Nia’s busy week

The next week, unfortunately, was nothing to laugh about.

GroundedMermaid: Can’t do today either... - Today at 4:10pm

GroundedMermaid: Sorry ;_; - Today at 4:11pm

I sighed as I texted back, trying to reassure her that there were more important things to worry about right now, and that she wasn’t disappointing me. Leaning back into my desk chair, I pondered what to do besides study with all this newfound free time.

For the umpteenth time this week, our plans to meet up had been canceled due to Nia’s schedule. It was already Wednesday and I hadn’t so much as seen her outside of walking to and from school together, and even that had been an endeavor in planning.

Apparently, the situation Nia’s parents were weathering at work had really been a disaster. They had to leave on an emergency trip out of state until late Friday, and, as a result, Nia had been **** to take care of all her siblings by herself. If that weren’t bad enough, someone had quit suddenly at Nia’s work, leaving her and her more flexible co-workers to cover all the now vacant shifts.

Stuck between her final year culinary courses, filling in at the pub, and taking care of four other people, Nia was running ragged.

I had offered to help, but there was only so much I could do. While I had a decent rapport with Eve, and Anton liked having people over, Tite and Edith didn’t feel comfortable with me staying there overnight. I understood, though it hurt. Despite being babies when Nia and I got together — the perfect age for me to have grown up with them as an adult brother figure, or even as a pseudo-parent — they didn’t know me very well. They had never been given the chance to bond with me…

Nia’s parents had always been more…suburban, to put it nicely, leading to them being more insular and traditional; they kept their cards close to their chest at all times, and that had only become more so the case with time. Not to say they explicitly disapproved of my and Nia’s relationship — it was, after all, by their somewhat permissive nature amongst her wider family that Nia could still stay connected to her siblings after the debacle with us and her grandparents — but there had always been a line that I, being who I am, simply couldn’t cross…

The end result of all this was my options to directly help Nia were limited. I texted her positive affirmations multiple times a day, and dropped off extra portioned lunches and dinners for them when I could to give her a break from the kitchen. I wanted to do more, but, given my own hectic schedule and the distance I was required to permit her family, this was the extent of what I could provide without toppling my house of cards.

Another sigh escaped me as I dwelled on our circumstances. I flipped through my phone, seeking something to alleviate the mire of impotent frustration and boredom I stewed in.

Dammit, I wish I could do something…hmm?

A few DMs from Rina caught my attention.

Musclecat: Hey…is there something we can do for Nia? She just DMed me and canceled our session rehearsal for the like, sixth time. - Today at 4:14pm

Musclecat: I told her it was all good, but - Today at 4:14pm

Musclecat: ngl I’m starting to get a lil worried about her - Today at 4:15pm

Musclecat: She seems like - Today at 4:15pm

Musclecat: Crazy swamped rn (>_<) - Today at 4:15pm

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.

SpiritoftheLibrary: I was just thinking about that, but I’m at a loss on what to do for her. - Today at 4:17pm

Musclecat: (*￣m￣) - Today at 4:18pm

Musclecat: Think Lucy would have any ideas? - Today at 4:18pm

Lucy…? Now that she mentioned it, it was a great idea to ask Lucy! How could I have been so blind? Lucy has known Nia for longer than I have, and got close with her family before they became more reclusive. Assuming she wasn’t busy, she might be able to go over to Nia’s home and help. Not only that, she would allow us to stay out of the situation directly while providing us with feedback on what Nia may need. Lucy was the perfect person for the job!

A molten kernel of ire boiled within me despite this prospective good outcome. I had been so focused on what I could do for Nia, I didn’t truly entertain asking anyone else for help. If only I’d talked with Rina about this sooner, and been less self-centered in my desire to help, then maybe we could’ve made things easier on Nia sooner…

I resolved to examine that part of myself at a later date. Now wasn’t the time for navel gazing, it was time for action. I inundated Rina with a flurry of messages, praising her wit and planning our next move. We needed to meet up with Lucy ASAP.