I know she’s trying to process all this. Just like when I was her age, eavesdropping on all the hushed conversations Mama had about Daddy. Corinne might be young, but she notices how when she enters a room it sucks our conversation dry about what’s happening. Jamal used to be the one to smooth things over.

Corinne was born after Daddy was sentenced, so she didn’t know what life was like with Daddy. But she did know with Jamal. He filled in in Daddy’s absence. A big brother to protect her. He made sure she could look up to him. At her school events, all her friends loved seeing Jamal. He’d race them at her playground. He never treated her dropoffs like a chore, not like me. Jamal was the string tying us all together. Making sure the hole wouldn’t be so empty that if Daddy came back it’d still be impossible for him to fill. Now I see that hole turn gaping. I hate that Corinne will have to carry that shadow behind her, those invisible chains that say who her daddy was. Who her brother was. I don’t want that to swallow her up, replacing her with somebody new. I just hope it’s someone with armor, not someone who can break. Not someone like Tasha or myself. But someone better.

I get up and grab paper to write a note to Corinne that I’ll slip in her lunch box, just like Jamal would if he was here and this went down.

Have a good day, Bighead. I love you.

I go back to the table to finish up breakfast. Mama sends Corinne upstairs to brush her teeth before they leave. Steve finally sits down.

“Have either of you heard from Jamal, since last night?” Steve asks.

There’s tension in the air. No one wanting to put the words out loud that we’ve been in touch with him at all. The trust that our house is sacred, gone. Mama’s eyes are wide, hopeful, but she lowers them when I don’t respond. Steve doesn’t know us well, but even he’s picked up that our family is tight. Jamal might be on the run, but he wouldn’t forget about us. He’d be worried if word got to him. I hope this means he’ll reach out.

I check my phone. Nothing.

“You think they’ll catch whoever did this last night?” I ask.

Steve takes a bite of food, then looks up. “Hopefully, when they question Richard Brighton, they’ll find out who he’s affiliated with. Could be more suspects to look into.”

“He’s family to them. You think much will come out of his arrest?”

“He was taken into custody for questioning. If he’s released after a break-in, we’ll know exactly what side the police are on.” Steve takes a sip of coffee.