Brave Love

Catch-22

A dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape.

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What there is to save;

Time to be brave—

And all of the above,

Time to Love.

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Brave Love Chapter 22: Catch-22

[Chip]

"Um, Penny—I'll do the cleaning today. You can go home early," I tapped my older co-worker on the shoulder with a smile.

Penny frowned, eyes wary. "No dear. Not when you're on the morning shift tomorrow—it's going to tire you out."

"O-Oh! That's okay actually. And besides...um...I'm waiting for someone...so," I felt the tips of my ears grow hotter. "Might as well clean..."

"But are you sure?" She turned away from her pie crust to give me a stern look. "You did the cleaning yesterday too—"

"About time!" Bill strolled into the kitchen, surveying the area before resting his lazy gaze on Penny and me. "Let the lil' guy do it. He deserves it anyway; after what he got us into."

I averted my gaze; turning to the bread rolls that I was in the process of placing into a basket.

Penny sighed heavily with a roll of her eyes. "It's really none of your business Bill, you don't do any cleaning."

"Course I don't! That's your job! So you do it. Don't think I don't know what you're trying to drag this into—"

I wonder what we're going to eat for supper tonight.

Oh! But I should see what Giselle would like for dinner too...

Hm...does she like Chinese?

Or maybe I'll just make some pasta.

B-But Hansel doesn't like pasta, and he probably wants to tag along when I go fetch Giselle from school.

"You little twats don't understand what kind of society it is out there eh? You do what you're told to do, that's life—"

Xander...I wonder what he's doing now?

He said he had something to settle tonight.

Work-related issues, then?

"Okay, giving me the silent treatment, fine; you watch out! You watch your—"

I think I'll bake some hot-cross buns.

I think it'll make him happy.

I think he'll smile more.

"I'll deduct this from your salary!!"