Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
For some reason, this woman from my memories is taking up residence in my heart. I want to take care of her so badly and ensure she always has what she needs.
She should never be left out in the cold for any reason.
“A lot of people work two jobs, Eddie,” Kathleen snaps, sounding very mature for how young she looks. “Do I have it rough? Yeah, but I don’t need charity.”
“I’m not saying that you need charity,” I tell her in a pacifying tone, raising my hands in surrender. “I’m just saying that this is not like you. You were always a smart kid. Your mom always said you were an A+ student at school. Your dad….”
Kathleen releases a huff of air, her bottom lip quivering. “Don’t you think I know all that? But my life isn’t black and white or good and bad. A lot of it is shitty, and I have had to pull myself off the ground and give up on some dreams so I could keep living—but you know what? I’m alive. My dad is in prison, and I’m doing the best I can, and you don’t understand anything.”
Kathleen moved to stand up, promising to take my heart with her as she does.
“Kat…,” I begin, wondering what I can possibly say to make her stay.
“If you would have thought to ask me,” she snaps, her hands shaking. “I’m working two jobs because my mom is sick, Eddie. I’m taking care of her and my little brother. Okay? Happy? Do you feel good about yourself now?”
Kathleen leaves the diner so fast that I don’t even have time to chase after her, and the heavy feeling in my stomach grows more nauseating. I can’t let her get away. I can’t let my pride pull the two of us apart.
CHAPTER THREE
Kathleen
My apartment building is run-down and smells of mold. Water drips from everywhere I look, and there’s a draft that never seems to leave in the stairwell.
Stevie wraps me in a bear hug when I open the door. His hair smells of the cheap pumpkin shampoo I’ve always liked, and he’s freshly showered from earlier.
“You brushed your teeth, right?” I ask him, holding his shoulders. He looks just like my dad. “Cavities are not our friend, Stevie. Repeat after me now….”
“Cavities are villains,” Stevie nods, grinning. He has my dad’s curly, brown hair and my mom’s green eyes, my green eyes. “I know, and I brushed them, Kat.”
“You are one smart cookie,” I tell him, ruffling his hair with my hand.
“Can you bring some back from the diner tomorrow?” My little brother asks me hopefully, following me into the little kitchenette. “Cookies, I mean?”
I grin, reaching up to grab a cup. “Chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin?”
“Oatmeal raisin!” Stevie tells me, doing a little dance of excitement.
Any other child might have jumped at the chance for sugary chocolate, but Stevie has grown up watching me scarf down oatmeal cookies, and we’ve never had enough money for good chocolate anyway.
“You got it, boss,” I tell him as I sip at the water I’ve just poured. Despite the chilly fall wind, the bus ride to the apartment had been hot and humid, and I’m parched enough for two. “Wait, why are you up right now?”
“I’m on fall break,” Stevie tells me as he crawls onto one of the stools by the tiny counter. It wobbles precariously back and forth, and I wonder how old the thing must be. I found it in the trash one day and brought it home. “It’s the first of October, remember?”
“Spooky season,” I tell him in a sing-song voice, wiggling my fingers.
Stevie laughs, swatting my hands away. I’ve always loved Halloween.
“Kat?” Stevie questions as I shrug off my hoodie, tucking it over the chair.
“Yeah, kiddo? What do you need?”
I can’t help but grin a little bit at my little brother, and I can tell he is obviously too sleepy to function for much longer.
“Are you going to be here tomorrow?” The hope in his voice is like ice in my chest, making my bones ache as if I’m suddenly eons older than I actually am.
“I have to head into work in the morning,” I answer reluctantly, and I look away from the sad expression on his face. I don’t want to know that I disappointed him.
“But I thought you worked tonight,” Stevie questions me as he yawns.
“I did work tonight.” I know how good my baby brother is at determining lies, and I don’t want to lie to him anyway. The kid is just too smart for his own good. He’s going to do great things. I just know it. “But I need to go in again in the morning. They need me, and I need to work. You know that, don’t you, Stevie?”
“Okay,” Stevie agrees in a quiet tone. “Will you help me in the afternoon then?”