Jace could see love and sincerity in Aubrey's eyes. And that is one of the reasons why his dad, Dawson, fell in love with her. 

"Thank you, son." Aubrey kissed him on the forehead before she turned her attention to the door where they stopped. She knocked three times. "Maila! Maila!" Aubrey called a bit louder.

After a while, Aunt Maila opened the door. The woman had long, curly hair, sun-kissed skin, and a small-framed face. But at that moment, she's holding an ice pack against her cheek. When she saw them, her arms drooped lazily, and she sighed. "Aubrey, come on in." She widened the opening of the door, put her arm around Aubrey's shoulder, and pulled her in.

Jace just followed the two.

"What happened?" Aubrey raised Maila's chin worriedly when she noticed those bruises on Maila's face. "My God! Who did this to you? Is it West?" 

Maila just rolled her eyes and shoved Aubrey's hand. "This is nothing, so calm down, Aubrey. You are such a worrywart." Maila turned to Jace. "Hi, Jace. It’s been a long time. You’re growing up into such a fine young man."

Jace just smiled at Aunt Maila while she rustled his hair.

"Anyway, sit down first," Maila offered when she looked at Aubrey's frowning face. She took a seat first on the leather sofa and crossed her legs casually. She threw the ice pack somewhere and grabbed the bottle of beer on the center table. She just chugged the bottle without finesse. 

"Maila, it's too early for you to get drunk. Why are you drinking beer in the morning?" Aubrey preached when she sat in front of her friend.

"It's just beer, Aubrey. You're over reacting." She leaned on the sofa with a languid body.

If there is one word that could describe Aunt Maila, it's bohemian for sure. She was wearing a leather jacket under her striped undershirt. She had on a pair of bootleg jeans and high-cut leather shoes. She also had many bangles on her wrists and a spike studded collar around her neck. She was definitely a rock performer. She's like the female version of Steven Tyler.

To Jace's knowledge, Aunt Maila is a singer in bars and hotels. The woman gifted him a guitar pic on his birthday, which she proudly said was one of Bon Jovi's possessions, which he dropped during a concert in Las Vegas. She even fought someone to pick it up.

Jace believed Aunt Maila because the real name of the rock legend was written on the guitar pic. When it comes to music, Aunt Maila was very enthusiastic and would never tell a lie.

"Where is Hannah?" Aubrey asked while looking around.

Aunt Maila sighed and looked upstairs. "I need to tell you something first, Aubrey." Again she sighed deeply, then vowed and held her head. She looked at Jace for a second. "Jace, there's a donut in the kitchen. Can you leave me and your mom alone for a while?"

That was his cue to stand. He left without a word and went directly to the kitchen, which was only separated by a divider from the living room with just a few steps ahead. A few bottles of beer were scattered on the kitchen counter, the ashtray was full of cigarette butts, and there were two empty boxes of pizza on the table. The lavatory is full of dirty plates. The sauce pan left on the electric stove was greasy.

Jace ignored the mess and reached for the cupboard after he pulled the footstool and stood on it. He took a glass, then opened the refrigerator. He poured the orange juice into the glass after he took the crystal clear pitcher. He gulped the juice to relieve his thirst. Then Jace noticed the pictures posted on the refrigerator that looked like they were torn from scrapbook pages.

One of them was a picture of Aunt Maila with her live-in partner, West. He's a typical black American with a skin head and tattoos on his muscled arms. Jace knew that Aubrey didn't like West, who worked as a janitor at a nearby university. She didn't hide her dislike of the rude man when she first visited Maila on Brownsville.

Jace's attention was caught by the picture of a toddler. She was crawling and giggling in the picture while looking straight at the camera. Round face and big round eyes. She's like a cherub with her short and curly black hair. That toddler must be Hannah. How old is she now? There was a posted date on the right side of the 3R picture. Jace calculated in his head. Hannah is six now.

His eyes narrowed and he tilted his head. For sure, Brianna would complain to their stepmom. Nothing had yet happened, but Jace had already prepared himself to convince his dad to be on Aubrey's side. Inside their house in Brooklyn Heights, Dawson's words are the law. Aubrey can persuade him, but he's also soft-hearted when it comes to Brianna. If his dad ever consulted him, he would be in favor of his stepmom without a doubt. Aubrey was just trying to help others. It was in her nature.

BLAAAGGG!!! Jace jolted when he heard a
thud. He looked at the wall where the sound came from. Then he looked at the direction of the living area where his mom and Aunt Maila were talking intensively. Perhaps they didn't hear the noise. On the threshold near the kitchen entrance, there's a five-step staircase. There's a single bedroom upstairs.
He put the glass he was holding on top of the table. Jace didn't disturb the adults and silently ascended to the room. He turned the doorknob. The door squeaked a little as he opened it. There was a double bed in the center of the room. An old dresser and a cabinet filled the space in a corner. There's a big window on the opposite side where a small child is climbing up tenaciously at the moment.

Jace's eyes widened in shock. "Hey!"

The child's head turned in his direction with caution. She roughly gasped, then jumped from the window immediately. The child landed on the chair she used as a step to climb the window. She ran then squeezed herself under the comforter that was scattered on the carpeted floor. She hides inside like a little mouse. 

Jace furrowed his brows at the child's action. What the hell is wrong with her? He just scratched his nape and went inside the room. Every time he took a step on the floor, the bump inside the blanket trembled like a monster was coming for her. Should he approach the little girl, who seems scared, or should he call the adults outside first? Jace sighed helplessly.