𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩

Chapter 5

Three - Cyrus
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A Problem With Several Attachments

Confession time: Cyrus convinced Percy and they ditched Grover as soon as they got to the bus terminal.

  I know, I know. It was rude. But Grover was freaking him out, looking at Cyrus like he was a dead man, muttering “Why does this always happen?” and “Why does it always have to be sixth grade?”

  Whenever he got upset, Grover's bladder acted up, so Cyrus wasn't surprised when, as soon as they got off the bus, he made the brothers promise to wait for him, then made a beeline for the restroom. Instead of waiting, Cyrus got his suitcase, slipped outside, and caught the first taxi uptown.

"East One-hundred-and-fourth and First," Percy told the driver.

  A word about their mother, before you meet her.

  Her name is Sally Jackson and she's the best person in the world, which just proves Percy's theory that the best people have the rottenest luck. Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was five, and she was raised by an uncle who didn't care much about her. She wanted to be a novelist, so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program. Then her uncle got cancer, and she had to quit school her senior year to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma.

  The only good break she ever got was meeting Percy's dad.

  Percy doesn't have any memories of him, just this sort of warm glow, maybe the barest trace of his smile. Their mom doesn't like to talk about him because it makes her sad. She has no pictures.

  See, they weren't married. She told the brothers he was rich and important, and their relationship was a secret. Then one day, he set sail across the Atlantic on some important jour-ney, and he never came back.

  Lost at sea, their mom told them. Not dead. Lost at sea.

  She worked odd jobs, took night classes to get her high school diploma, and raised them both on her own. She never com-plained or got mad. Not even once. But Cyrus knew he wasn't an easy kid, nor was his brother.

  Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice the first thirty seconds the family knew him, then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk. When Percy was young, he nick-named him Smelly Gabe. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. The guy reeked like moldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts.

  Between the two of us, the three made Mom's life pretty hard. The way Smelly Gabe treated her, the way he and the brothers got along ... well, when the two came home is a good example.

  "We're home," Percy sighed as he looked at the door, remembering what waited for them inside.

  "Yeah. Finally here," Cyrus nodded.

  Cyrus and Percy walked into their little apartment, hoping their mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet.

  Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, "So, you're home."

  "Where's our mom?" Cyrus demanded, stepping in front of his brother.

  "Working," he said. "You got any cash?"

  That was it. No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months?

  Gabe had put on weight. He looked like a tuskless walrus in thrift-store clothes. He had about three hairs on his head, all combed over his bald scalp, as if that made him handsome or something.