When I Was Yours(17)

Mom was killed instantly. Dad survived, barely.

Casey and I had to go into foster care while Dad recovered in the hospital, as we had no other family to take care of us. Our grandparents on both sides had died before we were born.

Dad had taken some pretty severe trauma to the head, which affected his short-term memory, and he lost use of his right arm.

He can never work again.

My dad had been an accountant. We’d had a great life. We weren’t rich, but we weren’t poor either.

When Dad had to quit work, it was tough. Fortunately, his old job covered his medical bills. But we still had a mortgage to pay, and the compensation he’d received from the accident wasn’t going to last forever.

Then, Casey got sick, and things got worse, substantially worse.

Casey had been having headaches. Our doctor checked her over, and had referred her to see an ophthalmologist. Before she even went to the appointment, she collapsed at school. They rushed her to the hospital, and that was when they discovered the tumor on her brain.

She had surgery where they removed as much of the tumor as they could. Then, she began radiotherapy four weeks later. What was left of the tumor after surgery shrank to nothing with the radiation therapy. The cancer was gone, and the doctor said her physical signs were well. So, she was going to be fine.

But we were left with big medical bills. After Dad had left his job, he didn’t take out private healthcare. And surgery and radiation therapy didn’t come cheap. So, we had to sell the house and downsize to a three-bedroom rent-controlled apartment on Carbon Canyon Road. The money from the sale of our old house and the compensation that Dad received from the car accident paid off Casey’s hospital bills.

Dad’s disability checks as well as the money I bring in from working at Grady’s are what keeps us afloat. But it’s not enough. I work as much as I can at Grady’s, taking on extra shifts when they come up, like what I’ve been doing this week. But I will have to go to part-time hours once school starts back up, and when I graduate, I’ll work for Grady full-time until I can find something that pays more.

I would quit school now and work full-time, but Dad won’t let me. It kills him that I go out to work now. He wants me to be a normal teenager, enjoying summers at the beach with friends. But I told him that’s just not the way it’s supposed to be for me at the moment. So, he’s given up fighting me on it.

I get a Pop-Tart and warm it in the toaster.

Grabbing my bag, I check to make sure my sketchpad and pen are in there.

I go into the living room.

“I’m going to work.” I lean over and kiss Dad on the top of his head.

“You got a hug for me, Case?”

She gets up with a beautiful big smile on her face. “Have a good day at work.”

“I’ll try to. Love you, Case.” I give her a big squeeze before letting go.

I head out the door and do the ten-minute walk to the bus stop. I’m only waiting a few minutes before it pulls up, and I jump on to take a seat.

I pull my sketchpad out of my bag and continue working on a new sketch I’ve had stuck in my head since yesterday.

Before I know it, the bus is pulling up to my stop. I get off and make my way to the store. Grady is just opening up as I arrive.

“Morning, Evie Girl,” he says. Opening the door, he lets me through first.

“Hey, Grady. You want some coffee?”

“You see? This is why I hired you. Because you know just what people want at the exact right time.”

“It’s a gift.” I smile at him.

“Damn good gift to have.” He chuckles. “It’ll take you far in this world.”

I let out a laugh. “If only that was the truth. I’ll make us that coffee.”




The day is dragging like hell, and my days never drag here. There’s always something to do. We’re always busy with customers, or we have new stock coming in. The place is always buzzing.

Today hasn’t been any different. I’ve been nonstop busy, but that hasn’t stopped the clock from slowing down.

I can only put it down to one thing. I want it to be five p.m.

At five p.m., I’ll get to go to the beach, and I’ll get to see Adam.

I’ve turned into one of those girls who go all dreamy-eyed over a boy.

Do I walk up to his beach house or just go straight to my rock?

I mean, he’s usually out there when I’m walking along the beach.

I guess if he’s there, I can go over and say hi.

And if he’s not, I’ll just go to my rock and wait for him to come over.

What if he doesn’t come over?

Oh God, I’ve turned into one of those annoying overanalytical girls.

To stop myself from going insane, I go into the stockroom and grab a box of T-shirts that’s just been delivered, intending to get them out on the shelves. I hear the shop bell ring as I’ve just lugged the box down from the shelf.

Grady’s out back with Base, cleaning the boards from the lesson they’ve just done, so I’d better get back out on the shop floor.

Armed with my box, I walk back into the store and then freeze on the spot.

Adam.

He’s here in the Shack.

He looks so much more imposing here in the shop than he did yesterday. I mean, I knew he was tall, but I feel doll-sized compared to him.