“My whole life revolved around him. Taking care of him was my main focal point, and without him I feel a bit lost. It’s like my center is gone. There’s this huge void.”

“Then come to work for us. You are so good at staging my houses. You may as well make money at it, and it would get you out of the house.”

“Dad made you get a job?” Logan slammed down his spoon and roughly pushed his cereal bowl away from himself, causing milk to spill on the table.

“No, honey. He wouldn’t make me get a job. I got a job because I wanted one.” It was the following morning, and Lina had just told him about her new position.

“Why?” His eyes were narrowed with suspicion.

“Because staging homes is fun, and I’ll get to work with Adele. Plus, I’ll finally be using my education. You know my degree is in interior design, right?”

“Who’s going to drive us around if you’re working?”

“It’s part-time, and I’ll only do it when you’re in school. Nothing will change for you. The only reason you’ll know I’m working is because I told you.”

“What if I’m sick one day?”

“Then I won’t work. I would never let it encroach on my time with you guys.”

“How much are they going to pay you?” Katie asked, joining them at the table.

“Good question.” Lina laughed. “I have no idea. I guess we’ll talk about that when I go in.”

“No texting at the table,” Logan said, looking pointedly at Katie’s cell phone.

Katie continued tapping on her phone. “You don’t seriously expect me to listen to you, do you?”

“We’re not supposed to use our phones at the table,” Logan said.

If Logan didn’t look so serious, Lina would have laughed. He was sitting at the head of the table, in the chair normally occupied by his father, clearly trying to be the man of the house as he continued to frown at Katie.

“Considering you don’t even like him anymore, why are you trying to be him? It’s weird,” Katie said.

“I’m not trying to be him. I’m just trying to keep you from being rude!” he said before stomping from the room.

“Katie.” Lina sighed. “Can’t you try to be a little nicer? You know he’s having a hard time.”

“If ‘nicer’ means letting my little brother tell me what to do, no.” She was again tapping away on her phone. “Don’t forget, I’m taking my driver’s test Thursday.”

“I have it on my calendar,” Lina assured her before taking a sip of coffee.

“I also need you to make me an appointment at the gynecologist so I can go on the pill.”