1

“So what do you think?” Susan Jordan — more commonly known to her family and friends as Suzy — asked her mother as she whirled around the living room with a huge smile on her face.

Her daughter was excited, Elizabeth Jordan could tell, so how was she going to say anything negative? Besides, even if she wanted to, she couldn't think of anything wrong with the place her daughter had chosen.

The apartment was perfect. Not too expensive so she wouldn’t have issues renewing the rent. It wasn't a very large apartment, but it was spacious enough to meet her needs and it was only one hour away from the family house. She knew that Susan had always wanted to move into the more developed and exciting part of the town, and now the time had finally come.

Susan was staring at her mother now, but her smile had turned into a frown. “What's wrong with it?” she asked, clearly confused by her mother's silence, “I thought you'd like it,”

“I do.” Elizabeth replied quickly, moving towards her daughter and taking her hand in hers, “I promise I do. I just got lost in thought for a moment. Do you have any idea how much I'm going to miss you? First your brother, and now you… I'm happy, but I'm allowed to miss you, okay?”

Relief flashed in Susan's eyes and her smile was back again, “I'll miss you too, Mom, but I'm going to be twenty seven this year, I think it's time for me to move out. You and I know that I should have done this years ago,”

Susan didn't have to explain this to her mother, but they both knew that the only reason why Susan had moved back into the house after college was because she didn't want her mother to be alone after her father had died in a horrible car accident. Knowing how deeply her parents loved each other, she'd been worried for her mother, and so she stayed. But now, five years later, she was finally taking that big step. It was happening much later than it had compared with her peers, but Susan didn't mind, and she didn't regret her decision to stay with her mother.

“Besides,” Susan added, and winked at her mother, “I don't think you'll miss me that much. You have Mr Williams to keep you company now,”

She grinned as her mother looked away shyly. Her mother had met Luke Williams four months ago and they'd begun dating two months later. Luke Williams was a nice elderly man in his early sixties who smiled a lot and insisted she called him Luke whenever she spoke to him. It was weird seeing her mother with someone who wasn't her father at first, but she'd gotten used to it as soon as she got to know Luke better. Her mother was happy, and that was what mattered the most.

“It's okay for you to date, Mom,” she continued as she saw her mother's expression, “Dad has been gone for five years now, and I think he'd want you to live your life and be happy. I am very happy for you too but I think that's also another reason why I need to move out.”

“I don't think your brother feels the same way,” her mother said, “He doesn't seem to like Luke very much,”

“He's Sam,” Susan replied, “You know how he is so I'm not surprised. He is always upset about something, but he will get over it. Now, it's getting late so why don't you start heading home… I can handle the rest of these boxes myself,”

After her mother left Susan sat in her new living room and stared at the remaining boxes scattered all over the floor. She was practically starting a new life, and she was looking forward to it. It was scary and exciting at the same time, but this was how it was supposed to be, right? What could possibly go wrong?

__________

Susan Jordan worked as a Real Estate agent, not necessarily because it was her dream job or because she loved it, but because it paid her bills. Most people believed that what a person did for a living had to be something they loved, but Susan wasn't one of those people.

She didn't hate her job, but she didn't like to kid herself either. The only reason why she had this job was because she was an adult. Adults had bills to pay, and now that she was finally living alone, it meant that she would have more bills to settle.

If she had the time to have a second job, she'd have gone for it, but she worked almost every day of the week, and between working at the office and showing houses to clients, she didn't have the time. The weekends and off days were reserved for herself, and she spent it running errands, reading and going to the gym.

This evening, she was on her way home from work, but she was heading to her brother's house first. Samuel Jordan, her brother was three years older than Susan, and after the death of their father, he'd stepped up as the man of the house. Samuel knew it was his responsibility to look after his mother and sister, and he did that to the best of his ability.

But months ago, Susan began to suspect that something was up with her brother. He barely came to visit anymore, and most of the time they could only reach him on the phone. Even now, a week had passed since she moved into her new apartment, and Samuel still hadn't come to visit. All he'd sent her was a text, and it was unlike him.

As she drove now to the two bedroom apartment he occupied, she knew he wouldn't like that she come unannounced, but she didn't care. She'd not seen her brother in weeks, and their mother was starting to get worried too.

His car was parked in the driveway when she arrived, but there was another black car there that she didn't recognise, and Susan could tell by looking at it that it was expensive. Wondering whose company her brother was currently entertaining, she got out and headed for the front door.

The door opened as she lifted her hand to knock, and Susan found herself staring into the eyes of a man she'd never seen before. He was huge, had his hair tied at the back of his head in a man bun, and looked like he spent a lot of time at the gym. His outfit made him look even more intimidating. He wore black pants and a black leather jacket, and he was staring at her like she'd interrupted a very important —or secret meeting.

Susan returned his gaze and swallowed hard, and she knew just by looking at this man that he was trouble. He wasn't someone she wanted to be around, and she didn't want him around her brother either, but he was right here in Samuel's house, and she had to know that her brother was alright.