Page 18 of Minus

“Oh, really,” she deadpanned.

I sighed. “He could have been. I don’t know. Whatever… they’re all monsters.”

She laughed again. “You can have that argument with Poppy. She’ll set you straight.”

Poppy was obsessed with all things horse related, she even took lessons from my dear friend and landlord, Kim, and competed in every event she could register for. I would watch her on occasion, so long as the horses stayed in a fenced area and I could keep my distance.

“Um, so, is Hatch at church?” I asked, trying to be sly.

“Yes,” she said with a tone of suspicion.

“You want some company?”

“Of course, love. You know that you’re welcome here anytime. You don’t even need to ring first.”

I smiled. “I know… I just wasn’t sure if I wanted to make the drive, but I need some advice and I’d like to see you.”

“I’ll put the kettle on. See you in a few.”

“Awesome. Bye.” I hung up and climbed into my car.

I’d left work a little early to get my run in, so I was a little concerned about traffic over the I-5 bridge, but as I pulled onto the freeway, it looked like I had a smooth drive ahead.

I loved my apartment. It was super modern and had a view of the water, not to mention, Kim gave me the deal of the century, rent-wise.

But.

It wasn’t at all close to my family. Technically, it was only about twenty minutes from Vancouver, Washington, but Portland traffic had become unbearable, so it was taking longer and longer to go anywhere.

This time, luckily, it took me fifteen minutes, so I felt a little pressure leave my shoulders as I used my key and let myself into their home. “I’m here,” I called out, and locked the door again.

“Kitchen,” Maisie called back.

Arriving in the kitchen, I grinned. Poppy’s head was bent over a textbook, while Maisie stood at the island pouring water into a teapot. “What a perfect scene of domestic bliss.”

Poppy rolled her eyes, standing so she could hug me. “You can do my algebra homework, then.”

“That’s way out of my mental league, sweetie. Sorry.” I chuckled, giving her a squeeze before planting myself at the kitchen island.

“Mummy, I’m going to take a break, okay? I only have one more section and it’s not due until Friday.”

“Is the rest of your homework done?” Maisie asked.

“Yep.”

“Off you go, then.”

Poppy cleared her mess and left the room, hugging me again before disappearing.

“So, what’s up, love?” Maisie asked.

“Minus.”

She pulled a stool out and sat beside me. “Hmm. Yes, I’ve heard all about the mysterious Mr. Minus.”

I grimaced. “Ergo, you’ve heard Hatch’s version from the filter of way overprotective and nosy brother.”

Maisie giggled. “Probably. Fortunately, I’m fluent in Hatchese and have gotten surprisingly good at figuring out what he’s really on about.”

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