“I ain’t hitting an old woman.”
We both hold back a laugh.
“Dad meant I should be prepared to pay her for information.”
“Oh.”
“Though anyone who threw my mother out in the street late at night wouldn’t warrant much of my sympathy.”
“She did that?” Everett’s eyes go wide.
Dad nods.
“Fine, I’ll hit her if need be.”
We both know he won’t. Not that he could hit anything hard enough with those scrawny arms of his.
“Consider it done.”
Dad nods. “Now that that’s taken care of, I can focus on more important things. But let’s eat first.”
***
If I didn’t already know Fiona was made for this family, I would now as she’s pulling out her sixth tray of muffins. She cooks for an army.
“This was so kind of you, Fiona.” Mom sips her tea, staring at the muffin on her plate. “Everyone is going to appreciate them.”
“I was just happy that I could help before heading to work.”
What? “You’re not going to work. You haven’t slept yet.”
“So?” Fiona unties her apron. “I’ve missed sleep before and worked. Those kids are counting on me.”
No, there’s no way I’m letting her push herself like this. “Surely there’s someone who can cover for you.”
“There is, but I’m not going to ask her. These kids need stability in their lives. They need to know when people say they’ll be there, that they show up. So I’m going to show up.”
No.
No.
No. “Fea.”
“She’s right.”
Why did Mom have to take her side?
“As long as you aren’t pushing yourself too hard. Burnout isn’t fun to recover from.”
Mom would know.
“One long day won’t cause me to burn out. And if need be, I can take a nap in my apartment during lunch.”
I hate everything about that idea. EVERYTHING. “I can’t take you to work today.”
“That’s fine.”
No, it’s not. “I need to be there until Micky and The Ghost are taken care of.”
