Ren woke up before the sun rose. He lay in bed for a bit listening to the house make its usual morning noises. It was one of those mornings where everyone already knew things were going to go. Then he got out of bed put on the shirt he had worn the day and went to look for his father.
He found his father in the kitchen sitting by himself at the table with a cup of something in front of him. His father had not slept well either. He had not even touched the drink.
"Dad " Ren said.
His father did not look up. "Go back to bed Ren " he said.
Ren knew something. "I know about the loan " he said.
His father looked up at him then. Ren kept talking before he lost his courage. "I know it is not what they said it was. I have looked at the numbers. The interest is much. It is a deal."
His father stared at him for a moment. Then Ren saw something in his eyes that he did not expect. It was like his father felt a little better now that Ren knew the truth.
"How long have you known?" his father asked.
Ren said, "A while."
His father let out a sigh. Rubbed his face. "I signed the loan because I had no choice. Some men came to the door asking for money. I did not have it. Someone told me I could borrow money against years work. I thought I was buying us some time."
Ren knew what was really going on. "You were paying one part of the gang to protect us from another part of the gang."
His father was quiet for a moment. Ren could see him realizing the truth.
"I did not know that " his father said finally. "I promise you Ren I did not know that."
Ren believed him. They did not say anything for a while. Outside the street was starting to wake up. A dog. Someone turned on their radio too loud.
Then his father said, "The men are coming this morning. You should stay inside when they do."
Ren wanted to be there. "I am not a kid anymore Dad.. Now that Voss is dead the people in charge might not even know about our loan. This could go different ways today and you should not have to face it alone."
His father looked at him for a time. Then he nodded.
An hour later two men showed up at the door. They were not what Ren expected. They looked tired. Were arguing with each other.
"You said he owed money through the fifteenth " one of them said.
"That was before. Things have changed " the other man said.
They knocked on the door. Rens father answered it. Ren stood behind him watching.
The taller man said, "You owe us a lot of money."
Ren knew that was not true. "That is not what the loan says " he said.
The man looked at him like he was surprised that Ren knew what he was talking about. "Who is this?" he asked.
Ren said, "I am someone who has read the contract. Twice."
The man was careful now. He did not want to make Ren angry. His partner looked around nervously like he thought someone might be watching them.
The shorter man said, "Look Voss is dead. Nobody knows whose debt is whose now. If you want to pay something today to keep things that is fine.. If you want to argue about the numbers, that is your business."
Ren understood what the man was saying. The debt was like a thread right now. Nobody knew who was, in charge of it.
His father paid the men a money to buy some time. The men left, still arguing with each other.
Ren stood on the porch for a time thinking about the numbers. He realized that they were not a problem. They were a chance. If he could find a way to use the numbers to his advantage he might be able to get out of this situation.. He had to act fast before someone else closed the door.