Hide Your Fires

20: Dreams

If I get Matt and Jude to school on time, I can work on my designs all day in the nice studio space set up now in my living room and then after Jude and Matt get off of school, I can pick them up and spend some time with them, helping Jude with homework and everything, and then after dinner, I have time to focus on Jude's birthday party and Thanksgiving and then a few hours for school work.

By Thursday, I have the schedule mastered and I'm on top of everything, saving TV time with Jude and Matt, unless Matt leaves to hang out with his friends, which he does sometimes now that he gets really bored without his laptop, and I've got Jude's birthday party almost all planned out. Matthew agreed to get the invitations done so with that out of the way, I just have to figure out the cake, presents, and decorations.

At dinner on Thursday night, I tell Jude about all of the birthday progress that I've made and he seems excited about it, so that's good.

"I have some news," Matt says abruptly as Jude is trying to convince me to get a bouncy castle that I am vehemently against.

"What's your news?" I wonder curiously, relieved to get off of the topic of the stupid bouncy castle.

"I got a job," He admits. "At the small book store down the street from the school."

"Really?"

He nod. "Yeah, I work every day after school starting Monday and Tate said that he can pick me up from work so you won't have to worry about picking me up. That's okay, right?"

"Yeah, that's really cool, Matt," I confirm with a proud little smile. "And they don't mind that you're only fourteen?"

"Nope. It's family owned and when I went to apply, they said that as long as my guardian signs off on it, then it's fine," He assures me. "And the pay is a little bit better than minimum wage."

"Good for you, Matt."

"I want a job," Jude whines with a mouthful of green beans.

"When you're in high school, you can get a job," I tell Jude with a small laugh.

"That's not fair," He pouts. "Why can't I get a job?"

"Because you have to be grown up," I supply.

"My birthday is in two days though," He reminds me with a roll of his eyes like the sassy pants that he is.

"Your birthday is in three weeks, Jude, and you're going to be seven, not seventeen," I tell him. "But maybe after your birthday, we'll work out some sort of allowance, which is kind of like a job."

"Deal," He decides with a nod.

I'm about to ask Matt a bit more about his new job but before I can, there's a loud knock on the front door.

"Are you expecting anybody?" I wonder, looking at Matt, who just shrugs. The only people that will randomly show up here is either children services or Tate, so expecting the worst, I straighten out my clothes a little bit and move some hair out of my face so that I look professional in my sweat pants and tank top for the children services people.

I offer a wide grin as I open the door but when I see that it's Tate, my fake smile deflates a little bit and I'm incredibly relieved that it's only Tate.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I ask him with a frown.

"No time to explain," He says, motioning to the phone in his hand as he rushes into the house uninvited and then makes a bee line to Matt. Handing his cell phone to Matt, he says, "It's her, man."

"What?" Matt wonders incredulously.

"Talk to her!" Tate demands, shoving the phone into Matt's hand.