The Mystery of the Man in Apartment 5B

Kids

It's been three days since I've left the apartment. Michaels stopped by, but I've just ignored him. I told him that I didn't feel good. Truth is that I'm embarrassed to even see him again.

"If you're not going to use Michael can I?" Fortune asks as he lays beside me on my bed.

"Why do you need him?" I ask as I bury my head into the pillow.

"Because someone has been following me around," he tells me.

I lift my head up and stare at him, "why didn't you tell me Fort?" I ask.

"I didn't want you to worry about me," he shrugs.

"Well now I'm worried and yes you can do whatever you want with him," I tell him as I bury my head back into my pillow.

(Fortune's POV)

"Thanks Mika," I tell my brother as I jump off of his bed and head to Michael's apartment.

One of the twins open the door. "Hey, what's up?" Ezra says.

"Nothing really. Is your father home?" I ask.

Ezra nods and steps aside for me to walk in. "I'll go get him," he says before disappearing down a hall.

I take the opportunity to look around his apartment. Not to snoop, but just to look.

There's a small piano near the door. Above it are pictures. There are pictures of Michael and the twins. There's also pictures of other kids. I thought he only had two, but he clearly has more. Well maybe they are just family members.

"What's up?" Michael asks from behind me. Not expecting him, I jump. "You alright?" Michael laughs.

"Yup. Just scared the crap out of me," I reply.

"Sorry," he says.

"It's okay, but I was wondering if I could borrow you for a bit? Considering Mika probably isn't going to leave he apartment within this century I thought that I'd-"

"Sure," he interrupts and holds open the door.

"O-okay," I say as I exit the apartment.

--

"Were those your kids on the wall?" I ask in the elevator.

"Yea," he says as the elevator opens. We then head out of the apartment building and to the right. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know," I chuckle. "I kind of need some new running shoes, so somewhere where there are shoes?"

"You are stranger than your brother," he tells me. Then he adds, "if that's even possible."

I just roll my eyes.

--

At a shoe store I ask about his kids again. "So, where are they?" I ask as I sit down to try on some shoes that I know that I'm not going to buy. I guess you can say that I'm just trying to waste some time.

Michael glances around before sitting on a bench across from me. "Three are with their mother, my ex-wife, in Miami. Two are off traveling the world. And one passed away last summer from cancer," he tells me.

"I'm sorry," I tell him. "How old?"

"He was just six. Tyler," he replies. Silence falls between us. "So, why's your brother avoiding me?" Michael asks as he takes another look around.

"Because he embarrassed himself," I tell him.

"He has nothing to be embarrassed about," Michael says.

"I know, but I think he likes you," I say.

Michael's head snaps quickly to my direction.

I laugh at him, "yea."

"M-me?" Michael stutters.

"Y-yes," I mimic.

He then glares at me. "What about Andy?"

I shrug. "Lately I don't know about them. They are completely madly in love one minute and the next they spend days without talking or even looking at each other."

"Well that's healthy," he says. I nod my head.

"I don't know. I just catch him glancing at you whenever he can. He seems happier around you," I tell him. Michael just nods his head. My phone then goes off.

Mika.

"Hello," I answer.

"Where are you?" Mika asks quickly.

"At the shoe store, but if you actually shower and get dressed you can meet us for lunch," I tell him.

I catch Michael laughing to himself.

"Maybe," he says.

"It's a yes or no Mika."

"Fine," he tells me before hanging up.

"Is he coming?" Michael asks nervously as he finally sits back down.

"Yes," I tell him as I put my shoes back on.

"Are you getting those?"

"No," I chuckle.

Michael then stands up and walks away. A couple minutes later he wanders back with a box and hands it to me. "I wear these," he says and then sits back down.

I open the box and try the shoes on. "I think I'm going to get these," I tell him.

--

An hour later Michael and I are waiting at a cafe for Mika. Michael is nervous. I can tell.

(Mika's POV)

I eventually convince myself to meet Fortune and Michael at a cafe. Unfortunately I don't have Michael with me and was followed by a couple of people all the way there. When Michael noticed he got up and rescued me.

"Thanks," I tell him as we both sit down across from each other.

Michael nods.

"So, Michael was telling me about his kids earlier." Fortune says to me and then looks to Michael. Michael glares at Fortune.

"Like you have more?" I ask Michael.

Michael nods. "I have five others," he tells me.

"Really?" I ask excitedly.

"Yea. The younger three are with their mother and the oldest two are I think in Finland right now..."

"You think?" I ask.

"Yea," he chuckles. "I last talked to them when they were in London last week. They said they were supposed to be in Finland this week."

"How old are they?" Fortune asks.

"Mikey and Thomas are 19. And Jacob, Josiah, and Jason are 13," Michael tells us.

"So, you were married?" I ask.

"Yes, but we split up three years ago when I told her that I was gay. She got furious and moved to Miami with the kids. Ezra and Emmett gave her a hard time, so she sent them back to stay with me. We had a six-year-old, Tyler. Once he got sick she sent him to live with me before he passed away."

Seeing that it upset Michael to talk about it I didn't pressure him to say anymore about his kids. When he's ready he'll tell me, maybe. The rest of the lunch was alright. Michael pretty much stayed silent the entire time, just occasionally laughing at Fortune and I arguing.