“Did you hang out with someone from work?”
“No, I just went on my own,” she replied. “Wanted to have a beer and stare at the TV behind the bar for an hour or so. They have four games on at the same time.”
“Sports?”
“Yes, sports.” Harlow chuckled. “Did you eat dinner?”
“I atelunch. Does that count?”
“No. Larissa, you have to pause to eat sometimes.”
“I was going to make grilled cheese. I even pulled out that can of tomato soup to go with it, but my mom called to tell me that she and my dad need me to take care of the house for a few days next week. They’re going to visit my grandma. I got distracted after that.”
“Everything okay with your grandma?”
“She’s fine. She’s just alone there now that my grandpa is gone. They’re going there to spend some time with her and, I think, try to convince her to move in with them. They have that in-law unit. They built it for them to live in when they got older,but Grandpa dying last year has her clinging to the house they shared together.”
“I can understand that,” Harlow said and walked into the kitchen. “Did you happen to get the–”
“I got all the cheeses you like at the grocery store. And there’s bacon, too, if you want to add bacon to yours. I assume you’re still hungry, but do you really wantmorecheese? You just had mozzarella sticks.”
“I always want more cheese. What kind of a question is that?” she joked.
Larissa laughed as she opened the fridge to find the food.
“I got three kinds of bread, so go to town. Oh, and we were out of butter, so I got new butter, too.”
“Mayo?” Harlow asked.
“Yeah, it’s in there. None on mine, please.”
“I know,” she said and went about making them a late dinner.
“How was work?” Larissa asked.
“Fine. Boring, but fine.”
“It’s boring because you’ve been doing the same thing for so long.”
“Well, there aren’t any promotions being handed out.”
“But you could try to find a different job, if you wanted to. It’s always better to look while you still have one, right?”
“Yes, but that takes time, and I’m pretty busy right now.”
“Whenaren’tyou busy? I think that’s just the adult way now: busy all the time,” Larissa pointed out. “And when you lie down for even ten minutes, you feel lazy or something because you’re notdoingsomething. I was even working while I was talking to my mom.”
“You better double-check whatever you were working on, then. What kind of bread do you want?”
“Whatever you’re having.”
“Cheese?”
“Whatever you’re having.”
“So, just whatever I make for me, but no mayo?”
“Yes, that would be great,” Larissa confirmed. “Do you want to eat in the living room? We can put something on. A game, maybe? Are they still playing games somewhere at this time of night?”
