Page 24 of Dust Storm

Cassandra groaned.

“This is gonna bethe best nightever,” Gracie squealed as she bounced in the backseat.

I cut my eyes to the left, watching Cassandra as my parents’ house faded behind us.

“Can we stay up and watch a movie with Miss Cassandra?” Bree asked.

“No,” Cassandra and I said together.

I tacked on an, “it’s a school night,” for good measure.

The girls groaned like I had just told them they were going to the dentist.

I pulled up to the house and cut the engine.

Usually, I would have opened their doors and told the girls to go on inside while I checked something inexplicable outside.

That was just code for me needing a few minutes alone to breathe before I oversaw their bedtime routine.

The girls were older now and generally autonomous, which helped.

Still, there was always an argument.

Always a complaint.

Always one of them “forgetting” that brushing their teeth was a prerequisite to going to sleep that had been done since before they could remember.

Always something that needed to be done for school that hadn’t been mentioned. I had a stockpile of art supplies and presentation necessities like poster boards for the semi-regular occurrence of “it being a last-minute assignment.”

But I couldn’t steal those coveted three minutes tonight.

“Get inside and get ready for bed,” I told the girls as I popped their doors open.

I saw Cassandra getting antsy, but she didn’t reach for the door handle. I opened it for her. “You too, Princess. We’re early risers.”

She sat stock still; her back straight and eyes closed. “I need a minute.”

Her words were emotionless.

My eyebrows lifted, but I didn’t argue with her. “Come on in when you’re ready, then.”

I stood at the sink washing lunchbox containers when the front door finally opened. Cassandra strutted in. The steady rhythm of her stilettos on my hardwood floor was a beacon for the girls.

They bounded out of the bathroom and down the stairs in their pajamas, nearly knocking each other over.

At the giggling chaos, Sadie popped up from her favorite spot on the couch and darted into the kitchen.

“Miss Cassandra, are you actually engaged?” Bree shouted as she beelined for her.

“When are you getting married?” Gracie chimed in.

The fur missile bolted, herding Bree and Gracie into a cluster. Cassandra was caught in the middle of the child and canine tornado. She put her hands up to protect her face.

I whistled, calling off the dog and the girls. They settled instantly.

“Bedtime,” I said as I cut the water off. “I’ll be up in a minute.”

“But we wanna hang out with Miss Cass,” Gracie whined.

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