Zarelle went up to her big brother and gave him a bear hug. “Welcome home, Chief.”
Cyric tousled her hair, a gesture that took her back to their childhood when he’d done the same thing to comfort her after scraped knees or hurt feelings. “Hi, Zarry.”
She took the briefcase from him, noting its weight. “How are things at home?”
“Fine,” she said. “Dad skipped out again. Said he needed to recharge. Right now, he’s probably sunbathing on some tropical island.”
Their father’s periodic disappearances were a family tradition at this point. Whenever the pressures of business or family life became too much, he would simply vanish for a few weeks, returning refreshed and ready to dive back into his responsibilities.
“And Waldo?”
Zarelle smiled at the mention of Ryan’s nickname. I
