Lockdown

Unemployed

"Has she come out at all?" asked John as he met Chris out in the hallway. "No. Not since the phone call..."

Lumi had been in contact with a service that would help people like her find work, but sadly, due to Covid, the people who we're supposed to be helping her had their entire department shut down, flinging Lumi back to square one and waiting to see who would replace the people who had been laid off. Who knows when that would be....

Lumi had been eager to try to break into the work force, which was a huge milestone, considering how nervous and anxious she had been when she had tried searching on her own....and had no success.

"She's locked the door John." John jiggled the knob and sighed, "Lumi, peanut, can we come in?"

"No!" said Lumi, it sounded like she had been crying again.

"Sweetie, you shouldn't be alone when you're this upset. Please let us in." Chris begged.

"Go away! Just leave me alone! I'm going to be stuck here forever so I might as well get used to it!"

"Baby girl, don't say such things....." Chris replied as John left for a moment, then returned with a spare key and began to unlock Lumi's door.

"We're both coming in Lumi!" John said as he heard the lock click and he pushed the door open.

"I said go away!" Lumi had her back to her fathers'.

Chris sat on the bed as John placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "It's going to be okay darling."

The next thing John knew, Lumi had him in a bone crushing hug. "Daddy..." she broke into a sob.

"Shhh, we're going to figure this out. The three of us, like we always do."

Bandit hopped on the bed and sat on John's lap, softly whining at the sign of Lumi in distress.

"Four of us." John corrected as Lumi released him and Chris wrapped his arms around Lumi in his very own bone crushing hug, Bandit licking Lumi's tears away.

"I don't want to be a burden." Lumi finally said after she drank the glass of water Chris gave her.

"Oh peanut, you have never been a burden to us! What would make you think such a thing?" Chris was horrified; he couldn't believe Lumi would think such things.

"Well, most people my age already got jobs, moved out, some even get married and start having kids..."

"Stop right there Lumi Belle Carson." John said sternly as he knelt down in front of her.

John tried desperately to not faint at the thought of his baby moving out, getting married and having children, he hoped that would be a long way off!

"You are not like most people. You are simply you. It's completely pointless to compare yourself to others, especially when you must forge your own path your own way, with our help of course!"

"But the job service..."

"Are completely useless now, we'll help you with your resume and job searching for the time being. And I've made arrangements for you to attend your therapy over the phone. And if worse comes to worse, I'm sure you can qualify for some sort of social security. That way you can have sort of income and you will finally be able to learn how to budget and all that great stuff."

"Okay Pop." Lumi said as John wiped her eyes, "Now, no more tears my love, let's get something to eat and we'll begin to work all this stuff out okay?"

John already had a notepad and a list ready to go, waiting for Lumi to add her input, and Chris of course.

Lumi nodded as her Pop led her, Bandit and Chris downstairs.

"You're never alone Lumi. Remember that."