Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The old man taught us nothing else
Ashley always had this soft, willow-tree energy.....gentle, swaying, comforting without even trying.
But there was something else underneath her tone.
Something small and private, meant only for her own thoughts.
Because in her heart, Ashley wasn’t bothered at all by tonight’s chaos.
If anything...
she was quietly happy about it.
Happy that she got to hold Lacey as she cried.
Happy that Lacey had curled into her arms and trusted her enough to fall asleep there.
Happy that she’d get to wake up beside her in the morning too, walk her to school, keep her close.
"Thank you.." Lance finally whispered.
"For looking after her."
"Of course.." Ashley said softly. "Always."
A pausez then. She continued.
"Get some rest too, Lance. Today must’ve been hard for you."
He huffed out something that wasn’t exactly a laugh.
"You have no idea."
Ashley hummed in understanding, then ended with a quiet, "Goodnight."
The line went dead.
Lance dropped the phone beside him and stared at the ceiling.
He laid there on his back, staring at the ceiling in the dark.
His body pulsed with soreness; his mind pulsed with everything else.
His mother’s text...
Lacey crying...
Lev needing to hear the news next...
He rolled onto his side, the phone warm in his hand, thumb hovering over Lev’s contact.
Best to get it done now.
Dragging it out would only make it worse.
He hit call.
It rang twice.
"Hey.." Lev answered, voice distracted, like he’d been pulled out of studying.
"What’s up?"
Lance exhaled slowly.
"Lev... Mum and Dad are getting divorced."
Lev sighed, he wasn’t surprised. Anyone with eyes could see it coming.
"...Okay.." Lev finally said. "When?"
"Tonight. Papers are already signed."
Another pause.
Lev let out a low breath. "Figures."
Lance frowned slightly. "You’re not surprised?"
"I’ve been surprised for years.." Lev replied quietly. "This is just... the part where it finally ends."
Lance swallowed.
"Mum’s okay.." he added. "She says she is, anyway. Lacey didn’t take it well. She’s sleeping over at Ashley’s."
"Yeah.." Lev said. "She’s the youngest. Makes sense."
There was a faint sound on Lev’s end, maybe a chair scraping, maybe him standing up.
"So.." Lev continued, steadier now, "what happens next?"
"Mum gets full custody of Lacey. Dad... stormed out."
A sharp scoff. "Classic."
But neither of them laughed.
Lance stared at the wall, the earlier ache in his body dull but present, layered beneath this new weight pressing on his chest.
"I just wanted you to hear it from me.." Lance said. "Not from a text. Or later."
"I appreciate it.." Lev replied. "Really."
Another pause.
Then, softer: "You okay?"
Lance hesitated.
The honest answer sat heavy on his tongue.
But he gave the one he always did.
"I will be."
"So.." Lev continued, clearing his throat, "since Mum’s officially single now and Dad’s officially useless...."
Lance snorted despite himself. "Lev."
"I’m just saying.." Lev rushed on, suddenly animated.."tuition’s coming up again, and my landlord just raised rent, and emotionally this news has devastated me..."
"You are unbelievable. You.. really asking for money right now."
"I mean...." Lev said cheerfully. "This feels like the appropriate time to ask if you can spot me a little something."
Lance rubbed his face with his free hand, a tired smile tugging at his lips. "I knew it. I knew you wouldn’t miss this window."
"Timing is everything.." Lev said proudly. "The old man taught us nothing else."
"Yeah.." Lance sighed, he could squeeze about 500 dollars for Lev. As for his tuition, their mother would take care of it but he could take care of his rent right now.
"Perhaps it’s time for you to get a job. But that aside, what’s your house rent? I’ll help you pay it off for this month and give you some allowance too."
-_-
"Lance big bro, did you run into some money? You wanna pay off my rent and even give me allowance? Must have gotten a lottery.."
Lance huffed, half-amused, half-exhausted.
"I didn’t win the lottery.." he said dryly. "Relax. Just... consider it disaster relief."
Lev laughed softly. "Wow. Divorce fund. I like it and I’m not the one who got divorced.."
"Don’t get used to it..." Lance warned.
"This is temporary. You’re still getting a job."
"Yeah, yeah.." Lev said, not sounding offended at all. "I’ll get one. Eventually. Maybe. After midterms. Or after I emotionally process the collapse of our nuclear family."
"You’re being ridiculous."
"And you love me.." Lev shot back. "So—rent’s twelve hundred. I’ve got maybe... three hundred."
Lance closed his eyes, doing the math automatically. "I’ll send enough to cover it. And a little extra. Don’t blow it on dumb stuff."
Lev gasped. "Excuse you. I only buy essentials. Like food. And textbooks. And—"
"And sneakers.." Lance cut in.
"...And sneakers.." Lev conceded. "But they’re for mental health."
Lance shook his head, a faint smile breaking through the fatigue. "I’ll transfer it tonight."
There was a pause.
Then Lev’s voice softened, losing its teasing edge.
"Hey. Thanks. Really. I know you’ve got a lot on your plate."
Lance swallowed. "We’re family. That’s what we do."
Lev chuckled, he should thank his stars for having an older brother.
"I’ll send twenty-five hundred. How does that sound?"
Lev went dead silent for exactly half a second.
Then—
"—WAIT."
Lance winced slightly and pulled the phone away from his ear.
"Did you just say—" Lev inhaled sharply, "—twenty-five hundred dollars?"
"Yes.." Lance said calmly. "Don’t make me regret it."
Lev made a strangled noise that sounded like a laugh, a gasp, and a prayer all at once.
"Oh my God. Oh my God, Lance. Big bro. First of his name. Protector of the broke. Slayer of landlords—"
"Lev."
"I’m just saying.." Lev barreled on, fully hyped now, "this is the most love you’ve ever shown me in my entire life."
"You are being dramatic."
"I AM BEING SUPPORTED."
Lance couldn’t stop the tired smile that tugged at his mouth.
"You’re going to pay your rent.." he warned, "and keep some aside. Don’t spend it all in one place."
"Yes, sir..." Lev said solemnly. "I swear on my GPA. Which is... fragile. So I mean it."
There was shuffling on Lev’s end, like he was pacing now.
"I’m actually gonna cry.." Lev admitted.
"This is insane. You know what this means?"
"That you won’t bother Mum about money this month?" Lance guessed.