Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
I haven’t seen Gavin’s in-laws in years, and I can’t say much has changed. Kyle seems blissfully oblivious to everything, and Karen is about as warm as the Antarctic in the middle of a cold snap.
I leave my car at the apartment and head over to the pub on foot, so I don’t have to drive home at the end of the night. It’s already ten by the time I arrive, and Chad and our friends are seated at a table in the back corner. Andrea and Belinda see me first and wave me over.
I slide into the free chair next to Chad, which puts me kitty-corner from Belinda and across from Andrea.
Chad slings his arm around my shoulder and gives me a peck on the cheek. “Hey, babe, how was the work thing tonight? Did you have another birthday party?” He isn’t looking at me, though; his attention is on the hockey game on the screen above the bar. Seattle is playing, and it’s one of the teams he favors for his fantasy league, or at least that’s what I gather from the way he gets all heated when someone doesn’t play as well as he needs them to.
I told him I was going to help at an event tonight, but I didn’t specify what kind of event. “It was good.”
“Good. Good. Glad to hear it.” He whoops in my ear when Seattle’s goalie deflects a shot on net.
I shift my chair a couple inches away so he’s not yelling in my ear and let Chad chat about the game with Allen and Ted. Since Belinda is a nurse and Andrea is a kindergarten teacher, we always have great, lively conversations.
“How have the first couple of weeks of the school year been for you?” I ask Andrea.
“Full of accidents,” Andrea sighs.
“Oh no! I hope not serious ones.”
She waves a hand around. “Oh, not like, broken bones or anything. Half the class seems like they missed their potty-training lessons.”
I make a face. “That can’t be fun for you.”
“Not really. Some years it’s worse than others, but this one is particularly bad. Usually it’s worked out by the end of September, but one of the moms is still sending her kid in Pull-Ups and he’s totally capable of using the potty. And they have to be able to go on their own. Sending a kid who doesn’t understand how to aim has been … special.”
“Can you use the Cheerio method? Can you suggest it to the parents?” I ask.
“Oh yeah. I’ve had to send a bunch of YouTube tutorials home and set up a reward system in class. It’s wild.”
“So ironic that you and I both deal with potty issues, except I’m usually dealing with the other end of the spectrum,” Belinda says. She works in a hospice.
I can’t imagine how hard it is to watch people as they struggle through the last days of their life. It takes a special person to do that job. “That must be so tough.”
“More for them than for me. It’s about trying to preserve their dignity. I just try to make them laugh and keep their spirits up. Anyway…” She waves the comment away. “Enough about that, what event were you at tonight?”
“I was helping out a former client who happens to be a teacher at the Art Academy. They had a performance tonight, and she needed an extra set of hands to get the kids ready,” I explain.
“I would literally sell a kidney to work there. They have such great programs and forward-thinking staff.” Andrea’s tone is full of respect and awe.
“Can you apply for a position?” I ask.
“Postings rarely come up, but I have an alert for when they do.” She taps her phone.
We continue chatting while the guys remain immersed in the game. Eventually Andrea and Allen and Belinda and Ted have to leave since they all came together and Belinda has a shift tomorrow morning. Like me, she doesn’t always have weekends off. When it’s just me and Chad, I suggest that we get our bill.
“Yeah, I just want to see the highlights on the basketball game ’cause I missed it earlier,” Chad says.
I pull out my phone while I wait and notice that I have a message.
Gavin: Thank you for helping out with the performance tonight and the cookie bouquet. It was a thoughtful gift and Peyton is really excited about trying every single kind of cookie in the bouquet. She also couldn’t stop talking about how nice it was to have you there. I plan to let Peyton eat one for breakfast tomorrow, but keep that on the down-low. ;) I’m sorry about my MIL, she’s having a hard time with us living so far away. Looking forward to seeing you soon ~G
“Are you dealing with work stuff? You need to take a break, babe.” Chad puts his arm around my shoulder and glances at the phone screen, brows inching toward each other.