In the same way his door echoed when he slammed it, Zachary could hear the sound of raised voices being carried from the living room. He couldn't make out what his mom and dad were saying, but he didn't really have to. He knew. Soon one of them would come to his room to talk to him. It'd been that way like clockwork since Uncle Robert ruined everything.

Zachary's mind drifted back to their apartment in LA. Nothing too fancy, but a good home. Uncle Robert lived alone a block away in a less expensive apartment. Just one look at him and Dad side by side told you they were brothers. But Uncle Robert wasn't around dad often. And the kids were only allowed to see their uncle once a week for an hour-long visit. Dad said he was a good man. He just hung out with bad people.

That was before anyone knew he was a serial killer.

A knock on the door woke Zachary from his reminiscing. Not waiting for a reply, the door opened and his mom closed it behind her before taking a seat on another suitcase.

"It's not his fault. You know that."

"He just looks like a serial killer who happens to be his brother, I get it." Zachary looked away from his mother's eyes. "Why couldn't we just move to some other city that was closer? My friends can't even find this place on the internet."

Mom sighed "If Rob had been found by the police instead of going into hiding, we would have. But now everyone is looking for him. And you know how hard it was getting for your father to show his face outside. We waited a few weeks before we made the decision to leave together."

"We shouldn't have had to! People are idiots. Can't tell faces apart? I mean c'mon..."

"That's not the point."

She looked down at the ground before looking back at him and he could make out a bit of moisture in her eyes.

"The point is, we did have to move. And we all miss home. No one more than your father. But he... He's trying to make the best of it. Just don't make it harder on him like that, alright?"

Normally, he would have shot back a witty remark or something, but the way his mom looked at him was with a genuine pain he had never seen in her eyes. It melted away his pride.

"Alright, Madre."

"Good...good. Now, you need to go out there, apologize to him and give him a big hug, okay?"

"But-"

She was already at the door, motioning him out. "No. Vamos."

Zachary walked back into the living room with carefully measured steps where his dad was staring out the window still.

"Hey, papa."

"Yes, Zachary?"

"I'm sorry about...y'know. What I said. I didn't mean it. Things have just been hard and I messed up."

It felt a little forced, but he meant it. And his dad saw it in his son's eyes.

"I forgive you, hijo. Let's not let it ruin the day, eh?."

Zachary gave a half-hearted smile and nodded. as his father reached for a hug.

"Te amo, Zachito."

Zachary hugged him back. "Te amo también, papa. But..."

"But?"

Zachary sat down on the couch as his dad looked at him sternly.

"Do I have to like the view? I mean there's so many pine trees..."

Mom laughed from the kitchen as Dad smiled.

"You'll regret ever saying that when you get the chance to climb to the top of them. But start slowly. And mind the sap."

"Yeah, okay. Whatever."

It didn't change a thing about everything they had gone through. But for the first time in weeks, Zachary smiled and could laugh a little. Maybe, just maybe, it could be a good home.

...after a little deforestation, of course.