Page 54 of Spring Tide

“I’ll be right back.”

I step into the living room, dial my mother’s number, and press the phone to my ear. She answers on the first ring.

“Ma, is Giorgie okay?” I ask before she can even manage to breathe a word.

“She’s fine,caro. She had a meltdown earlier, but she’s in bed now.”

“She’s been texting me for an hour, and I didn’t see them until just now,” I explain, gritting my teeth. “What happened?”

“Nothing for you to worry about.”

I pace across the living room, frustration bubbling in my gut. “Mamma, Giorgie doesn’t text me for nothing.”

“She’s just tired. It was her last day at the sensory gym and—”

“What are you talking about?”

“I told Taylor last week,” my mom says softly, mumbling some nonsense words under her breath. “Papa and I are cutting some costs now that Elio is doing courses at the junior college. We have two copays for occupational therapy per week, and the gym is extra.”

My heart squeezes inside my chest. “But she loves the gym.”

“It’s not a necessity.”

“Itisa necessity,” I insist, gripping my phone tightly in one hand. “She’s so much happier when she goes there. It makes her feel better. Here, let me talk to Elio.”

My mom’s voice is stern as she argues, “He needs the classes.”

“I want to see why he can’t pay for them himself.”

She tsks. “Your brother is in high school.”

“Taylor and I both worked in high school.”

“Your brother is not the same.” There’s a rhythmic beating in the background, and I can almost picture my mother impatiently tapping her foot.

“Let me just speak with him, please.”

“He’s away.”

I squeeze my eyes shut. “Fine, then I’ll call him myself.”

“You will not.”

“Ma,” I plead, only to be met by silence. “Fine, how much extra is the sensory gym? I can pick up some more shifts to cover it.”

“Giorgie will be fine,caro.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I say, carefully resigned. “I can send you one-fifty a week. I’ll FaceTime Giorgie in the morning and let her know she can go back.”

“Luca—”

“I have to go now, love you.” I hang up before she can continue the argument, a heavy weight settling on my shoulders. I might love my parents, but they simply refuse to see how Elio takes advantage of them. With six kids in the family, it’s impossible for me and Taylor to pick up the slack forever.

“Everything okay?” Harper asks, concerned as I slide back into the kitchen.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” I shake my head, attempting to clear the unwelcome cloud of fog settling in my mind. “I just ... you should probably get going. It’s late, and we’re pretty much finished.”

“Oh, okay. I mean, I could stay if you wanted to—”

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