“Ready for tonight?” she asks with a big grin on her face. Lacey’s a year younger than I am and lives in town. She’s been a teacher at the school for two years and teaches second grade. As soon as she got hired, we became instant friends.
“Yes, ma’am. More than ready, but I’m already exhausted.”
“Right? My kids have been terrors today.”
“Olivia actin’ up?”
“No, she’s the only one who listens to directions. Honestly, though, I'm grateful I’m not teaching older ones. Dealing with their pre-teen hormones sounds dreadful,” she admits.
“Girl, same. What time are you plannin’ on comin’ over?”
“Six good? Thought I’d grab a pizza and some liquor first.”
“That’s perfect. Hopefully, the last half of the day goes faster than the first.”
She nods in agreement, and when the bell rings, we head back to our classrooms. The rest of the day flies by, and as I’m walking to my car, I run into my mom.
“Three more days!” she reminds me with a cheerful smile.
“Lord. I just hope I survive.”
“You always do, sweetie. Lacey’s still comin’ to visit, right?”
I nod, then add, “Don’t you dare say what Dad told me this mornin’ about your night.”
Mom giggles. “I don’t wanna know.”
“Good,” I say, pretending to gag, but the reality is I adore how much my parents love each other. It’s adorable, and I only hope one day I find the same type of lasting relationship. My dad’s my hero who treats my mother like a queen, so my standards are high. Maybe too high for any man in Eldorado to meet.
“See you at home,” she says, and we go our separate ways.
Now that my sister is married with kids, I’m the last child living in my parents’ house. I have no reason to leave, though. I’m not dating anyone or plan to anytime soon. It’s convenient, plus the rent is free, so it’s allowed me to grow my savings.
Mom has already changed into her pajamas by the time I make my way through the front door.
“Your dad’s bringin’ some food from the B&B. Want him to grab you a plate?”
“Nah, Lacey’s pickin’ up a pizza.”
“Perfect. Hope you girls have fun,” she says as she pulls a few of her favorite wines from the cabinet and sets them on the counter.
My lips tilt up into a smile. “You’ve been holdin’ out on me!”
“You deserve it. You’ve worked really hard this year, and I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Mom. Learned everything from you, the best of the best,” I admit.
She grins wide and pulls me in for a hug.
I let out a yawn. “Welp. Guess I’m gonna jump in the shower, then change into something more comfy.”
“Sounds good,” she tells me just as my dad enters the kitchen. He sets down the to-go boxes and leans in to give Mom a kiss. After I give Dad a side hug, I make my way to the bathroom.
The warm shower soothes my muscles, and I’m perfectly relaxed when I get out. I slip on some yoga shorts and a tank top, then throw my wet hair up into a messy bun. By the time I go back into the kitchen, Mom and Dad are nowhere to be found. I’m sure they’re lying in bed watching TV. Turning in before seven isn’t out of the norm around here, especially because Dad gets up before the sun rises.
Lacey arrives with a large bag and unloads a frozen pizza, a bottle of tequila, some grenadine, and a jug of orange juice.
“I didn’t realize gettin’ sloppy drunk was on the agenda,” I mock as I preheat the oven.
“Might as well. We don’t have anything to do tomorrow.”
I shrug with a grin. “You’re right.” I place the pizza in the oven and set a timer.
Lacey opens the cabinet and grabs a glass. She’s hung out with me so much that she knows where everything is around here. Mom’s told her a million times to make herself at home, and she does.
“You drinkin’ the hard stuff or wine?” She pours the tequila and juice on ice.
“Guess I’ll take a sunrise then,” I tell her.
“You can have this one!” She slides the one she made my way.
My eyes go wide when I take a sip. “Jesus, Lace. Did you add any OJ at all?”
“After one, you won’t be able to taste it anyway.” She snorts, then makes hers the same way.
We sit at the table and wait for the pizza to finish, nearly chugging our drinks.
“I had an idea for next year that I wanted to run by you,” I say nervously.
“Yeah?”
“I noticed there aren’t any after-school programs around here. So I was thinking about starting something for next fall.”
She instantly grins, and I continue, “I think it would help the parents who work later. And we could do different things like sports or dance or maybe even art classes. I haven’t fully decided yet.”