As we talked, Scarlet edged closer. She acted disinterested, but from the corner of my eye, I watched her tilt her head toward us so she could listen in. And when she was within arm’s reach, she oh so casually bent to rub the top of Benjamin's head.
He nuzzled her arm, and she tried her hardest not to smile but failed miserably. Her sheets of dark hair fell forward to hide the tilt of her lips, but nothing could disguise her happy little giggle.
I might not have wanted to spend a lot of time with kids, but I wasn’t heartless. Getting this sullen teen girl to laugh made my belly warm. Maybe that was why when Talon and Lacey began chasing Benjamin across the yard, I stood beside Scarlet.
“Do you have to watch them often?” I asked.
She folded her arms across her chest. “Not really. Only if our uncle’s late getting home and Grandpa has a date. Right now, I’m just making sure they don’t wander into traffic or whatever.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why? Are you going to kidnap them or something?”
I snorted a laugh. “Absolutely not. I spent a chunk of my life raising my siblings. I’m not interested in raising yours.”
“Do you not like kids?” she asked, incredulousness evident in her tone.
“In general, they’re all right. But they’re not for me. Like I said, I already did my duty.” I shot her a glance. “I’m glad you get to just be their big sister.”
She shrugged. “It would be nice if they were closer to my age. All my friends’ siblings are a year or two younger, and I got stuck with babies. But whatever. I guess it’s better than being alone. I can’timagine how lame it would be to be stuck with Uncle Sally and my grandpa all by myself.”
“Do they suck?”
“No, not really. My uncle is kinda serious, and Grandpa is just, like…such a guy. Not in touch with emotions, and it never occurs to him I’m a girl and like girly things, and sometimes Ifeelthings in a bigger way than he’s used to.”
She did another dramatic shrug, releasing a heavy, put-upon sigh I felt down to my soul. “It could be worse, I guess. At least I have them both, and we’re pretty rich, so we don’t have to worry about money. Of course, that also means when I ask if I can get a job, they both tell me I need to focus on school. Maybe I want to work and make my own money, right? So frustrating.”
“I don’t know, kid. I would have given anything to have been able to have no expectations other than getting good grades.” I bumped her with my elbow. “You’ve got it pretty good.”
“I know I do. I’m not stupid.” She frowned. “But it's not really freedom if I can’t do what I want. They’re not even giving me the chance to prove I can workanddo well in school.”
An idea clicked in my head. Maybe if I’d been less foggy from my cold, I would have thought it through and realized it was dumb, but the words left my mouth before I could stop them.
“I run a catering business. Sometimes, I need an assistant. Maybe your uncle and grandpa would let you work a few hours a week right across the street.”
What? Why had I said that? Take it back!
She whipped around to face me. “Really? Like, for real, for real? This isn’t a trick?”
“For real.”Oh my lizards, Beatrice, what is wrong with you? Say just kidding.“First, see if they’ll agree to it, then we can talk details. It wouldn’t be regular hours every week, but I could offer you enough to fill your pockets a little.”
I just kept going. I was never getting a cold again if this was the kind of hijinks I got into. Offering children jobs? What was wrong with me?
“Okay. I mean, yes. I’ll talk to them.” Scarlet had transformed right in front of my eyes, from bitter and world-weary to her true age and excited for what was to come. Yeah, there was no way I was taking back my offer and dimming that light.
Sigh.
“All right. Good. You know where I live, so you can let me know.” I glanced at Benjamin rolling on his back in a pile of mulch, much to Talon and Lacey’s delight. “I better get him home before he destroys your yard. Can you help me wrangle him away from your brother and sister?”
Scarlet’s smile turned into a sly smirk. “Can I get a bonus for that job?”
“You’re not even officially hired and already asking for more money? That’s pretty brazen, my friend.” I huffed as Benjamin kicked up more mulch. “Fine. If you can get him to come peacefully, I’ll pay you in cupcakes.”
Lucky for me, Scarlet agreed. Together, we lured my wayward dog away from Lacey and Talon, but only after I promised all three we’d be back soon.
By the time we crossed the street and got inside, my head was throbbing, and my nose was half clogged, half whistling cold air. Benjamin flopped dramatically onto the floor, exhausted from his jaunt.
“I feel that too, buddy.”
Kicking off my sneakers, I went straight to the kitchen and microwaved the chicken soup Anthony had mysteriously arranged to send me. Once it was steaming, I plopped down beside Benjamin on the couch and covered us both with a blanket.
Benjamin sighed and dropped his head onto my lap.
