“Morning,” Josephine said, smiling softly. “Everything alright?”
“The internet’s down again.”
She shook her head and looked at him with a knowing smile. “You need to stop working so much.”
Before Topher could open his mouth to argue, I jumped in, crossing my arms. “She’s right. You need to stop working so much.”
He shot me a sideways glance. “You’re ganging up on me now?”
“Someone has to,” I replied. “I mean, is the world going to fall apart if you take a day off?”
“The world? No. My company? Maybe.”
Then he started barking orders into his phone. “Yeah, I need you over here, now. The Wi-Fi’s out again.” He paused. “I don’t care if you had too much fun last night and are feeling it today.”
When the tech guy showed up, he looked like he’d just crawled out of a New Orleans gutter. His clothes were rumpled, his eyes bloodshot, and the smell of stale alcohol clung to him. Clearly, he’d survived a wild night in the French Quarter.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Topher muttered.
The tech guy slumped down by the router, poking around with wires and muttering something under his breath. Finally, after what felt like forever, he stood up, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
“Well, the reason it was down is... a little odd.” The tech guy scratched his head. “In the French Quarter, they say ghosts can mess with electronics. Maybe we’ve got a little supernatural interference?”
Topher shot him a flat look. “A ghost? Seriously?”
The tech guy shrugged. “Or, you know, just some local wiring interference. But it’s fixed now.”
Topher rubbed his temples. “Great. Thanks. Get some aspirin.”
After the tech guy left, Josephine looked at us with a smile. “Why don’t you both join me in the kitchen for a board game?”
I smiled at Josephine. “I’d love to. Let me get changed real quick.”
Once the bedroom door clicked shut, I turned to Topher. “We really need to figure out this bedding situation.”
We sat down in front of his laptop. “What about this blow-up mattress?” I asked.
Toper shook his head. “Look at the dimensions. There’s no way that’s fitting in the room.”
“Wait, this looks comfortable. An inflatable beach lounger. It’s in stock, and they have two-hour delivery if you pay extra.”
Topher nodded. “That does look comfortable.”
Once the order was placed, Topher was already making a beeline for his computer setup, clearly ready to dive back into his usual routine. “I’ve got things to take care of.”
I stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “Oh no, you don’t. Take a break, Topher. Spend a couple of hours with your mom. You won’t get this time back.”
He hesitated, glancing toward the kitchen where his mom sat at the table. I could see the internal struggle, the constant pull of his responsibilities that never seemed to let up.
“I do have stuff I need to finish.” His eyes drifted toward his computer, as if it physically hurt to stay away from it.
“You can get back to it when she’s napping. Trust me. A little break won’t kill you.”
He glanced at his mom again, and that’s when I saw the moment she won. His shoulders slumped slightly, the tension easing just a fraction. “Alright, fine. But just for a little while.”
I led him back into the living room, where Josephine had already set up a board game on the coffee table. It wasScrabble. Perfect for some lighthearted competition.
Topher’s eyes lit up. “Now we’re talking!”
