Four Of A Kind-Chapter 156: [3.58] Tell Me Even If It Hurts

My coffee suddenly tasted like ash. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Iris’s expression shifted. "She contacted you."

Not a question. A statement.

"How did you—"

"You froze when I called you mom. Like actually froze. You haven’t done that since..." She trailed off. "Since she left."

I should’ve known better. Iris had inherited the same observational curse I had. Nothing got past her.

"She texted," I admitted. "A few times."

"When?"

"Wednesday."

"And you didn’t tell me."

"Didn’t seem important."

Her fork clattered against her plate. "Are you serious right now?"

"Iris—"

"She’s been gone for twenty months. Twenty. And you didn’t think I’d want to know she finally reached out?"

"What was I supposed to say? ’Hey, Mom texted to tell us she’s figuring herself out in California while we’re here eating instant ramen and sharing one bedroom?’"

"Yes! Exactly that!" Iris stood up so fast her chair scraped. "I deserved to know!"

"And say what back to her? ’Thanks for abandoning us, glad you’re having fun?’"

"I don’t know! Maybe I wanted the chance to decide for myself!"

We stared at each other across the table.

The kitchen suddenly felt too small. Too quiet except for the fridge humming and the neighbor’s TV bleeding through the walls.

"I blocked her number," I said finally.

Iris blinked. "You... what?"

"I blocked her. Deleted the conversation. She doesn’t get to check in when it’s convenient and disappear when it’s hard."

"That’s..." Iris sat back down slowly. "That’s really extreme, Zay."

"Is it? She left us. She took the grocery money and left. If she actually gave a damn, she’d be here. Not texting from three thousand miles away asking how we’re doing."

Iris looked at her plate. Her eggs had gone cold.

"I’m sorry," she said quietly. "I’m sorry she did that to us. To you."

"Not your fault."

"Still sucks."

Yeah. It did.

My phone buzzed on the table.

Vivienne: Reminder: 8 AM briefing before launch prep. Don’t be late. Bring the folder I left on the west wing desk.

Harlow: GOOD MORNING ASSISTANT-KUN!!!! ☀️ Today’s gonna be great! Also Iris’s Uber is confirmed! I’m so excited!! 💕

Cassidy: you better not bail today. i need you to tell me im not gonna fail

No message from Sabrina. She never texted before noon.

"Speaking of the Valentines," Iris said, eyeing my phone, "which one do you think it was? The kisser?"

"We’re not doing this again."

"I’m just saying, if you eliminate the ones who are definitely not interested—"

"They’re all my employers, Iris. That’s it."

"Your ears are red."

"They are not."

"They’re literally glowing."

I stood up and collected the plates. "Go finish packing."

She grabbed my wrist. "Hey. Seriously. Are you okay?"

I looked at my fourteen-year-old sister. The one who’d had to grow up faster than any kid should. The one who never complained about eating ramen for the fifth night in a row or wearing thrifted clothes or sleeping alone in an empty apartment while I worked until midnight.

"I’m fine," I lied. "Just tired."

"You’re always tired. That’s not the same as fine."

"Iris—"

"Promise me something."

"What?"

"If Mom tries to contact you again, tell me. Even if you think it’ll hurt. I’d rather know than find out later that you were carrying it alone."

Something tight in my chest loosened.

"Okay. I promise."

She hugged me quickly, her face pressed against my shoulder. "Love you, idiot."

"Love you too, gremlin."

She pulled back and wiped her eyes. "Now I’m gonna go pack my cute pajamas because Harlow said we’re doing a sleepover in the theater room and I need to look aesthetic."

"You’re fourteen. Everything’s already aesthetic."

"You don’t understand fashion." She disappeared back into her room, leaving me alone with dirty dishes and the weight of everything I had to accomplish in the next sixteen hours.

I washed the plates. Dried them. Put them away.

My phone buzzed again.

Cassidy: seriously tho. you think im gonna pass?

I stared at the message. She’d sent it at 4:52 AM, which meant she was awake too. Probably going through her notes. Triple-checking her formulas.

Me: You’re going to pass. I’ve seen your practice scores.

The reply came immediately.

Cassidy: practice isnt real tho

Me: Practice is literally preparation for real. That’s the entire point.

Cassidy: what if i freeze

Me: Then you breathe and remember the graph paper method. Color code in your head if you have to.

Cassidy: that sounds stupid

Me: Stupid things work sometimes. Remember the poker chips?

Cassidy: fine. whatever. youre annoying

Me: Go back to sleep. You need rest before the test.

Cassidy: cant sleep

Me: Try anyway.

Cassidy: youre not the boss of me

Me: Your contract says otherwise.

Cassidy: i hate you

Me: See you at school.

She didn’t respond after that. Probably threw her phone across the room.

"Iris!"

"WHAT?"

"You packed?"

"ALMOST!"

I walked to her door and knocked. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, hold on—" The sound of frantic shuffling. "Okay, good!"

Her room was chaos. Clothes everywhere, manga volumes scattered like landmines, her bed unmade. But her overnight bag sat by the door, zipped and ready.

She was organizing her desk drawer with intense focus, probably hiding something she didn’t want Mrs. Delgado to find while we were gone.

"I’m about to leave."

"I know, I know." She closed the drawer and faced me. "Okay. I’m ready."

I scanned the bag. "You packed everything?"

"Yes, dad."

"Toothbrush?"

"Yes."

"Toothpaste?"

"Oh my god, yes. What are you, my—" She stopped herself.

The word hung there again. Mom.

"Sorry," she said quickly. "I didn’t mean—"

"It’s fine." I picked up her bag. It weighed approximately forty pounds. "Jesus, what did you pack?"

"Essentials!"

"This feels like you’re moving to the manor permanently."

"Harlow said I could borrow from The Archive if I need anything. Apparently they have, like, a whole closet just for guest clothes."

My phone lit up with a notification.

"Alright. You have your phone?"

"Yes."

"Charger?"

"Yes."

"Emergency money?"

"Zay, I’m going to a mansion, not the wilderness."

"Humor me."

She patted her jacket pocket. "Fifty bucks. Happy?"

"Thrilled."

We walked down the four flights of stairs together. The building was quiet at this hour. Only the smell of coffee from 2B and the sound of Mrs. Kowalski’s morning news program bleeding through her door.

Outside, the sky was still dark. Street lights cast orange pools on the pavement.

"I’m off," I said.

Iris hugged me quickly. "Don’t die at your tests. Or the party. Or anywhere really."

"I’ll do my best."

"And text me when you get there tonight! Harlow said we’re making cookies!"

"You’re gonna have a better weekend than I am."

She grinned. "Obviously. I’m hanging out with fun people. You’re working."

"Harsh."

"Honest." She started heading back inside, then paused. "Hey, Zay?"

"Yeah?"

"That thing we talked about earlier. About Mom." Her voice got quieter. "I get why you blocked her. I’m not mad."

Something in my throat tightened.

"Okay."

"But if she tries again, through a different number or whatever. Just... let me know. I don’t need to talk to her. I just need to know."

"I will. Promise."