“Shane?” Nolan said, waving his hand in front of my face.
I snapped out of my reverie and blinked a couple of times as if coming out of a dream. I hadn't even seen him get off the couch.
“Yeah?” I muttered.
“I asked if you wanted sausage,” he said, “or if it would be okay if we just went with pepperoni this time?”
“Sure, do whatever you want,” I said. “I'm not hungry anyway. I'm just going to go to bed, I think.”
I was going to bed because I knew I'd need to be up bright and early to look for a new job. No way my job at the security company would understand why I'd left like that. Sure, there was someone else to take over for me, but the fact was, I walked out on the job, and my boss wasn't the understanding sort.
With rent coming due in less than a week and a shut-off notice from the gas company sitting on the table, I'd need to find something else. Quickly.
CHAPTER THREE
PIPER
“Ugh, I'm so tired,” I groaned as I collapsed on the couch.
My eyes would hardly stay open on their own. It was only eight p.m., and it felt like I'd been up for days. I heard footsteps running down the hallway toward me – little footsteps. Hearing them though, took away some of my exhaustion and a smile spread across my face. My mother's footsteps were right behind Olivia's.
“Mommy!” Olivia said as she burst into the room, her hair still wet from her bath.
My mom shook her head but laughed. “She was hardly out of the bath when she heard you come in,” she said. “Had to rush out and see you before I put her to bed.”
“I'm glad you did, angel,” I said, picking up my little girl and setting her on my lap.
I pushed back a strand of her black hair, staring into those gray eyes of hers. She looked a lot like me when I'd been her age, and there was hardly any of her father in her – thank God.
“Do I have to go to bed?” she asked, pouting. “You just got home.”
My heart broke as he pouted. She was right. I did just get home and it was her bed time. Most nights were like that, unfortunately. I saw her on my nights off and when I didn't have class during the day. But, the fact of the matter was, I didn't get to spend enough time with my daughter and it killed me.
“I've got an idea,” I said. “What if I read you a bedtime story?”
Olivia's eyes widened. “Dr. Seuss?”
“Anything you want, baby,” I said.
I patted her on the head as she jumped down from my lap. Her Trolls nightgown swished around her ankles as she took off down the hallway. I just smiled as I watched her go.
“Long day?” mom asked.
She was in her work scrubs already. She was a nurse at the local hospital and worked the night shift. Her eyes were tired, and she looked like she could have used some sleep herself.
“No more than usual,” I said with a tired smile. “But I'll be okay.”
“I know you will,” she said. She reached out and gave my hand a quick squeeze. “Just a few more classes, and you'll be done with school.”
She was right. I was following in my mother's footsteps of being a nurse. Originally, I'd wanted to go to medical school, but now, with a daughter, I realized I didn't want to spend forever in school. Besides, nursing allowed me more flexibility and the ability to nurture and care for people more than if I'd been a surgeon – which wa
s the reason I wanted to be a doctor to begin with.
“Have a good night, mom,” I said.
She left the house, clearly as tired as I was. Both of us were burning the candle at both ends right now, but it was the only option we had. I hated missing out on my daughter growing up, but I had to get into a better place financially to give her the life she deserved.
I stepped into her room, and she was already up on her bed with a book in her lap. Her eyes were sparkling and shining bright. My little girl obviously wasn't tired at all, and I knew that I'd be lucky if we stopped at just one book tonight. Judging by her bright eyes and the way she was swinging her feet off the side of the bed, she looked as if she could stay up all night.