Chapter Three-No Way Around It
The day went by agonzingly slow for Espa, who just wanted it to end. The morning exam was fine,but he still had to get through work. Even with Bakura taking it easy on him, he still found it difficult for him to focus. After a while, he was going about things mechanically, until Bakura pulled him to the side.
"Espa. Are you feeling okay today?" His manager and friend asked him.
"Truthfully, I would rather be at home preparing for the social workers." Espa told him. "I'm really sorry, Bakura."
"No no. Don't be. I can understand your worry. You do remember my past plight with Elizabeth,don't you?"
Espa nodded. "Yes. I remember. But you had Seto on your side too."
"So do you. Your brother Jonathan is best friends with his brother. All you have to do is ask for his help."
"I won't do it, Bakura. You know I don't accept help unless I really need it." Like I did this morning. Espa added silent to himself.
"Why don't you take the rest of today off? I got someone to cover for you tomorrow." The British boy smiled. "You need this. You've been working so hard."
"I don't have much option, Bakura. They're all I have." He was talking about his brothers, of course.
"I know. Go on now. It's not too busy right now." Bakura told him with a smile.
Espa grinned back. "Thanks, Bakura. I owe you."
"Don't worry about it, Espa. Just go take care of your brothers."
Espa nodded, and left the shop, heading over to Joey's to pick up Little Espa.
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"Hey, Espa. You're early,man." Joey greeted him. "You okay?"
"No, Joey I'm not. I'm a nervous wreck. " Espa replied, flopping into a chair in the Wheelers' living room. "I had a vision, Joey. They're going to take them."
"What?! No way!" Joey said, setting Lacey down. "Lace, go play with Little E, okay?"
"Yes, way." Espa replied softly. "I'm not sure how it happens, but it does. We're going to fail." The eldest Roba held his head in his hands.
"That's no good!" Joey exclaimed. "Espa, you're going to fight them,aren't you?"
"I don't know if I can, Joey. It's not like a duel, where if I play my cards right I can still win. They look at things we don't even think about!"
"Who are you, and what did you do with my pal Espa?!"
"Joey, please. It's not like I can win this." Espa replied sadly. "This is the government, you know."
"Roba, I'ma tell you somethin' you need to hear. You're losin' it! What happened to that determination I saw in Battle City? And Thunderborough Park? Espa, if you just let them go, you're lettin' you brothers down, and that's not you." Joey folded his arms. "That's not the Espa I know."
"What can I do, Joey?"
"First you can find out their reasons. Then you can do somethin' about 'em." Joey told him. "Hey, Rex,Underpants and I will help ya out. You know that."
"Thanks." Espa looked at the clock. "I should get Little Espa home and changed around. I'll call you tonight."
"I'll be waitn'." Joey told him, as he walked the brothers to the door. "Keep your head up, Roba. No matter how bad it gets, things always turn out okay in the end."
Espa smiled, warmed by Joey's support. "Thanks, Joey." He turned to leave with his brother.
"Oh wait! Here. I got this from the store for his cough." Joey came out with a bottle of cough syrup.
"Great. Thanks." Espa tucked it in the baby's diaper bag, and headed home.
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"Epa? You tad?" Little E had been observing his older brother, and he could feel something was wrong.
"No, baby. Just a little bit tired." Espa replied from his seat in the living room. The house was nearly immaculate, except for a few toys that laid scattered on the floor for Little E, who was playing contently.
"Cake nap." The baby advised, looking up from his blocks.
"I wish I could take a very long nap, and this day would be over." The elder Roba replied softly, wiping the mistiness from his eyes. The one thing he'd learned from his visions was that there were two types. The type that told him when his brothers were in physical danger, and the type that was a definite glimpse into the future. The second type, he'd learned he couldn't change. Well,I hope I can at least find out where their going to be sent. Then I can visit them. I won't stop being their older brother until I've breathed my last breath. They can't take that away from me. He looked at the clock for third time in the last five minutes. "Alright, E. Clean up time."
"I pwaying…" Little E replied with a whine. "Tan't I pway?"
"I told you. Special people are coming. We have ot have the house nice for our guests, remember?" He began to pick up his brother's toys, ignoring the tantrum Little E was throwing.
"I pwaying!" He cried in upset.
"I know I know. Come on. Let's go get you some cereal, okay?" He picked the baby up, ignoring the fighting kicks he was getting from him, and set him in his high chair. "Stop it, Espa Jakkob! That's enough!" He handed him a bowl of Cheerios, which immediately went to the floor.
"E!" Espa cried, and rushed to pick up the mess, as the phone rang. "Gah!" Can't the gods work with me just once! That's all I'm asking! He thought silently, as he grabbed the phone. "Roba residence, Espa speaking."
"Mr. Roba? This is Mr. Schwartz at Domino Elementary School. I have Christien here in my office."
"Yes? What's going on?" Espa eyes narrowed.
"Appearently, your brother thought it would be okay to fight in the hallway today."
