"We're finishing college early though," Eli bragged.
"So, what he's saying is that they're smart but have zero social skills," Mike remarked.
"You sure have your hands full," Jemma said.
"They're our interns. We're trying to teach them to be productive members of society."
"Aww!" Hazel cooed. "You have interns! That's so adorable!"
"Are you interning too?" Jemma asked Otis as he and Theo walked up with bags of paintings. Hazel held out her arms, and Otis and Theo gave her hugs.
"I like your puppy paintings," Otis said.
"See? Everyone likes puppies," Hazel told me.
"Can I buy the one with the corgi?" Otis asked.
"You can have it," Hazel told him, "because you and Theo are my favorite students."
"What am I?" Ida squawked and almost fell off her stool.
"A drunk," Olivia said.
"No," I told Hazel. "Don't give your work away for free. Ring it up. Pick the one you want, Otis."
"What? I want a painting," Eli said.
"Fine, you know what? Paintings for everyone. Mike, do you want a painting?"
"Sure, why not?" my brother said with a shrug. "Do you have anything gothic or like a skull or something?"
"I have puppies, kittens, babies, and flowers," Hazel replied.
"You have the chunky raccoon," Olivia reminded her.
"I want it!" Theo and Otis scuffled.
"If there's a chonker raccoon, I want it," Mike said, breaking up the fight.
"You should offer to let him compensate you with something else," Ida said too loudly as I pulled out my wallet.
"Hush," Olivia hissed to Ida.
The old woman whispered loudly, "Put a ring on it!"
Hazel was studying me. Then she reached out and ran her fingers through my hair. "I wanted it out of your eyes."
I smirked. "I would say something really filthy," I stage-whispered to her, "but there are children and elderly present."
"I'm not elderly!" said Ida.
"Hah!" Olivia exclaimed.
"Don't hah me, young lady," Ida scolded and took another swig from the thermos.
Hazel rang up the paintings and turned the tablet toward me.
"Ohhh," Olivia's grandmother said loudly when I handed Hazel the credit card. "Is that an American Express Black?"
