Garan, Buck, and Maxine approached Mrs. Keller’s apartment door. Garan rang the bell, his finger lingering a bit too long on the button. He glanced at Buck and Maxine, feeling a bit embarrassed. “You guys didn’t have to come up here, you know.”

Maxine shrugged, a playful smile on her lips. “I want to meet Evelyn. She sounds like a sweet little girl.”

The door opened, revealing Mrs. Keller on the other side. Her warm smile grew wider at the sight of Buck. “Oh, you came back with Uncle Danny. How wonderful. And you must be the mean lady.” Mrs. Keller’s smile extended to Maxine, who raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Mean lady?” Maxine echoed, clearly amused.

Mrs. Keller chuckled apologetically. “Oh, I’m sorry, dear. That’s what Evelyn has been calling you. I’m not sure why. You seem lovely to me.”

Before Maxine could respond, Evelyn came running out of the back room, her small feet pattering against the floor. She headed straight for Buck, but this time he was ready. Bending down, he caught her as she leapt into his arms.

“Hi, Uncle Danny! I’m ready to go now. Did you have to bring her?” Evelyn’s scowl toward Maxine was brief, replaced almost instantly by a beaming smile as she looked back at Buck.

“Hi, punky. Yeah, sorry. She’s going to help us today. This is Maxine. She’s my little sister,” Buck introduced, ignoring the glare Maxine shot in his direction.

Evelyn pouted a little but relented. “Ok, fine.”

Garan offered Mrs. Keller a grateful smile. “Thanks again, Mrs. Keller.”

“It’s no bother at all,” Mrs. Keller replied, waving them off with a kind smile. “You young people go have fun.”

With that, Mrs. Keller closed the door, and the four of them headed toward the elevator, a mix of anticipation hanging in the air.

***

The ride to Angelo’s place was quiet, the hum of the road the only sound filling Buck’s Challenger. Maxine sat in the front passenger seat, her gaze occasionally shifting to the passing scenery. In the back, Garan and Evelyn shared the space, Evelyn quietly playing with a small toy she’d pulled from her pocket.

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Garan broke the silence, his curiosity getting the better of him. “How do you know this Angelo guy?”

Maxine didn’t turn to face him, her voice soft as she spoke. “It’s more like Angelo knows us. Angelo has the ability to see the future. The closer in time, the clearer he sees. So, obviously, he knows we’re on our way.”

She paused, turning her gaze out the window for a moment as if lost in thought. “That’s how he found us. He knew we were phenoms. He knew where we were. He knew we had shit parents. When Dan and I were going through some rough times, he opened his home to us.”

Garan’s mind drifted. “Reminds me of Evelyn’s grandfather. I used to stay at his place after school until my mom came to pick me up. He was kind of a father figure to a lot of the kids in the neighborhood.”

Maxine nodded in understanding. “Angelo is the same way. He understands the consequences of actions. He doesn’t have to wait around to find out.” Her eyes flicked to Buck for a brief second, but he kept his attention on the road, seemingly oblivious.

“He knows that by helping others, he creates goodwill and knows it will come back to him,” Maxine continued.

Buck, catching her look this time, threw his hands up defensively. “Plus, he has plenty of money because he knows exactly what the stock market is going to do.”

Maxine sighed, exasperated, and turned back to Garan. “Anyway, he’s just a nice guy. Angelo helped me learn how to turn my charm on and off. Living at Angelo’s place was the best six years of my life. If Evelyn is a phenom, Angelo will know what to do.”

Garan watched as Evelyn stuck her tongue out at Maxine. He couldn’t help but smile. “Who lives with him now?”

“I’m not sure,” Maxine admitted. “We haven’t seen Angelo for a while. The last time I was there, his daughters Elle and Maggie were running things.”

“I guarantee Steven and Stefon are still there,” Buck chimed in, his tone almost bitter. “Those two are a couple of loyal lap dogs.”

Maxine’s gaze turned sad as she looked at Buck. “Too bad you weren’t.”

Turning back to Garan, she added, “Dan thought he didn’t need Angelo’s help and left after a few months. He decided to sell out and became a hired thug.”

“Bodyguard,” Buck corrected, his voice defensive.

“Oh, sorry,” Maxine replied sarcastically. “A bodyguard… for thugs.”

“I was just a dumb kid,” Buck muttered.

“No argument here,” Maxine shot back.

The car made a right turn onto a long driveway leading to an average-sized house surrounded by woods and various trees outlining the front yard. The property had a secluded, almost mystical feel, as if it were hiding secrets within its walls.

Buck pulled up to the garage, parked, and got out of the car. “This is it.”

Garan stepped out, surveying the house with a raised eyebrow. “I was expecting something bigger.”

Maxine smirked. “It’s much larger on the inside.”