Page 239 of As The Shifter World Turns

“I broke into the house,” Daire informed us.

Turned out Daire had come to the basement apartment slash office to pick up a report and smelled burning. He called 911 and broke a window on the first floor. He’d put out some of the flames by the time the fire department arrived.

I hugged our grizzly friend. He was my hero. “I love you. Thank you.”

“But you can’t stay in the house,” the firefighter advised.

“What about 2B?” Daire suggested. 3B was unoccupied but empty of furniture but Neil had kept 2B pretty much the same as when he lived there. He used it as a bolthole and I think he also did some filming there as well as the office, but perhaps he only did it in the office. I wasn’t sure. And right now, it didn’t matter.

It was a one-bed apartment and considering our home had almost burnt to the ground, we couldn't complain. We were grateful.

106

USELESS

Martin

It had been a week since I finished up my work on the app project. I knew it was temporary going in. I even knew that once I finished that phase of the project I was going to be out of a job. A few times I even considered dawdling a bit to keep the insurance. But that wouldn’t be right. Not to Ryder’s start up.

He’d been kind enough to let me stay on the insurance, but it was going to quickly suck what was left of my savings. But I’d seen the initial bill for Charlie’s short trip to the ER. Had there not been insurance for him, we would’ve had financial woes. I was going to pay it until I couldn’t pay any more.

I applied for twenty jobs a day, no less. When I was working with Ryder, it was only five and that didn’t pan out, so I figured twenty would. The first day it was easy. I was not only motivated, there were plenty of jobs. But then came day two. Not as many jobs, at least not ones I hadn’t already submitted to.

And honestly I had a gut feeling that half the jobs I applied to weren’t what they were hiring for. A few of them had been listed over a year and there was no way that they were interviewing and not one person was good enough in that amount of time. By day four it felt like I was spinning my wheels. And by day six, getting out of bed was hard.

The only thing that kept me going was the kids. I became the primary caregiver for Charlie because I was the one who wasn’t working. It made sense. Toby was in school and with him gone all day, of course I had time for the little guy.

If only I felt like I was giving him what he needed.

“You’re stinky,” I teased him and picked him up for a diaper change, onlywhen I went to change him he was clean. It was then that it hit me. I was the stinky one.

I looked down at my pjs, the ones I’d been wearing for most of a week. It was almost lunchtime and I’d still not bothered to get dressed. I just threw my jeans over my pjs when I brought Toby to school and slid them right off again when I got home.

“Sweet baby boy. I think I need a tubby.” He giggled, more at my facial expressions than my words. “I should see about that.”

I refastened his diaper and got his clothes back on. “Let’s get you something fun to do while I make a few phone calls.” He was a really happy baby, unexpectedly so given the turn of events that were his life.

What are you up to?I texted Neil first. Maybe he could come watch Charlie so I could get clean and potentially pull my head outta my ass.

About to tape. You?

About to make lunch.I didn’t want him to feel like he needed to drop everything for me.Want some?

Anthony ordered for us, but thank you. Love you.

Love you too.

“I’m sure Ryder is busy,” I brought up Daire’s name and had a similar conversation to the one I had with Neil, minus the love you. He was working on a plant video or something. He had a huge following from creating something new out of what he loved.

And what did I do? I wallowed in my jams smelling like I was holding a poopy diaper.

Next I tried Archer and Micah, and Ivor. All of them were busy. Why? Because they were adults and not irresponsible and pathetic people who couldn't get a job if their family’s life depended on it.

“It’s just you and me kid.”

I made Charlie some lunch and gave him a sippy of milk. He was yawny and tired after we finished. A fresh diaper later and he was falling asleep before I even got him to his crib.

“Sleep well sweet boy. Maybe when you get up, I’ll have a job.”

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