“I don’t need to,” I reply.
She pats me on the cheek. “I know,” she says. “But at least pretend you will.” She claps her hands together, making Evie and Jackson both snap their heads up to look at her. “Alright, this place is pitiful. Who wants to go into town and get a real meal?”
“Me!” Evie shouts, raising her hand at the same time Jackson exclaims, “I do! I do!” I pinch my sister’s arm.
“Hey,” Penelope says, pulling away from me. “When was the last time you ate something you didn’t make yourself?”
“Last time you were here,” Evie answers before I can lie on our behalves. I glare at her, but she just grins back. She’s too damn honest, which makes me both proud and frustrated.
“Alright, let’s go. Everyone in the truck,” Penelope orders. She scoots off the bench and stands, stretching out, popping the joints in her back before she offers a hand up to me. “Pretend to think about it?”
“Sure,” I say to amuse her. “Now are you gonna feed me lunch or what?”
“Oh, now he wants lunch,” Penelope says. She breaks into a sprint before I can catch her, laughing as she runs out the front door.
2
Kacee
I crack one eye open. The sun smacks me in the face, and I groan, rolling away from the window and burying my face back into my pillow. I lay there, motionless, for another full minute before sighing and lifting my head.
“Why are you so bright?” I ask the sun then flop onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. After a bit of introspection, I grab my phone and check the time. It’s 10:37. I ignore the unread text messages and drop my phone onto the bed and scrub both hands over my face. Sleeping in is still a new concept for me.
I used to be a nanny, up until two weeks ago. I worked for a European family for over a year. The family is German, and I studied the language while I was in college, so we had hit it off right away. Since I had gone to college to learn early childhood education, working with kids comes naturally to me. I rack up experience and certificates like it’s my hobby, and when the Millers were hiring, I was the most qualified candidate.
The Millers had to return to Germany because Mr. Miller’s job only required them to be in the United States for a year. I miss him and his wife
, but I miss their children even more—Lauren, Emily, and Lucas. Two girls and their little brother, all three of them under the age of nine. I loved every day I spent with them, and I miss them every time I think of them. I had quickly become a part of their family, and we all cried when they told me they were moving back home.
I sigh again. After the Millers left, I was somewhat excited to have my free time back for a while. I had saved up a lot of money while I was working for them, and I had used the past two weeks as a stay-cation. My best friend, Penelope, and I had gone to the beach a few times and shopped in town, but mostly I lounged around my apartment catching up on Netflix shows. It’s been relaxing and refreshing.
However, now I’m bored and need to get myself back out there. Penelope told me to get a hobby, but my hobby is taking care of children. That really is my favorite thing to do. I love playing and creating and being silly with them. I don’t exactly know what to do when I’m not doing that, so I don’t know how to structure my days without revolving everything around my job.
I force myself to get up out of bed and make myself a cup of coffee. I pull out my phone again and check my unread text messages. There’s one from my mom asking how I’m doing, but I ignore it to deal with later. My parents and I aren’t always on the best of terms. We all love each other, but we don’t quite connect on an emotional level, which makes for stressful phone calls.
I see I have a text from Penelope asking if I’m around. I return her text then go back to sipping my coffee. My phone buzzes almost right away.
Penelope: Up for a guest?
I look around my apartment and decide it’s clean enough.
Kacee: Sure!
*
Penelope: Sweet! I’ll be right there.
I send back a smiley face emoji and get myself a bowl of cereal, and realize I really need to go grocery shopping.
By the time Penelope shows up, I’m halfway through a bowl of Froot Loops. She lets herself in with her key and flicks on the light in the living room.
“Don’t mind me, I’m just here to remind you to live,” Penelope says, dropping herself into the other chair at the kitchen table. She looks around. “Damn, I forget you have no sense of style sometimes. This place looks like a barn, and a spaceship had a baby.”
I try to imagine that, but it just makes me laugh. “I do have a sense of style! You just don’t get it.”
She smiles, looking at my cereal. “I know you haven’t left your house in five days, so I figured we could get brunch.”
I raise an eyebrow at her as I take a bite. “That’s nice of you, but I’m in the middle of brunch right now.”