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Prologue

Robert

Eight years ago

I was in a rush I was always in a rush I livedto the next I was in raduate programs in the country and I was top of o to law school when I graduated in two years I was nineteen years old and knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life I had it all mapped out

I was sht future ahead of me

And I was going to drown if I wasn’t careful

I checked the ti late That wouldn’t do Robert Jenkins didn’t do “late” I grabbedwith my work ‘uniform’ and tried to find my keys somewhere in the mess that I called a dorm I had been lucky to secure campus accommodation, otherwise, I’d never been able to afford to live in Philadelphia

I was also lucky that I had been able to get enough financial aid to cover my costs Sure, I’d have a raduated but I’d have to worry about that later

My phone rang and I thought about not answering it If I were ive my shift to someone else And I couldn’t afford that But I also knew it could be et hold of me

“Hello?”

“Rob, you’re home!” It was uts twisted into uncomfortable knots of concern I braced myself for whatever storm approached

“Hey, Ma I was just heading off to work,” I told her,It’s not that I didn’t want to talk toShe had always been my loudest cheerleader She couldn’t be prouder of her eldest son graduating top of his class froes in the country She bragged to everyone about her genius kid She had spent the last five years caring for my dad as he sloasted away from bowel cancer When he died last year I hated how relieved I had been Mostly that he was no longer in pain, but also so that my mother could have some semblance of her life back

“I won’t keep you I just wanted to make sure you’re still able to visit Sam on Saturday He’s very excited to see you”

My guts twisted tighter “Of course I wouldn’t miss it I’ll take the bus to the house and we can head over together”

“I’ to make him some of his favorite peanut butter bars He so loves theuilt in her voice I could feel it like a physical thing My er brother, Sareat facility and he was getting the absolute best care The truth was my mother couldn’t care for Sahteen months, was born with Downs Syndro, requiring my mother to homeschool hienital heart disease that required frequent medical attention Betweendemands, my mother was ill-equipped to handle the pressure My brother’s social worker suggested residential care, which ainst at first She wouldn’t have it Her son belonged at hoer and his fits becaly more violent, his needs increased to the point where she had to admit it was more than she could deal with But there was the problem of cost She wouldn’t ever allow Sa center But my family wasn’t wealthy My dad and brother’s continuous healthcare costs had eaten up what little money they had

So that’s where I stepped in Riding to the rescue like I always did

My grand a superhero cape Froe, I took the role of a fa up forthe laundry soandAladdin, his favorite movie, for the thousandth time

It was a hard role to have, but it was one I euy they all counted on It was ingrained in my DNA