It occurred to me at work, as I lay under a table checking for any identifying markings, what a strange life I had made for myself. People were just people, underneath their status; I didn't think about it too much. But how funny was it to be partying with red-carpet stars one night and working in an obscure little shop the next?
"Alec, your phone is vibrating." Tessa informed me from behind the counter. It was a slow day and she was reading one of her books. The buzzing must have bothered her.
I shuffled out from under the table and hoisted myself up.
"I think somebody is trying to call you." Tessa added, looking concerned. "They've been trying for a while."
"My family are persistent." I explained on my way over. Tessa plucked up my phone and handed it to me. Four missed calls from Isabelle, and it was starting to ring again.
"Go ahead and take it." Said Tessa told me.
She was very relaxed about this kind of thing when there was nobody around. Usually I would wait until I had a break but I was worried that it might be an emergency. I thanked Tessa and went to the back room. By the time I got there the phone had stopped vibrating, but it started up again right afterwards. I saw my sister's name on the screen just before I answered it.
"Izzy." I said, simply. I thought she was going to get on my case for taking so long to answer. Instead I heard a sob which sent me into panic mode right off the bat. "Izzy? What happened?"
"It's Simon." Isabelle sniffed. Instantly I filled with protective rage. How dare any guy make my baby sister cry.
"What did he do to you?" I growled into the phone.
"What?' Isabelle hiccupped. "He didn't do anything. He's been kicked out."
I went quiet. I knew Simon had problems with his Mother, but damn. That was harsh. I tried to collect myself and think calmly. I really wished I was with Isabelle. I could have hugged her and got her to speak rationally and explain better. Right now she was freaking out too much to talk sense.
There was a knock on the door to the back room. A light tapping I might have missed if Tessa hadn't spoken.
"Is everything okay, Alec?" She asked tentatively.
I opened the door so that we were face to face and gestured to the phone. Her grey eyes were inquisitive while Isabelle was talking about Simon and his Mother and our parents. It was all completely jumbled and almost incomprehensible.
"To be honest, I can't tell what's going on." I told Tessa. "Izzy is in a state."
"Do you need to go?" Tessa asked with no irritation. Only curiosity and a little worry.
Did I want to skip a day's pay when I was still recovering from quitting my last job so that I could drive to my Mother's house and listen to my sister cry about her boyfriend?
"I'm sorry. I'll make the hours up." I promised. If the offer to be there for my baby sister when she was in hysterics was there, then I would always take it without question. She sounded like she really needed me.
I got to my Mother's house as fast as I could.
Izzy was waiting on the porch with Simon when I arrived. He had an arm around her and was talking into her ear. Beside him there was a heavily stuffed rucksack, but no other luggage.
"Are you guys okay?" I asked.
Obviously, they weren't doing great. I could hear muffled yelling from Mother and Father inside. I knocked on the door, but of course they weren't paying enough attention to answer it. I moved a little closer to an open window.
"You expect me to leave that poor boy homeless?" Mother screeched. "What is the matter with you?"
"I expect you to keep Isabelle's best interests in mind!" Father snapped back.
"You aren't thinking about Isabelle and you know it!" Mother yelled. "You're just thinking of yourself, as always!"
I winced. Eavesdropping wasn't doing any good - it rarely did, I was still reeling over what I'd heard at the Scott house - so I strode back over the deck and knelt in front of Isabelle. The fighting must have been what had gotten her worked up.
"Is Max in there?" I asked. I had my priorities; a kid his age shouldn't have to listen to adults fighting like that. Izzy shook her head and told me that he was out with friends. That was good.
I turned my attention to Simon, whose face was a picture of guilt.
"What's going on?" I questioned.
"I was telling Iz that I was going to call my sister-" Simon began, only to be interrupted.
"But he can't stay with her, she lives in a dorm!" She declared. "I said he should stay with us. Your old room is spare."
"And Mother didn't like that plan?" I speculated.
"Mother was fine!" Izzy exclaimed. "Father is the problem!"
I looked back at the house. It wasn't really any of his business who my Mother let stay there. I thought about it a little longer and it hit me.
"He uses that room to stay over?" I questioned. Izzy's face went hard, like she didn't want to admit it. Simon cast his eyes elsewhere.
Suddenly it made sense. Father was at the house a lot and felt as though he could come and go as he wished. Maybe if there was a spare room he'd think it was fair game for using when he liked. If Simon was in there, then he wasn't.
"I should call Clary..." Simon commented. I was surprised that his best friend didn't already know. Then again Clary wasn't omniscient. "Her Mum would probably put me up for a night or two."
I shook my head. What happened after that 'night or two'? Don't get me wrong, Clary's Mother was great. She would probably let Simon stay at her place forever. But sooner or later there'd be a drop in her finances - being an artist didn't make Jocelyn masses of money - and she'd need to justify keeping an extra teen in her house.
"Me and Kyle have a futon at our place. You can crash with us." I told Simon. Kyle wouldn't mind having him there; we were all friends. None of us wanted Simon to be homeless.
Izzy looked at me like I'd rescued the two of them from a burning building.
"He won't be happy when your rent is due." Simon reminded me.
My offer stood, of course. Simon was an unemployed high school kid. He would have trouble contributing wherever he went but somebody had to have him over. If people like Camille were counting as family nowadays; then so was Simon. What if he stayed with my sister and they got married someday? I wasn't going to be the one who had failed my brother-in-law when he really needed support.
I told Simon to take his bag and get into my car. We could cross the bridge of money issues when we got there. After I gave him the keys Izzy let me into the house. Our parents were still at it, arguing in the kitchen about which one of them was the more responsible one.
Personally, I think I had them both beat in that moment. And I was the guy who'd let their little girl get drunk at an overnight party a couple nights before.
"I just thought you'd like to know-" I called; I had to be kind of loud to make myself noticed over their spat. The two of them looked up at me with the shock-horror of anybody caught doing something they shouldn't have been doing. "Simon is coming to live with me."
The two of them were both quiet and still. Their expressions read loud and clear; the two of them had forgotten the subject of their argument. Mother clicked first.
"Are you sure, Alexander? It really isn't up to you to take care of the boy." She said with concern. Simon wasn't a kid; it wasn't like he needed babysitting. He needed food and a bed that wasn't a box on the street. I had that.
"It isn't 'up to' anybody. I want to help, I'm helping." I stated, maybe a little too coldly, to both of them. I hoped that Father would get the message, because I guess it was really directed at the one who didn't want to offer assistance. "So you two can stop the row. You're making Izzy cry."
More absolute horror on their faces. I'd been so relieved that Isabelle hadn't been home the day the two of them split up; she'd never seen them really fight. Now the two of them had ruined that for her.
All of a sudden I was remembering exactly why I'd been worried when my parents started talking again.
"Thank you, Dear." Mother said. Her voice was small, barely audible. She seemed thoroughly ashamed of herself.
I looked at Father, who was more prideful. He just looked mad. If I were my Mother I wouldn't let him stay in the spare room whether Simon was in it or not. I kept that opinion to myself because I didn't want another argument to arise. I turned and stalked out of the room.
When I reached the doorway Izzy had dried her tears and was standing a little taller. A real Lightwood girl.
"Do you want to come with us? Get out of here for a while?" I asked her. I didn't want my sister left alone with those two any more than she wanted to be there.
"Thanks Alec." Said Izzy with a smile of appreciation. I put my arm around her shoulder comfortingly and we went out to the car where Simon was waiting.
Well, I'm not sure that the chapter is really working, but I didn't want to put off posting any longer. I hope it was alright, anyway. I should post the next chapter "Make Yourself At Home" soon.