“I have money,” I tell her.

“You shouldn’t be spending your money on food, the money you earn is for you.”

“No, the money I earn is for us. I live here, I’m more than capable of contributing. You won’t take my wages toward the bills, so I can buy my own lunch.”

“Honey, I can pay our bills. I’m the adult, you’re the kid. My next book is ready to go to the editor, after that I’m going to take that gig writing instruction manuals for a while.”

“No, you’re not. You’ll hate it, and you’ll die a little more inside each time you have to explain how to insert a battery into a clock or whatever.”

“It’s regular money, a guaranteed salary each month instead of relying on my publisher to promote my back catalog.”

Shaking my head, I lean in and press a kiss against her cheek. “I’ll get a few extra shifts a week, I can help.”

Smiling a sad smile, she lifts her hand and grabs my face, squeezing my chin and squishing my cheeks the same way she’s been doing since I was a little kid. “I love you so much.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

She slaps her lips against mine in a quick, over-the-top smoochy kiss, then drops her hand and ushers me toward the door. “Go, or Courtney is going to start honking, I can’t deal with Mr. Longstein coming over here to complain about the pitch of her horn again.”

“Okay, okay, I’m going.” Grabbing the door handle, I open it and wave absently behind me as I rush down the steps.

“Morning,” Court sings, rolling down her window and almost falling out of the car as she enthusiastically dances in her seat to the terrible bouncy pop music she loves that’s blaring from the stereo.

“Wow, how many cups of coffee have you had this morning?” I ask, sliding into the passenger seat and closing the door, shoving my backpack down between my feet.

“Only two and a couple of energy drinks.”

“Jesus, Court, that’s far too much caffeine before eight a.m.”

“It’s not even my record, the other week when you were sick I had three coffees and three Red Bulls before lunch. I swear I did all of my summer homework in less than an hour.”

“You’re going to give yourself a heart attack at sixteen, I’m cutting you off. I’m serious, one coffee before breakfast and no energy drinks until school finishes from now on.”

Courtney giggles, settling back into her seat and pulling away from the curb. “So, you’ll never guess who was at the party on Saturday night.”

“What party?”

“Jennifer Houston’s party, I told you about it.”

“Oh yeah. I think I remember you mentioning it,” I say, absentmindedly rooting through my backpack, trying to find my cell that I shoved in there before I started braiding my hair.

“So…” Court prompts.

“So what?” I ask, finally locating it at the bottom beneath a candy wrapper.