“I’m just trying to figure out what we’re dealing with here,” London said.

“It’s the same damn story—no, make that the same damn nightmare. My life is a fucking nightmare!”

Samiah’s head snapped back at the sheer vehemence in Taylor’s agonized outburst. Where was this even coming from? The person sitting before her hardly resembled the happy-go-lucky woman she’d come to know over these past two months.

“Honey, what’s going on?” she asked, concern tightening her chest.

“I’m sorry,” Taylor said somewhat sheepishly. “That may have been a tiny bit dramatic. It’s not as serious as you’re probably thinking.”

London bounded up from the arm of the sofa, her hands flailing. “Are you for real right now? I was going through the steps for an intervention in my head.”

“I’m sorry,” she stressed. “It’s just…I come from a family of overachievers,” she said. “And I’m tired of being the one who’s always asked when I’m going to get my shit together.”

“You’re only twenty-eight years old,” London pointed out. “You’re not expected to have your shit together until you’re at least thirty.”

“Well, hell, I guess I need to play catchup.” Samiah laughed.

Taylor didn’t. She turned to London. “How old were you when you finished medical school? Hmm?” She prompted when London remained quiet. “Bet you were younger than twenty-eight.”

“I started undergrad early, and went to summer school to finish ahead of schedule,” London replied.

“But you were still younger than I am, weren’t you?” She turned to Samiah. “And how about you? At twenty-eight you already had a master’s degree and were working in your career, right?”

“It’s not fair to compare yourself to others,” Samiah said. “You can’t—”

“No? Really?” Taylor said, cutting her off. “Because my family always compares. They live to compare.” She started ticking items off on her fingers. “My dad, Mr. Bronze Star himself, was already climbing the ranks of the Army by the time he was my age. Mom had finished law school while raising two children and moving from one Army base to another by my age. My older brother, Darwin? Lawyer. My older sister, Jesamyn? Architect. Even my niece is showing me up. She won the Top Young Scientist award last year.

“And what is Taylor doing? Sitting here without a college degree and keeping her fingers crossed that she can get the chance to teach freaking phys ed to a bunch of homeschooled kids just to make ends meet. I’m tired of being the one everybody in my family looks down on.”

She covered her face with her hands and growled. “Argh, I’m sorry. It’s just…it’s a lot.”