Hot Summer (Part 2)

The familiar scent of vanilla and cast iron flooded my nostrils upon entering the house, greeted by silence as I smiled at ease. “Where’s the runts?” I asked, dropping my bag at the foot of the sofa and slouching into its comfort.

Mom smiled and took a seat across from me, “Christian is at a friends and Sabrina is at cheer practice.” She hugged a mug close to her chest, drawing her knees close as well.

“She still does that?” I chuckled, closing my eyes and resting after such a tedious drive here. But Mom didn’t spare the details as she went on about her cheer team, that they had such a phenomenal year during school and they asked specific students to enroll in a summer program. Sabrina was always physical, always on the move, always achieving what she wanted. In some ways I envied her for that– and she’s literally eight.

I hadn’t the heart to tell my Mom I needed to rest, that I couldn’t listen to her groan forever about Sabrina and cheer or Christian and soccer. Instead I listened