Page 30 of Rumi: The Hawthornes

“Fine,” I said, throwing up my hands. “Work forever. Have fun with that.”

“Speaking of work,” Nana said, pointing at me. “You’re working too much.”

“I’m saving for school.”

“You’re going to collapse from exhaustion,” she countered. “You need to have at least one day off a week.”

“If I could, I would,” I argued. “It doesn’t exactly work like that because I’ve got two different schedules.”

“Then tell them you can’t work one day a week.” She shot me a look as she grabbed her own travel mug of coffee. “Tell both jobs the same day and voilà.”

“If I tell them I can’t work, then they won’t call me for extra shifts.”

“Swear to God, Samson,” she muttered to Pop. “The girl doesn’t hear a word I say.”

“You should stop workin’ the extra shifts anyway,” Pop said to me.

“When hell freezes over,” I replied with mock sweetness. “Not happening.”

“I’m proud as hell that you’re such a hard worker, Nova,” he said, shaking his head. “But you’retired, honey. You need a break.”

“I’m fine.” I got to my feet and danced a little jig. “See? Good to go.”

“You fell asleep on the couch last night.”

“It was late!”

“It wasn’t that late,” Pop grumbled, shaking his head. He leaned over and kissed Nana. “I’m headin’ out.”

“Bye, baby,” Nana replied.

“Bird!” Gramps called. “You want a ride or what, boy?”

“I’m coming!” Bird yelled back from his room.

“Have a good day, Pop,” I called as he walked toward the door.

“You too, honey,” he replied with a wave. “Bird! Get your ass out here!”

“I’m coming!” Bird yelled back, followed by a loud thump that I could actually feel beneath my feet.

When my baby brother came running down the hallway, I laughed and pulled a hair tie off my wrist.

He looked over at me. “Hey, you got a—” I shot the hair tie at him and he caught it in one hand. “Thanks. Love you, Nova. Love you, Nana.”

“Love you, too,” we both replied at the same time.

It was silent in the house for a few seconds after he’d closed the door behind him.

“Your brother is the smartest person I know and he still can’t seem to make it out of the house on time,” Nana noted thoughtfully.

“It’s like his brain is too full of all the other shit to keep track of time.”

“Must be it.” She laughed. “I’m going, too. You need anything before I go?”

“Nope,” I said, shaking my head with a smile as she came over and kissed the top of it. “I’m going to shower and then head to the pancake house.”

“You think about taking fewer shifts,” she ordered as she headed for the door. “You’re too young to be working your life away.”

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