Page 18 of Until You

chapter

five

Oliver

I wait until she disappears down the hallway—bare feet, damp hair, towel, attitude—before I drop onto my grandparents’ couch and press both palms against my eyes hard enough to see stars.

Cora.

Her name is Cora and she lives in my grandparents’ house. Surely I am losing my mind.

I pull out my phone. My hands are not as steady as I’d like. I open the sibling group chat, stare at it for ten full seconds, then close it.

I open Henry’s name instead.

Because Henry is the oldest. Henry is measured. Henry will not immediately combust.

Me: I need to talk to you about something and I need you to be calm about it.

Henry: That’s never a great opening, but go ahead

Me: Did you know Mimz and Pops hired a live-in health aide?

Three dots appear. Disappear. Reappear.

Henry: A what?

Me: A live-in health aide. As in someone who lives in their house. Full-time. Taking care of them.

Henry: No. Since when?

Me: I don’t know. Long enough for her to be comfortable walking around in a towel.

Me: I just found out because I stopped by with a truckload of my belongings after my oldest brother kicked me out of his house on account of his surprise wife.

Henry:

Henry: So a woman lives there with them?

Me: Her name is Cora. She says she’s their live-in aide. She has a license.

Henry: Okay, hold on. Why do they need a live-in aide?

Henry: Mimz just sent me a picture of herself doing the limbo on a cruise ship two days ago

Me: Exactly.

Henry: So why do they have one?

Me: That’s what I’m trying to figure out.

Henry: Have you asked them?

Me: They’re on a boat in the Caribbean, Henry. In international waters. Doing the limbo.

Henry: Fair point

Henry: Is this woman legit?