Page 4 of 518 Hope Ave
Ding. The timer on the toaster oven goes off, and I come around to take the reheated pizza slices out of it and place them in front of the kids, who've quite quickly taken their spots at the breakfast bar. We do have a perfectly usable dining room with a perfectly usable dining table, but that's piled so high with school books, laundry, and documents that we just decided to eat all our meals together here.
"Sooooo," Cora starts, "Ginny said that she's going to a theater camp in Syn City this summer."
"Mmhmm," I respond while taking a bite out of my pizza slice.Heaven.
"And I was wondering…"
"Mmmmhmm…"
"I really wish I could go too," she finishes quickly before shyly taking a bite of her food, trying to hide her face behind her slice.
I swallow my bite and sigh. "I thought you enjoyed the mountains, Cora?"
"I did," she says. She then sticks her chin out and straightens her back, as if she’s been practicing for this conversation her whole life. "But if I want to be on Broadway when I grow up, I'm gonna have to start making some serious life choices."
"It's too late to change your mind," Lucas snorts, causing Cora to turn and glare at him.
"Lucas…" I warn.
"What?" he pushes. "It's true!"
"It'snottoo late for me. I'm only twelve, I'm not old!" Cora counters, raising her voice.
"That's absolutely not what I meant, stupid,” Luca returns. “I said—"
"Who are you calling stupid,stupid?!" she cuts in. "What about me wanting to talk about my future is stupid toyou, huh? You think you'resoooosmart just because you're in the Mathletes?"
"Enough, you two," I snap, the vein in my forehead pulsing beneath my skin.
"Yeah, you're right. Iamsmarter exactlybecauseI'm in the Mathletes and Icanfigure out that a month before camp is too late to change your mind. It’s been paid for, numskull! Use your brain!"
"I saidenough!” My voice rises over the top of them. “Both of you." They stare at me for a brief moment before glaring back at each other. It’s not often I raise my voice, but it’s just one thing after another lately.
"Argh!" Cora yells in frustration and pushes her plate away from her. "Noneof you haveeverbeen supportive of me or my dreams, this is such bullshit!" she says before storming up to her room.
Silence.
I release a heavy breath and do my best not to droop my shoulders in defeat. "Lucas…" I start.
He sighs back. "I'm sorry. I just know that you've already paid for her summer camp at Wild Ridge and can't pay for this other thing she'ssuddenlyinterested in. I wanted to try and tell her, but she wasn't listening."
I place a hand on his shoulder. "She’s young. To her, money still grows on trees. You need to let me do the talking when it comes to stuff like this. Otherwise, she'll just think you're taking shots at her."
"I know, I—" He pauses mid-sentence and cocks his head to one side, listening intently.
I scrunch my face in confusion and start to open my mouth. And then I hear it.Drip.Drip. Drip.
I widen my eyes in surprise and rush to the laundry room, cussing under my breath when I open the door to find the room flooded with soapy water, running out into the yard from beneath the door.
"Shit, shit, shit,fuck," I grind out, just as Lucas pops his head over my shoulder and groans. "This is thelastthing we need!"
Lucas gapes at the scene, wide-eyed as he takes in what is happening. He shakes his head, breaking himself out of his spell, and comes to me, placing a hand on my back. "Let's cancel the Mathletes camp and put that money into a new washing machine," he says.
I slump my shoulders. "I've already transferred the money, Luke. It's non-refundable." I take a deep breath, mentally pushing away my tears, and breathe out. "It's fine. I'll just pick up extra shifts, and we'll go to the laundromat until I can get the money for a new machine."
"No, don't be ridiculous. If you take any more shifts than you already have, you might just collapse from exhaustion. We have other options." I turn to face him, feeling utterly defeated but trying my best to stay strong. At just fifteen years old, he’s more aware of our financial situation than I’d like him to be.
“What options? Last I checked, we were all out.”
