2

"Harsh, aren't you? Well, if you ask, I want you to accommodate my soon to be step son for a while. He—"

"No," I said sternly. Review his benefits to go into a deal with a company, sure. Do that. No.

"Please, he's been newly enrolled in that college... Den... Um..."

"It's Denfort," I corrected, rolling my eyes. Why would he enroll someone- his soon to be stepson to a school he barely knew the name of?

"That's right. I need you to help me out with his keep."

"I can't. If he's of college-age why don't you just get him into the school dormitories?" I asked, looking for a way to slip out of this. I couldn't let someone invade my heaven.

"The costs are too expensive for what they're providing."

"Oh, really..." I trailed, sarcasm staining my tone. I leaned on the wall, feeling the strain of my weight on my ankles. I wanted to get this talk over and done with.

"Well, yes—"

"I can't help you," I said, closing my eyes in frustration.

"Drew, you just have to, he's going to be at the train station tomorrow."

I cursed, balling my hands into fists in disbelief.

"Tomorrow? Tomorrow?! What's wrong with you?!" I screamed into the phone.

"I assumed you'd be easy to convince..." I groaned. It's just like him; always 'assuming'.

"I'll make it up to you. I'll send money for his keep I just need him away until I'm married to his mother." He tried through the phone. I sighed, so that's what this is about.

"I'll do it."

"You will?"

"Yes. Keep the money, just send the details of his enrollment and arrival." I sighed, not quite believing I was helping my uncle with woman problems again.

"Of course, that's my nephew..."

"Goodbye uncle," I sighed, hanging up. Why couldn't my father have had more normal brothers? Looking around the living room, I wondered if a seventeen, maybe eighteen-year-old, would want to live here. It was a small, reserved, simple town, and it was a little far from the college.

I shook my head, trying to get the doubt out of my head. I already agreed to this, and I'm not the one to turn back on my word. Wondering away to the extra room, I turned on the lights to take a look. I frowned at the pile of dust building on the bed and furniture. Shaking my head, I wondered what exactly I had been expecting. No one had really used the room.

I walked to the windows, opening them to let in light and fresh air. I undressed the bed, taking the bed sheet and pillowcases with me out of the room. I needed to get fresh sheets, maybe clean out the drawers and do some light dusting. The bathroom would prove to be a problem too.

I walked into the small laundry, dropping the bedsheets in a hamper. Roxanne walked in, wagging her tail.

"Rox," I muttered, squatting to pet her.

"Seems we'll be having a visitor," I muttered, stroking her fur.