Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Hey, it’s good that she’s curious. It’ll make her motivated in college.”
“That’s what I try to tell myself each time I get stressed out about the frat parties, drinking, drugs, and casual sex.”
“Does she have any idea what she wants to go to school for?”
“She flip-flops. The ideological side of her wants to go for literature or writing. The practical side knows she’d also be good as a lawyer. She’s got time, though. I’m not really worried about her major. I just… want her to have the opportunity to go and experience all the things I didn’t do when I was her age.”
“Did you want to go to college?”
“I wanted to go to frat parties,” she said, getting a laugh out of me. “I honestly didn’t give academics a whole lot of thought. I was too busy… living. I’d never been one of those teens who seemed to know what they wanted to do with their lives from middle school on. I was too focused on just having a good time and, eventually, getting out of my father’s house. Though, honestly, I think my plans back then all involved a guy who I was so sure would run away from town and take me with them.
“I learned pretty quickly how unreliable it was to depend on a guy to get me to a better life.”
“You were a kid. They were… idiots. Didn’t know how good they had it with you. Especially her old man,” I said, nodding toward Daph’s room.
“I honestly never wanted anything to do with him again after he ran out on us. But I’ll admit my heart hurts for her that he never wanted anything to do with her. Even though I know from experience what that’s like, it doesn’t make it any easier to watch your kid go through it.”
“It’s his loss for sure. And she turned out good. Fucking horrible concept of time and age aside.”
“She told me last week that my shoes made me look like an ‘old lady,’” Sabrina said, shaking her head. “I’d like to say you get used to it, but those fuckers know how to hit you where it hurts. Our fading youth.”
“Eh, you’re still pretty young,” I said.
“Tell that to my lower back. I nearly threw it out sneezing the other day.”
“Until you’ve pulled a muscle trying to tie your shoe, think you’re good,” I said, getting a laugh out of her. “So if or when Daph goes off to college, what’s your plan?”
“What do you mean?” she asked as she started to drop cookies onto a baking sheet.
“Well, your schedule would free up, right? Don’t have to be home at a specific time. Don’t have to be home at all if you don’t want to. You got plans for then?”
“I… don’t,” she said, looking a little stricken at the idea.
It seemed just like Sabrina to be so focused on what a situation would mean for her daughter that she completely neglected to leave herself out of the equation.
“I’m assuming this is where I should find some long-buried talent to work on. Or pick up a new hobby. Something like that. But, ah, getting myself into trouble was my only talent when I was younger. And I know myself well enough to know I would pull my hair out trying to learn to knit or garden. Do you have any hobbies?”
“I dunno if I’d call them hobbies. But I like to get out and do shit on occasion. Go to the range. Kayak. There’s a wall-climbing place around here that’s a good time. Anything that sounds interesting.”
“I might be interested in going to concerts again,” Sabrina said as she slid the cookies in the oven. “Though I’ll admit that a part of me is a little terrified that I will be that old person claiming the music is too loud now.”
“You can start going again before Daph goes off to college. She’ll be driving on her own by her next birthday, right? Doubt she’ll be hanging here every night then.”
“Shh. Don’t remind me. I’m just gonna pray that this book thing stays her new obsession and the only place she drives off to at night is with Allie to check out some new bookstores.”
“Is she still talking to that Tammy chick?”
“I mean, I don’t monitor her texts or anything like that. But I haven’t heard her talking about Tammy in a while. I feel like a bad person hoping one of her friendships has fizzled out, but I’d prefer her to hang out with kids like Allie than adults like Tammy.”
“That makes sense. Allie definitely seems like a better influence. I’m assuming she plans on going to college too?”
“Yeah. She’s very school-focused. She studies for the state tests,” Sabrina said with a fond little smile. “She’s planning on becoming a research scientist. Lets her do smart stuff while not having to interact with too many people. Her moms are happy because, apparently, that pays pretty damn well too.”