Espa closed his eyes briefly. "May I speak to him?"
"Certainly."
A minute later, Christien got on the phone. "Espa?" The middle Roba broke into tears. "I'm so sorry, Big Brother…please don't be mad at me. I had to…"
"Had to? What happened, Chris?" Espa asked. He would have to punish Christien in some form, but first, he had to hear his side of the story.
"They were picking on Andy!" Christien replied hotly through his tears. "You know Andy can't defend himself."
Espa sighed deeply. "What were they doing?"
"Calling him all kindsa things, then they were taking shots at you, and Jon too! I had to do something!"
"Fighting is fighting, Chris. No matter how noble the reason. You're going to have to be punished when you get home, but it won't be bad, on account of you were defending us. Let me talk to Mr. Schwartz."
"Y-yes, Espa." Christien replied.
"We're going to have to suspend him for three weeks." The man told Espa when he got back on the phone.
"I'm really sorry about this,Mr. Schwartz. We're going through a really rough time right now, with social services and all of that. I'll take care of Christien."
"I understand that. I'll give him his write up, then send him home in a few minutes with his brothers." Mr. Schwartz replied. "Sorry for the trouble."
"Thank you." Espa retorted rather coldly. He didn't think Schwartz understood at all, unless Child Services had called the school too. He hung up on the man, with a sigh. Things cannot get any worse! Not today, anyway. All of these things are only leading up to the final act of the day, and it's a tragic ending I cannot, nor do I want to face. He couldn't help it now. As he bent to finish picking up the cereal pieces, the tears overflowed. Somewhere, he could hear Little Espa asking him if he was okay. The next thing he knew, he'd taken the baby from his chair, and was holding him tightly, while he cried.
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That's the way Jonathan, Christien and Andy found their older brother when they got home. "Espa? What's happened?" Jon asked softly, sitting beside him, while Andy crawled into his lap.
"Oh guys…" Espa said sadly. "I have to tell you all something." He'd decided while he was sitting there with the baby that he needed to tell them the truth about the situation.
"Espa?" Christien sat on his other side, taking Little E from him. "What's the matter, Big Brother? Are you mad at us or something?"
"Oh. No, Christien. I'm not mad at you at all…." Espa began. "Guys, I had a vision this morning….."
"Yeah. I know. You said Bakura demoted you. You didn't get fired, did you??" Christien looked worried.
"No. That's not it. The vision wasn't about Bakura. It was about….those people. You know the ones that come to check on us every so often?"
"Yeah…..Are they coming here today? The house actually looks clean." Jon told him with a proud smile. "That was fun last night, you know."
Espa smiled weakly. "Yes, they're coming…..but….I'm afraid it's not good news."
"What do you mean?" Christien asked. "We're doin' good in school, you're working. And we have food and clothes."
So, he does know more than I thought. Oh well..there's no reason to hide it anymore, I guess. Espa thought sadly. "They're going to take you guys away from me. I don't know why yet, but I'm sure we'll find out."
"WHAT??!" His three brothers exclaimed in unison, while at the same time, Andy broke into tears.
"Espa, you can't be serious!" Jon told him, looking perplexed.
"I'm afraid I am. It was one of th-those visions, Jon." Espa felt himself about to break down along with Andrew. "There's nothing we can do to prevent it."
"No! I won't go! I'm not losing you!" Christien's voice was full of fear. "You can't let them take us, Espa! You're our brother!" He clung to his older brother tightly.
"I'm sorry, Chris…." Espa reached over, and hugged him tightly, then he pulled his brothers close to him. "It's going to be very temporary. I'm already working on how to get you guys back."
"You shouldn't have to be in first place!" Jon exploded. "I can't believe this!"
"I know I know. It's all wrong." Espa was in tears now himself, and when he looked around, everyone but the baby,who didn't understand,was in tears too. "C-come on you guys….we're the Robas. We can handle this, right?"
"No! I wanna 'tay!" Andrew cried, burying his face in Jonathan's shirt.
"What if it's worse than just taking us away, Espa?" Jon asked after a few minutes.
"What do you mean?" Espa asked, though he was fairly sure he knew what Jon meant.
"What if we're all split up in different directions?" He asked, his eyes wide in worry. Being taken away from Espa was one thing, but to lose his younger brothers would be unbearable.
"No! They can't, can they, Espa?!" Christien asked. "I won't leave Andrew to somone who won't understand!"
"I'm afraid that's normally what happens with a large groups of siblings." Espa said quietly. He was about to add more, when the doorbell rang.
"They're here…." Christien said quietly, wiping his eyes. "Maybe we can still give them a change of heart." He stood up with Little E, and hugged him. "Come on, E. Let's go change."
"Yeah! Tange!" Andrew echoed, following his brothers upstairs.
Espa walked to the front door, with Jon on his heels. Just before answering, he turned to Jon. "I'm really sorry…."
"It's not you. It's them." Jon replied softly, before going upstairs with his younger brothers.
Espa put on his most confident smile, and opened the door..