Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Bird, you better zip it.” I chuckled. “He’s going to get you.”
“I can outrun him,” Bird countered, backing out of the kitchen with his bag in his arms. “He’s old, remember?”
He laughed hysterically all the way to his bedroom.
“You want some coffee, honey?” Pop asked, lifting the carafe.
I nodded as I dropped down at the table. “Where’s Nana?”
“She’s gettin’ ready. She’s got a shift today.”
“I wish you guys could retire,” I replied with a sigh. They’d spent their golden years with full-time jobs and raising kids that they hadn’t asked for. They deserved it.
“Hell,” Pop said as he handed me a mug of coffee. “I’d still spend all day at the garage. They just wouldn’t be payin’ me for it.”
“That’s true,” I mused.
“Your nana probably won’t work much longer though,” he said, leaning back against the countertop. “Maybe once Bird’s out of the house, she’ll slow down a bit.”
“You talking about me?” Nana asked as she came out of their bedroom, still putting on an earring.
“Just saying you need to retire,” I told her, grinning as she made a disgusted face.
“What the hell would I do if I wasn’t working?” she asked, flicking my ponytail as she passed me. “I’d be bored outta my mind.”
“You could garden,” I said, my lips twitching. “Or volunteer. Or sit around and watch TV.”
“Volunteer,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Let me stop working for pay so I can work for free. I’ll get right on that.”
“You’re so full of it,” I shot back. “You volunteer all the time.”
“I’m not quitting my job to do it!”
“Fine,” I said, throwing up my hands. “Work forever. Have fun with that.”
“Speaking of work,” Nana said, pointing at me. “You’re working too much.”
“I’m saving for school.”
“You’re going to collapse from exhaustion,” she countered. “You need to have at least one day off a week.”
“If I could, I would,” I argued. “It doesn’t exactly work like that because I’ve got two different schedules.”
“Then tell them you can’t work one day a week.” She shot me a look as she grabbed her own travel mug of coffee. “Tell both jobs the same day and voilà.”
“If I tell them I can’t work, then they won’t call me for extra shifts.”
“Swear to God, Samson,” she muttered to Pop. “The girl doesn’t hear a word I say.”
“You should stop workin’ the extra shifts anyway,” Pop said to me.
“When hell freezes over,” I replied with mock sweetness. “Not happening.”
“I’m proud as hell that you’re such a hard worker, Nova,” he said, shaking his head. “But you’re tired, honey. You need a break.”
“I’m fine.” I got to my feet and danced a little jig. “See? Good to go.”
“You fell asleep on the couch last night.”
“It was late!”
“It wasn’t that late,” Pop grumbled, shaking his head. He leaned over and kissed Nana. “I’m headin’ out.”
“Bye, baby,” Nana replied.
“Bird!” Gramps called. “You want a ride or what, boy?”
“I’m coming!” Bird yelled back from his room.
“Have a good day, Pop,” I called as he walked toward the door.
“You too, honey,” he replied with a wave. “Bird! Get your ass out here!”
“I’m coming!” Bird yelled back, followed by a loud thump that I could actually feel beneath my feet.
When my baby brother came running down the hallway, I laughed and pulled a hair tie off my wrist.
He looked over at me. “Hey, you got a—” I shot the hair tie at him and he caught it in one hand. “Thanks. Love you, Nova. Love you, Nana.”
“Love you, too,” we both replied at the same time.
It was silent in the house for a few seconds after he’d closed the door behind him.
“Your brother is the smartest person I know and he still can’t seem to make it out of the house on time,” Nana noted thoughtfully.
“It’s like his brain is too full of all the other shit to keep track of time.”
“Must be it.” She laughed. “I’m going, too. You need anything before I go?”
“Nope,” I said, shaking my head with a smile as she came over and kissed the top of it. “I’m going to shower and then head to the pancake house.”
“You think about taking fewer shifts,” she ordered as she headed for the door. “You’re too young to be working your life away.”
“I’ll think about it,” I hedged.
Once the door closed behind her, I dropped my head to the kitchen table and groaned. Fuck, I was tired. What I really wanted to do was go crawl into the bed I’d neglected last night and sleep with no alarm set so I could wake up when I was actually ready. Instead, I pushed myself to my feet and headed to the shower.
The next few days were pretty much repeats of the days before. When I wasn’t working—which was rare—I took the time to paint my toenails and do my laundry. Super exciting. Maybe Nana was right, and I was too young to be working my life away but I was determined to stick with my plan even though it gave me no social life. I had plenty of time to spend with friends when I was done with school and working a job that paid more than minimum wage.