Delivering My Son's Ashes to His Father's Party - Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Tyler and I went way back—we were high school classmates.
Back then, I was the golden girl—teachers' pet, straight-A student, the kind of daughter relatives bragged about at family gatherings.
Tyler? He was that troublemaker who always claimed the back row as his throne. I swear, our teachers spent more time pelting him with chalk than actually writing on the blackboard.
Guys like him drove me crazy. They seemed to get some weird satisfaction out of pushing teachers' buttons. So immature. I'd go out of my way to avoid him—until one afternoon changed everything.
I was cutting through an alley after school when a group of punks cornered me. Just as panic started clawing at my throat, Tyler materialized like some kind of delinquent guardian angel and took them all on single-handed.
That was the first time I thought, Huh. Maybe he's not completely terrible.
"Next time you're in trouble, genius," he panted, wiping blood from his split lip, "try not to be an idiot about it."
I blinked up at him. "What's the non-idiot move?"
"Run. You ever heard of it?" He rolled his eyes like I was hopeless. "If you can't fight, you haul ass. Basic survival."
He walked me home that day, and after that, Tyler became my shadow. The whole school teased him about it, but he'd just grin and say he was "protecting national treasure" or some other ridiculous line.
The weirdest part? He actually started changing. No more classroom antics, no more baiting teachers. His seat crept forward row by row until one day I realized he was sitting right behind me.
I'd sneak glances over my shoulder during lectures, only to find him already looking at me. Every time our eyes met, I'd whip around like I'd been caught doing something scandalous, my face burning. Something unfamiliar was taking root in my chest, warm and terrifying.
His grades climbed steadily. "Gotta keep up if I'm gonna protect you," he'd say with that lopsided smile.
"How long's that protection plan good for?" I asked once.
His grin turned soft. "Your call."
I pretended to think about it. "How about... forever?"
The way his cheeks pinked when he muttered "Deal" made my stomach flip.
I thought forever would last longer. Then Joanna happened.
"You can celebrate your birthday anytime, but Joanna's sick—I can't just leave her."
"Not coming home tonight. Joanna needs someone."
"Christmas is just a date on a calendar. Charlie's here with you—Joanna's alone."
Every call from her became an emergency. Our home became an afterthought. His blatant favoritism chipped away at me until all that was left was bitter gratitude—at least he'd given me Charlie.
So I stayed. For twelve years, I stayed.
Now Charlie's gone because Tyler couldn't be bothered to care.
Tonight, the Ford estate glows with laughter. Tyler and Joanna hold court at the center, the picture-perfect couple. The whole family adores her—she's everything a Mrs. Ford should be. Me? I'm just the scheming nanny who trapped their golden boy, barely worthy of their contempt.
I step through the doorway, my face a blank mask. Let them enjoy their party. They won't be smiling long.