Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
While Alvin brushed his teeth, I texted Trace.
Youre probably asleep but I wanted to say we made it. Ill see you in a few hours. Love you.
My shift was over in two hours, and I didn’t foresee anyone calling. Most calls came in between midnight and three AM.
I yawned and went into Alvin’s room. He didn’t have much left here either, except his bed and his computer.
I flicked on the light on his nightstand and folded down the covers. Then I cracked open the window. It was hot in here.
To my surprise, my phone vibrated with a message. Trace wasn’t asleep after all.
Good to hear. Make sure he doesn’t feel bad! And maybe tell him I accidentally treated myself to retail therapy after u left. I ordered him another one of those notebooks he likes to log data in. He can bring it on the trip. Love you too!
Fucking hell, Ma was right. I had to ask him to marry me.
Trace and I had discussed it briefly, and neither of us cared much about the whole hoopla that came with it. Weddings and expensive shit like that. But if I’d read him correctly, he wouldn’t mind the marriage part and wearing a ring.
I was exactly the same.
Alvin shuffled into his room, and he’d changed into sweats and a tee.
“Get some sleep, small fry,” I murmured. “I’ll stay on the couch, and then we can get breakfast on the way back home when you wake up.”
He nodded once and snuck into bed. “It’s just dumb,” he croaked. “I hate this stupid room now.”
I smiled sympathetically and sat down on the edge of the bed.
“I wanna be with my aquariums and stuff.” He fidgeted with the corner of his pillowcase. “Also, Trace is so funny in the mornings. I miss that when I’m out here.”
I chuckled quietly and mustered a mock scowl. “You think he’s funny because he’s messing with me.”
He snickered tiredly and shrugged. “He’s right, though. You’re very cranky when you wake up.”
Whatever. I just needed coffee first. Nothing wrong with that.
“I’m sure he’ll fuck with me other times too,” I said. “Get some sleep. Only four more days, and then we’re off to see the ocean. And Chip and CJ, you like them.” Although, it might be more the other way around. Chip and CJ viewed Alvin as the older, quirky cousin who knew a lot about chemistry and how to make firecrackers.
He grinned nervously. “I can’t wait to bring my shell box.”
Yeah, that’d been a great birthday present from Trace and me. We’d bought him one of those boxes for fishing lures. He was gonna use it to collect seashells.
“I’m sure you’ll fill it in no time.” I stood up and kissed his forehead quickly. “Love you, kid.”
“Love you. Goodnight!”
“Night.” I walked out and glanced over my shoulder before I closed the door.
No matter what, I counted my blessings. He might get overwhelmed easily, but this year had given him way more energy to bounce back. I had to focus on that.
“Ma, will you listen?” I asked, frustrated.
“Will you stop treating me like a child?” she retorted. “I know how the lift works, and I know who to call if it doesn’t.”
“That’s the point,” I replied. “I don’t want you to call this building’s maintenance service. I want you to call a coworker of mine.” I handed her the business card.
Granted, our landlord had paid for the new lift for the stairs, since Ma couldn’t walk up and down easily anymore, but I had been the one who’d installed it. I’d chosen the damn thing because it was the same model we installed in other buildings all over the city.
“If the lift doesn’t work, call that number,” I told her.
“Okay, okay, fine. May I go back to bed now?” Woman got snippy. “I don’t like standing out here naked!”
Naked? Christ. She was wearing a nightgown that fit a whole fucking family.
“And Alvin and Trace call me cranky in the morning,” I deadpanned.
She just shook her fist at me and headed back into the apartment.
Meanwhile, Trace and Alvin were standing in the doorway to the kitchen, failing not to laugh.
It’d been a long fucking night. First, I’d picked up Alvin in Elmwood Park at four in the morning. Then we’d come back here to fill up the truck for the road trip, and now I was getting shit for looking out for my ma while we were away. She claimed she was looking forward to some peace and quiet, but I knew deep down, she was going to miss me every damn second.
Or something.
“Didn’t we say goodbye to her yesterday?” Alvin chuckled.
“And leave her a note with everything she could possibly need,” Trace pointed out. “Petey and Julie are ready to help out too, you know.”
Yeah, I knew. I was just…whatever.