He swings around clumsily and almost knocks me on my ass. “Why you being so bossy, huh? I can do whatever I want. Especially now. He’s gone. There’s no one left to tell me what to do.”
I feel for him, I really do, but getting drunk with those people is not the answer. “No. You’re living in my house now, so you’ll do as I tell you. We’re staying home, and you’re absolutely not going out with those assholes.”
He snarls angrily. “Why you gotta be such a bitch?”
Fury and heartbreak wage a war inside me at his easily tossed around words. He’ll never know how much his belligerence hurts me.
Casey watches us in silence, so unlike her. I think if it were any other day, despite her tiny five-foot frame, she’d be beating his ass for being an asshole, but today she’s lost at sea. Just like me. She’s my only ally in this world, and we’re both lost.
We move inside; Jack to his new room, and us girls to the old kitchen. Dropping her purse to the table and walking straight to the counter, Casey flicks on the kettle. That’s her solution to everything. Had a bad day? Cup of tea. Stubbed your toe? Cup of tea. Lost your virginity today? Cup of tea.
I slump down into the dining chair and let out a large gust of exhausted breath. This is day one on the job. A job I never signed on for. A death I never got to prepare for. A life I never asked for.
I’m already so exhausted.
Case sets out a cup of tea and helps herself to my pantry. Taking out a packet of chocolate biscuits, she presses her gifts into my hands and sits down beside me. “How you holding up?”
This sucks.
I shrug and take a bite of the biscuit I don’t need. I already carry fifteen pounds more than I should. “Shitty day.”
She forces a smile and presses her cheek to my shoulder. “It’ll be okay, I promise. Can I sleep over tonight?”
I bring the fine teacup to my lips as silent tears spill over. “Yes please. I love you, Case.”
She doesn’t mention my tears. She’d never mention a weakness I detest, so instead, she presses a kiss to the ball of my shoulder and picks up her own tea.
“Do you know where Aunt Skank’s staying? And when she’s leaving?”
I smile at her words. She’s not far off the mark, and my cousins didn’t fall far from the tree. “Yeah, that one on Main Street.”
“Alright, well, we’ll keep our distance and wait for them to split. It won’t take long.”
“Never does…”
“Hey.” She waits for me to turn and meet her eyes. “You’ve got me, okay? I’m all you need. I’m awesome.”
Fresh tears well up in my eyes. Turning away and swiping my face over my opposite shoulder, I cough away the sadness in my throat. “Wanna get wasted on ice cream and watch a movie?”
She silently nods and stands from the table. Taking our almost empty teacups to the sink, she skips to the freezer and takes out a tub of salted caramel ice cream. Grabbing spoons and my hand, she leads me out of the kitchen toward the stairs.
I’m ready for bed. I’m exhausted.
Case moves straight into the master bedroom at the top of the hall, but before I follow her in, I duck my head into Jack’s bedroom door. Like a starfish with arms and legs hanging over the sides of his small bed, he sleeps in boxer shorts and socks and snores the way only drunk people snore.
I drag my feet to my room, follow Case under the covers, and let Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy lull me to sleep.
I have shit to take care of tomorrow, then I go back to work on Monday. Life must go on for those of us who have a mortgage to pay.