I push out a heavy sigh. “Sorry, just one second. It’s my mom.”
“No worries.” He leans against the garage door and crosses his arms.
Mom: What are you doing today? I have some things to talk to you about. You and your sister both need to see me. We’ll go to lunch.
Me: I'm busy today.
Mom: Well, drop what you're doing and make room in your busy schedule for your mother.
Mom: You've been ignoring my calls and texts.
Mom: How do you think that makes me feel? My own daughter is ignoring me.
She keeps blowing up my phone while I stare at the screen. On and on. Text after text. This overwhelming feeling of stress hits me within five seconds. Guilt ripples through me for wanting to not see her.
“Sorry,” I say, turning to August, but my phone vibrates again.
Hailey: Mom needs to chill the fuck out.
“Hailey just texted me. I guess my mom is bugging her too,” I murmur.
“And you’re surprised by that?” August chuckles.
Me: Are you answering her?
Hailey: Fuck no.
Hailey: If she keeps this up, I'm going to block her.
Me: That's a ballsy move on your end.
Hailey: I'm surprised you haven't blocked her first.
I've set boundaries that work half the time, but I can never actually cut her off. A part of me still cares about her despite what we've gone through growing up. I wouldn't call it Stockholm syndrome, but I also don’t know why I expect more from her when she keeps letting me down.
"You can come over," I say to August.
His eyebrows lift. "Really? You don't mind?"
"I don't mind."
He puts his hands together in front of him like he's praying. "Thank you. I promise, I'll give you your space. I'll just hang in the living room, and you can pretend I'm not there."
I roll my eyes. "Don't be so dramatic. Let's go."
Soft bedroom-pop musicplays in the background of my living room. August and I came back with growling stomachs and realized we hadn't eaten anything today.
I decided to make a simple dish. Macaroni and cheese. Blue box style.
“What’s going on with the bakery? Where are you guys at with it?” He shoves a spoonful of mac in his mouth.
“The rest of the kitchen equipment is being delivered this week. You know, if the place were previously a food place, we’d save more money by already having a kitchen.”
“You really think Ellie would take what was already there and not buy new equipment?” He cocks an eyebrow.
I snort with a mouthful of my food and shake my head. “Yeah, I should’ve known better than that.”
“So, you’re already doing the numbers?”
