Page 34 of Steadfast

Cian’s birthday was a welcome exception to my rules. We had fried chicken from the deli that would be good cold the next day, four different kinds of chips, a tray of fruit, two different kinds of pasta salad, and I was planning on getting enough soda so that they could enjoy it for the rest of the week. We were going to feast, and I didn’t have to cook anything but the cake. I couldn’t wait.

“You already grabbed Cian’s clothes?” Richie asked as we loaded up the bottom of the cart with drinks.

“Yeah, they’re in there somewhere,” I mused. “I got him a couple pairs of jeans and three shirts. Hopefully he likes them.”

“He will.”

“I don’t know what’s cool with his group of friends. I don’t want him to look like a dork.”

Richie laughed. “You’ve been out of high school for two months, and you’re already afraid you’re not hip to the trends?”

“I’m not exactly trendy,” I replied dryly, gesturing to my work uniform.

“You fit in pretty well here,” he joked, nodding at one of my coworkers who was restocking a shelf in the same uniform.

“Ha ha,” I said sarcastically. “I’m just glad we have an apparel department so I can use my discount.”

“Have you picked up his board yet?” Richie asked thoughtfully.

“No, I went in and built it before work.” I shook my head. “Picked out all the parts I wanted, and the skate shop said they’d assemble and have it ready tomorrow morning.”

“Fancy.”

“Don’t act like you didn’t do the same thing when you got your board.” I bumped him with my hip.

“I could’ve just given Cian my board, you know,” he said quietly. “It’s not like I use it anymore.”

I smiled at him and leaned up on my toes to give him a kiss. “Thank you.” I dropped back down. “They get a lot of stuff secondhand. I wanted him to get some new stuff for his birthday and going into high school, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it. You’re a good sister, you know that?”

“Are you kidding? I’m thebestsister.”

We waited in line for what felt like forever, and when we finally got to the register, Jasmine rang us up.

“Damn, girl! Looks like a party.”

“It’s Cian’s birthday tomorrow,” I replied with a laugh.

“Getting your boy all set up, I see.” She lifted up a pair of jeans. “Good choice.”

“Hopefully they’re long enough,” I mused. “He’s taller than me now.”

“They do that,” she commiserated with a nod. “Always eating all your food and growing out of the clothes you just bought ’em. Pains in the neck, every single one.”

I laughed. Jasmine adored her two kids. She’d had her first during her senior year of high school and the second a little less than two years later, and from what she’d told me, life had been absolutely nuts for her. By the time I’d met her, they were in grade school, and she felt like she had some time to breathe.

“It’s okay, Grace,” I called out as another coworker rushed toward our lane. “I can bag it!”

“Aoife knows what she’s doing,” Jasmine added with a little laugh.

“I’ve worked here too long,” I told her quietly. “I like my bags packed a certain way.”

“I hear you,” Jasmine agreed. “How you doing, boyfriend?”

Richie smiled and winked. “She hasn’t kicked me to the curb yet, so I’m all good.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Jasmine replied. “Heard you got a new job. You liking it?”

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