The Game

Chapter Twenty one - The Empty Child

They had a rule, a rule Bruce himself had set. 'Everything about the game will stay in the room.' and he was not following his own rule.

Nate shrugged “If you say so..”

“So.. Is your boss here with you?” Robert asked the twins. “Is he in the car?”

“Oh no..” Marvin answered, “That's just Colin. He is playing Temple Run 3 or something like that... I don't know.”

Mae tried to avoid Nate's gaze that made her feel like it was her fault because she fired Colin.

“We got more people coming...” Jessica pointed out. There was another car coming.

“That... Should be Leyla.” Derek said.

“...Great.” muttered Jane.

“Can we just get inside? It's getting cold out here.” Martin suggested.

Nate looked at his father, his face showed no emotions.

“Sure.” he said, his voice was calm. “When are we going to meet your boss?”

A smirk covered Marvin's face “Shouldn't be long now..”

They went inside when Leyla joined them.

This reminded Derek the family dinners they'd have annually with his distant cousins and uncles and aunts would be.

There was always a tension in the air yet, almost everyone seemed calm, or acted calm.

But any second there might be a big fight.

Specially between Leyla and Jane.

Three knocks interrupted the classroom of first graders. The principal entered apologizing their teacher.

He was accompanied by a young-man. Derek didn't know who it was but one of the students, Jeremy Turner, yelled 'Daddy!' in excitement. So, Derek used his awesome deducting skills and come to the result that the man was Jeremy's father.

“This is my dad. His name is Bruce...” he remembered Jeremy showing his family tree and explaining it “And this is my mom Annabelle.”

His father looked sad, he knelt down and hugged his son.

“I love you son..” he heard him whisper to Jeremy as a tear fell from his cheek.

Something was wrong.

“So, if everyone is here..” Martin looked around the room.

“...Almost.. But, I feel like it's enough.” Marvin nodded.

“You are the boss.” Martin said, “Not... 'The Boss' boss. You know what I mean.” he turned to the group. “Sorry boss.”

People looked at each other. Everyone except Mike.

“ 's okay.” Mike said, as he got up from his chair and stretched his arms. “Well... You wanted to meet 'the boss'. Here I am. 'The Boss'. I thought one of your would figure out by now... Specially you Derek. But... Guess not. This wasn't really the reveal I planned. But, I guess, we just have to deal with it.”

Jeremy left the classroom with his dad. They didn't see him for a couple weeks.

“His mother died..” Jane said one Friday when Derek wondered where Jeremy was gone.