The sounds of birds chirping cascaded through the air as the foul-smelling garbage attracted numerous flocks of them. A new morning came as Daniel and Karen underwent desperate action in the junkyard, the same yard she had trained him in. The couple conducted their business by the runoff of a large drainage pipe, spitting out several hundred gallons of water. Daniel sat on the ground with his clothes torn and muddy. And Karen stood over him with a large metal pipe.

  "Are you ready, love?" Karen asked.

  “One second please.”

  Daniel closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

  "I was a bad son to my father. I was a terrible son to my father." Daniel cried. "I was a horrible son to my father."

  A dizzy spell swiftly hit Daniel.

  "I think I'm ready. Get it over with."

  Karen kissed Daniel with immense spirit. "Please remember I love you."

  Karen quickly bludgeoned Daniel with the pipe repeatedly, inflicting injuries upon him that were similar to the ones a soldier returning from war would receive.

  Two weeks later, Daniel's car drove up to his apartment building. With Karen at the wheel, she escorted Benjamin, Vanessa, and Daniel wrapped in bandages, helping Benjamin carry Daniel out of the car as he struggled on his crutches.

  "Brother, I don't know how you could doubt there's a god now. We've received a miracle." Benjamin sobbed.

  "Dear Benjamin, I fully agree. Especially with how I was able to dispose of that bloody pipe before the authorities came," Karen thought.

  The group walked together to the apartment building. But Vanessa stopped, pulling Benjamin with her. Daniel and Karen followed, exchanging sideways glances.

  "Is there something wrong, Vanessa?" Benjamin asked.

  "I wanted to wait until I was sure you and Daniel were okay, but it's not fair to you to keep stalling."

  "What is it?"

  "I want to break up."

  Benjamin shed tears."W-what did I do wrong?"

  "Nothing. You were a true gentleman. But I don't feel worthy of a gentleman."

  "Vanessa, this again?” Benjamin took her hand and held it tightly. “Please don’t worry about that. I love you."

  "That's just it, Benjamin. I can see you want what your siblings have with their partners. But I'm not ready to give that to you or anyone."

  "You don't know that."

  "I do. I see now that I still have so much growing to do, so I would make you unhappy," Vanessa retorted.

  "Please, please, please. Take all the time you need. I'll wait, don't leave me."

  "I don't want you to wait. Find someone who can give you what you want now. Treat yourself with respect."

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  Benjamin cried more intensely, but Vanessa wiped his tears.

  "I'll get everything ready for Daniel in the apartment, but then I'll have to leave for work. But I will always treasure our time together."

  Vanessa kissed Benjamin on the forehead goodbye. She ran to the apartment building, leaving the group. With her gone, Benjamin, miserable, turned to Daniel and Karen as they consoled him with a hug.

  ***

  Daniel and the others entered the lobby of the apartment building that was filled with over a thousand people including the patrons and the staff shouting and murmuring throughout the space. They spotted Charity sitting in a chair through the crowd bustling about the room. As they saw her, Karen walked Daniel over to his sister. Daniel faltered for a brief moment, holding his chest and panting as they got closer. Still, he summoned the courage to go to his sister as Karen shot him a reassuring smile.

  "Hello, sis," Daniel said.

  "Hello, little brother."

  Karen sat Daniel in a chair beside Charity.

  Daniel cracked his neck. "So I didn't see you at the hospital."

  "I was preparing what I would say." Charity swallowed. “I didn’t want to see you again without a proper apology.”

  "Charity, consider it all water under the bridge."

  Charity placed a hand over her mouth. "How can you say that?"

  "You were in the hot seat and made a mistake. I understand that now, so I'm over it."

  "It's still wrong. You wouldn't have been there if it weren't for me. Yet I refused to defend you from those awful accusations."

  "It's not like Elena, I mean, Officer Chavez was baseless. Charity, I joined that gang of my free will."

  "And that makes it right to punish you for sins you've long since atoned for?" Charity cried.

  “I really don’t think I’ve atoned for anything.” Daniel rubbed his eyes.

  “Oh, little brother.” Charity went to Daniel, hugging him. “You certainly have for me. I will never repeat this mistake. I love and trust you with all my heart."

  Daniel reciprocated, holding Charity firmly. "Thank you, big sister."

  Karen stood quietly as she wiped a tear from her eye, seeing the siblings embrace each other.

  ***

  A week later, Charity walked the halls of Daniel's apartment building with Charles at night. He carried a sleeping Hope in his arms as they traversed the corridors. As the family neared Daniel's apartment, they stopped as Charity moved to knock on the door. However, glancing worriedly at his sleeping daughter, Charles halted her, grasping Charity’s hand.

  “Charles?” Charity asked with a raised eyebrow.

  "I'm sorry, sweetie, but I can’t do this. I know we're making a mistake," Charles said.

  "Charles, we need Daniel. There's no one else we can turn to."

  "There must be someone.” Charles pinched the bridge of his nose. “I won't trust our only child to that scum."

  "That scum is my little brother," Charity retorted.

  "Charity, listen to me."

  "No, you listen. I made the mistake of not trusting him once. I won't do it again," Charity shouted.

  Hope awakened, her eyes fluttering open as she rubbed them.

  "Daddy, Mommy, are we there yet?"

  Charity glared at Charles."Yes, darling. We're about to leave you at your uncle's now."

  Charles sighed intensely, giving his wife a nod of acceptance. Charles finally let Hope stand beside him as they went to the door. But as Charity readied to knock again, Daniel came from behind them.

  "Sis?" Daniel asked.

  "Good evening, little brother. We were about to knock on your door."

  "Well, it's open, but you can't go in yet." Daniel shook his hand vigorously before them.

  "Why?" Charles walked closer to the door.

  "Business. As in none of yours, rich boy."

  Charles sneered at Daniel. "You couldn't help yourself, could you?"

  Charles opened the door, beating his fist on it. The three adults gazed in horror as they saw what was behind it inside the apartment. It was Karen in a strapless, red dress and high heels, sitting on a table in the middle of the living room.

  "You're back. Thank goodness, I didn't want to wait too—"Karen looked upon the others as she turned her head, swiftly screaming, and dropping off the table.

  "Karen, why were you sitting on that table?" Hope asked.

  "A-an excellent question, little one.” Karen glanced at her exposed bosom, covering it with her arms. “That I will gladly answer after a quick change of clothes and a drink of water."

  "Water? What about that bottle of juice on the table?"

  Hope ran to the table, picked up a liquor bottle, and read it. "Love—" However, Daniel dashed to her, snatching the bottle and ripping the label to tiny bits.

  "Uncle Daniel, why did you do that?"

  "I'll let your parents explain it to you when you're older." Daniel furiously exhaled.