1- My Step-uncle
Life sucks.
Yes, it does, and no one can convince me otherwise.
Unemployed. Broke. Single. And homeless.
Scratch out the last one. I have a home. Or should I say, my parents' home?
Well, it's not just my parents, no. This mega mansion belongs to three brothers as their inheritance.
Because of their sibling bond, they chose not to sell it and just coexist with each other. Soon, the eldest, my step-dad, met my mom and blah blah blah, long story short, we moved in.
That was twelve years ago, and probably the second worst time of my life from the sudden change as we had to move countries from Canada to settle here in the USA.
My parents weren't around much because of their careers, so I spent most of my time around servants. Occasionally, I would set eyes on my step-uncles. And every time, they would come bearing gifts.
Now that I'm twenty-two and out of college, I feel too old to live here yet too broke to go back out there.
My parents don't even know that I was fired last week after I messed up a big project in the company I was working for. A job that they used their connections to get me in.
'How can you lose two jobs in less than three months?' I groan taking a bite of my duvet before thrashing around like a child.
I go a little overboard and end up rolling off the damn bed to smack the floor like the sack of waste that I am.
"Ggaah! Fück!" I groan pulling myself off the wooden floor. Just as I manage to throw my aching body back on the bed, a knock fills the quiet air.
Making sure it wasn't imaginary, I hold my breath and wait for it again. And sure as hell, it comes again.
"Emily? I know you're in there you little rascal. Open the door!" A playful order darts into my ears and straight into my heart.
My head jerks towards the door, tears of joy blurring my eyes. "Uncle Ray!" I squeak with my body bolting off of the bed and straight for the door.
In my rush, I almost break the lock. This joy cannot be contained.
It is one of my step-uncles. My favorite one, Ray Gilmore. He is the youngest of the brothers but still older than me by a solid thirteen years.
But at such an age, he has brought to life their mother's dying company and achieved greater deals than their mother ever did. 'Rest in peace, step granny, even though we never met'.
The second I unlock it, I forget how old I am and throw myself in his arms like I used to when I was a kid.
"Jesus!" Ray wheezes as the weight of my body hanging from his neck gets to him. "You're not a child you rascal. Get off of me!"
"I will if you agree to help me out."
I cling even firmly around his neck with my legs at the back of his thighs to let him feel all of my weight.
I know, this is manipulation. But who cares as long as I get what I want?
"Fine! Let go!" he breathes as my weight pulls him forward.
He has to grip the door frame just to keep him from falling over.
"Thank you!" I giggle jumping off of him to stand before him with a wide grin.
"How old are you again? Twenty-six... eight?"
I roll my eyes whirling around to walk back into my room. "Very funny. Now that you're done running around the world with your women, you finally decide to show up," I taunt him as payback. "By the way..." I spin around just as he is shutting the door behind him. "When are they getting back?"
His forehead creases up. "Who?"
"You know who I'm talking about. The doctors of the Gilmore family. Who else?"
"Oh! I don't know. I haven't talked to them in months."
"Wow! What a lovely brother you are, uncle."
"Uncle?" He raises his brow questioningly, crossing his arms on his side chest.
Damn! He looks like a supermodel with his long red hair in a half ponytail. Well, he had been a model in his mid-twenties, so fair enough.
"Uncle!" I put on a puppy face as I dash back, grabbing his arm. "You just promised to help me, right?"
It's a bit childish, but I have nothing to use to get what I want.
"Jeez, Emily. Even though we haven't seen each other for a while, you still using such childish tactics?" He sighs moving his eyes on me, unable to resist my pair. "What do you want now that you're jobless?"
I grin resting my temple on his arm. "Uncle, you know how much I love you, right?"
"Shut up and tell me what you want. But if it's a job, then don't even bother asking."
I fake a deep gasp with my head bouncing off of his arm. "I would never!"
The disbelief in his eyes is so obvious. Fair enough. I haven't always been the most obedient child in the family even though I have a little sister.
As I move my head back on his arm, a crimson spot on the arm of his gray t-shirt catches my eyes. "Is this blood?"
He suddenly flicks my forehead, distracting me.
"I heard you were fired. This is a new record. But did you think you'd hide it from me?"
I cling tightly to his arm. "That's why I want you to do me a favor. Please talk to my parents. I don't want to be kicked out again. I have nowhere to go," I whine adding an emotional depth to it just to gain his sympathy.
"Not happening."
"Then...then..."
I slide my head down to lay my chin on his chest while looking up at him. "How about you lend me some money so I don't starve out there in the cold, cold, cold world?"
"Emily," he calls with a sigh. "You know I love you too. But-" Ray begins peeling my hands from his arm, "-I promised not to spoil you anymore." He manages to unglue me completely off of him before cupping my shoulders and switching our positions to have me against the door.
"I can only help you by motivating you and making sure your insane mom doesn't kill you. Isn't that enough help?"
Argh!
Why would he abandon me like this?
I don't want to face my mom. She kicked me out after I messed up in Ray's company and asked him not to hire me again.
I spent an entire week mooching off of a college friend like a leech. That life is too miserable now that I'm a grown-up.
"Uncle!" I whimper giving him the pitiful eyes.
"Fuck!" he groans turning to the side. "You're like a little bug that won't die no matter how hard one squashes it."
Silence.
He faces me again, hands crossed on his chest. "I may be in need of a maid in my apartment. I can only let you work there for only three months. If you somehow managed to prove that you can keep that job, then I might hire you back at the company full-time with all the working benefits."
The last part makes my heart pound excitedly.
If I can pull this through, then I will secure a luxurious job. But, before that...Do I have to be a maid?
My lips part to complain but he instantly blocks my mouth with his palm. "The work won't be hard, so think about it before you cry... Food, a bed, a warm house, everything. All you need to do is
take care of the house. The last one stole something and now I can't trust outsiders so easily again."
