight back.”

Relief hit me so hard I almost collapsed back into the sofa. “So that was a made up charge?” I asked.

Gavin grinned. “It was.”

I dragged both hands through my hair and let out a shaky laugh. “You’re evil.”

“Possibly,” Gavin said. “But the dish duty for the rest of your visit stands.”

I frowned. “That’s a little excessive.”

“Maybe,” Rico said through the speaker, “but you’ll do it.”

Ryan wiped at his eyes. “I think you two just gave him a minor heart attack.”

“We told you it was a bad idea,” Levi said, still laughing.

Gavin’s gaze shifted to both of them. Their laughter faded.

“So you two knew?”

Ryan sat straighter. “We weren’t involved.”

Levi lifted both hands. “At all.”

“No,” Gavin said, his grin widening. “But you were aware of the unauthorized folder activity and failed to report it.”

Ryan blinked. “I’m sorry. Are we being charged with bystanding?”

“At the moment, yes.”

Levi stared at him. “That’s not a thing.”

“I just made it a thing.”

Ryan pointed at Luka. “He acted alone.”

“He acted with your knowledge,” Gavin said.

Ryan’s mouth opened, then closed. “You can’t actually prove that.”

Levi sighed. “He doesn’t need to, we basically conffessed.”

Gavin nodded toward the kitchen. “Guess what that means?”

Ryan groaned. “No.”

“You two are on dish duty too.”

I raised my hand. “You know, since I’m the visitor here, I think I should have diplomatic immunity.”

Rico snorted through the phone. “Luka, the only immunity you have is immunity to good judgment.”

Ryan lost it again. Levi dropped his face into his hand.

I pointed at the phone. “You’re supposed to defend me.”

“I am defending you,” Rico said. “From doing something else stupid. Do the dishes.”

Gavin smiled. “Outside counsel has spoken.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. You got me. I’m done with the pranks.”

I knew they weren’t really mad. It was all still fun. But my prank had definitely backfired on me. I’d probably stop with the pranks anyway. At least for a day. Maybe two.