Page 78 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
“I don’t know how Ladybug does it all day, work with the little children,” Dimitri grumbled from his place on my couch. He’d worked camp with us.
“I love the afternoon group. Fuck, some of those kids canplay,” Anders replied.
They could. The morning group… Well, they made me laugh. They had fun. Theytried.
“Those little ones she had last week were like herding cats. Where is Gwen? It’s late.” Carlos looked at his phone as he tried to play with one hand. Pretty sure he was texting his ex. Again.
“She’s working the late shift all month. Her university coach started pre-season practices and held them in the late afternoon,” I told them as I leaned back in my gaming chair. At least we weren’t far from the training center. I worried about her coming back late at night alone.
Dimitri’s go-kartjumpedover me as he used a power-up. “She works too much.”
“She’s worried about paying her tuition.” I frowned as my go-kart chased after him. “Does anyone know how much she owes?” A place like NYIT was probably much more than community college.
“Mercy does. Yesterday her and Team Mom asked me to contribute to get it paid. I threw some money on it.” Anders’ green go-kart caught up to me.
“I did, too. Gwen gets to keep anything extra to put toward living and shit. Though watching her race a shopping cart through Home Things was hysterical,” Carlos replied.
It was hilarious. I still had to take her to Swoop, which I was looking forward to.
“Team Mom’s organizing a fund for Ladybug? That’s sweet. She didn’t ask me to contribute.” Which was weird, since I knew Team Mom. She’d helped me out a lot last season, when I was a rookie and learning to live on my own.
“Team Mom knows you’re keeping Gwen’s ass.” Carlos laughed. “Just like she knows Dimitri dropped the GDP of a small nation on the shopping trip that Valya took Gwen on.”
“Looking good is expensive.” Dimitri shrugged. He came from money besides his high salary.
“Ladybug’s staying here?” Anders smirked. We were almost at the end of the track. Dimitri was in the lead.
“She’shouse-sitting.” Maybe I should have brought back a kitten–for me. Then Gwen would have a job to do. I didn’t even have plants for her to water.
There was a bump at the door, then a shuffle. The door flew open. Ladybug stumbled in with her backpack, and two large equipment bags–one that saidNYIT Hockeyand one that saidVictory Sports.
They were a company that made equipment for pretty much every sport and sponsored her university. She also had two goalie sticks.
“Hi.” She waved and dropped her things by the kitchen island, then went right to the box on the coffee table. Her face fell when she saw it was empty.
“There’s food for you in the fridge. Give me a second.” I used a power up and raced after Dimitri, the end of the track in sight.
“It’s fine. Thanks,” she said.
Dimitri’s go-kart shot flames at me, causing me to stall as he sailed over the finish line, getting first. Carlos sped past me, getting second place, but I finished before Anders.
When I looked up, Gwen was in the kitchen, microwaving the personal pizza I’d ordered for her. She was the only one of us who liked pineapple and ham.
“Did you rob Athlete’s World?” Anders laughed.
“Coach Hirata did,” she snorted. “Guess what?”
“What?” I asked. Her energy was electric and I couldn’t help but get excited for her, whatever it was.
“Remember how Coach Hirata said they approached a couple of alumni about helping me out? Well, one of them came through. My tuition is paid for. I’m going to be okay.” She grabbed a beer from the fridge and opened it.
“Ladybug, that’samazing.” I vaulted up off the couch and entered the kitchen, so I could swing her around, her beer nearly spilling.
“Put me down, you goofball,” she laughed.
“Never.” I kept her up in the air. “Who was it?”
“Don’t know. They want to be anonymous.” She kicked her feet.
