Take Out Chef

Chapter Seven

Chapter's song: better when I'm dancing by Meghan Trainor

I couldn't sleep properly for the whole weekend. It felt like high school all over again. To be honest, my whole high school experience hadn't been one of the greatest. I was a geek, totally focused on getting the best grades to ace a college scholarship. Which was pointless once I learned that Juno couldn't support us by herself. I promised to help her out with the hope of giving my little brother the best I could. Even if that meant that I would have to clean toilets for the rest of my life.

I woke up early enough to get the bathroom for myself, but Seth beat me. Half an hour later, I was ready to kill him.

"Seth. Seriously. GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE BATHROOM!"

My grandma's door opened as I started to bang repeatedly on the door. "Hi honey, how are you?" She asked in her usual calm demeanor.

"I'd be totally awesome if someone hadn't been using the bathroom for the last hour!" I glared at the stupid door. Seth snickered inside. "Argh!" I kicked the door and he burst out laughing.

"You can use my bathroom, sweetie." Juno yawned at the same time she opened the door to her room for me. She had her own bathroom. Seth and I were the ones that had to share. Unfortunately.

Huffing, I glared at the door once more. "You're in big trouble, dude." I grabbed the towel I'd hang on the banister as I waited and thanked Juno for letting me use her bathroom.

"You're welcome!" She said as I stepped inside her room. My whole body froze.

There was a man in her bed. An old naked man. All I could see was his chest but it was more than enough, I was probably scarred for life. He smiled at me, and I think he said something but my eyes were wide as saucers and my stupid feet didn't move.

I couldn't believe that Mr. Gomez spent the night here and we didn't notice.

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh. My God.

My grandmother was having sex while I was next door.

"I just ─Bye!" My heart thumped erratically inside my chest as I fled Junos' room.

I bumped into my brother on my way out. "What the hell, Seth!"

"What?" His hair was dripping as he grabbed me by the shoulders. He looked serious. "What happened? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Mr. Gomez is in there! Naked!" I closed my eyes and tried to picture anything but him. Cute little kittens. Think of cute little kittens. The image of the old man with that round-hairy belly popped again in my head.

Seth cracked up. "Yeah. Right!"

I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer. "He is," my tone was dead serious.

He kept quiet and glanced at Juno's door. She had closed it again. We both looked at each other for a moment before we turned away, completely panicked.

"I have to go to school." Seth said hurriedly.

I patted him on the chest. "Next time, don't take so long!"

My shower lasted no more than six minutes. I didn't want to see our butcher in my grandmother's bed again. Plus, I heard a noise ─something disturbing that I suspected was a moan─ as I left the bathroom.

We didn't have breakfast. Seth and I fled the house without even saying goodbye to Juno. I couldn't get away from the house fast enough.

On the bright side, I was early to work. Like too early. Not even Bryan had arrived, so I had to wait for him. My teeth chattered. In my hurry to leave the house, I forgot to take a jacket with me.