“Good morning, Daddy.”
“Good morning, Princess,” Mr. Perry replied as he stirred his coffee. “What are your plans for today?”
“Well, I was planning on going to the mall to buy some new shoes and maybe a new outfit…”
Mr. Perry fixed his youngest daughter with a look. “You don’t need to buy anything else. You’ve already maxed out one of my credit cards. Today you’re going to stay home and watch Stephen and Chris.”
Jane’s eyes widened. “Daaaddy! I don’t want to watch them.”
A few years earlier Jane’s father had remarried and the woman had two young sons. Jane’s two older sisters and older brother had already moved out of the house leaving Jane alone to deal with the stepmother and step-siblings. She didn’t mind the boys or her stepmother at all, really, but she hated feeling like she was being tied down. Babysitting was definitely not her thing.
“Jane, Marie and I have a very formal lunch to attend today and we cannot take the boys to something like this. It’s only one Saturday and, like I said, you don’t need to spend any more of my money. If you want to spend money, spend your own.”
“Ew. Why spend my money when I can spend yours?”
Mr. Perry took a long sip of his coffee. “That’s just it, Jane. There will be no more spending my money. You’re going off to college in just six or seven months and you need to learn how to take care of yourself. Your brother and sisters have learned and look at how well off they are.”
“That’s not fair.”
“It’s perfectly fair. Discussion over.”
Jane sighed loudly and ran her hands through her hair. “Fiiine, whatever, Daddy. I’ll do what you want for now, but you know you’ll eventually give in to me.”
Mr. Perry put his empty cup into the sink and shook his head at his daughter. “That’s where you’re wrong, Princess,” he said as he left the kitchen. “Marie should be getting the kids up in maybe another hour. So take advantage of that time.”
“Naturally!” Jane dashed toward the stairs and pounded up to her room. Her laptop was on and her screen name already signed on. She sat down at the computer and began tapping away.
LadyLacey1: heyyy jane
Janiebabie: heyyy lacey
LadyLacey1: o, u r so not gonna believe this!!!!!
Janiebabie: wut wut WUT?!?!
LadyLacey1: u no how tim n amber r like the ULTIMATE couple???
Janiebabie: yah! They been 2gether since like…preschool
LadyLacey1: THEY BROKE UP!!!!!
Janiebabie: NUH-UH NUH-UH NUH-UUUUH!!!!
LadyLacey1: isn’t that totally crazy?!?! Amber jst called me BAWLIN her eyes out n tellin me alllll bout it!!!
Janiebabie: Ooooh…this is jst waaaayyy 2 good way way way
LAdyLacey1: oh n theres more…guess who tim likes?
Janiebabie: WWWWHHHHOOO???
LadyLacey1: dnt b such a ditz jane!!!! Its U!
Janiebabie: …
LadyLacey1: jane?
Janiebabie: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!
LadyLacey1: sOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo tru, im not evn jkin
“Jane, Cadence has been trying to call you on your cell, answer it!”
Jane reached for her cell phone just as Cadence called again. “Hello?”
“Hey, Jane,” Cadence said.
“Listen, listen, listen!”
LadyLacey1: wut u gonna do if he ask u out???
“What is it?” Cadence asked, sounding slightly exasperated.
Janiebabie: say YES!
“You will not believe what’s going on. You know Tim and Amber, right?”
LadyLacey1: wut about amber?
“Yeah…”
Janiebabie: if she cnt keep him she don’t deserve him
“They broke up,” Jane said excitedly.
LadyLacey1: oooooooouch!!! Ur totally cruel
“I don’t wanna hear about it, Jane.”
Janiebabie: gotta do wut I gotta do
“Just listen to this oooone thing!” Jane begged her best friend.
LadyLacey1: ur vicious grl rawr
“What?”
Janiebabie: dnt 4get it
“Tim likes me!”
LadyLacey1: remnind me NEVA to get on ur bad side
“I’m hanging up now. Call me when you’re off your gossip high.”
“Cadence—,” Jane started then sighed when she realized Cadence had hung up on her. “Whatever.”
Janiebabie: lol u make me sound like some wicked witch
LadyLacey1: as long as im not cmin outrite n sayin it…
Janiebabie: ouch lace ouch
LadyLacey1: *shrugs*
Janiebabie: neway, I g2g. thnks for the tidbit. Byyyez
LadyLacey1: lata
“Jane, come down and get your brothers some breakfast. Marie and I have some errands to run before lunch.”
“Coming,” Jane called unhappily.
When she got into the kitchen the boys jumped up from the table to greet her. “Janie!” Three year old Stephen grabbed her legs while six year old Chris latched onto one of her arms.
“’Morning boys.”
“Want breakfast, Janie. You make?”
“Yeah, Stephen, I’ll make breakfast. What do you want?”
“Suuuugar O’s!” Stephen cried.
“We don’t buy Sugar O’s, Stephen. Something else.”
“Panacakes. With lots and lots of surp.”
“How about waffles?”
“With lots and lots of surp?”
“Sure.”
“YAY!” he let go of her legs and ran to play while waiting for his waffles.
“How about you, Chris? Waffles?”
Chis shook his head, upsetting his thick black curls. “No. I want fruit, please.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Strawberries, bananas, and oranges.”
“Well, okay, whatever you say.”
Chris nodded without smiling. “Thank you, Janie.”
Jane watched Chris walk slowly out of the room and shook her head. “That boy is something else…” she muttered.
After the boys ate breakfast Jane sent them to their room to get dressed so she could take them to the café with her. She wasn’t working that day, but she liked to go in and see her friends while they worked. Even when off duty, being at the café was fun.
