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God knew Cecelia already thought that about her anyway.

“I’ve got model nations after class today.” Cecelia gruffly said while she cut through her grapefruit. Jane started a pot of coffee, forgetting that there wasn’t at least one other person to share it with her that day. Cecelia didn’t like to drink coffee in the morning, preferring a hot cup of earl grey if she had any caffeine at all. “So I won’t be home until seven. Lydia’s mom has already said she’ll drop me off.”

“Who is Lydia?”

“A girl I’m kinda friends with in MUN.”

Jane leaned against the counter. “Model nations, you said?”

“Ya.” Cecelia placed her grapefruit slices into the same bowl she used every day, whether it was freshly cleaned or not. “Remember? I joined the Model United Nations as my extracurricular this year.”

“Ah, yes, that. Of course it’s fine.”

“Good, because I can’t miss practice. My alliance is currently dithering between trading or starting war with another. I’m an important vote.” She slammed the bowl on the dining table. “I want war.”

“Remind me again what country you are? Does it start with an R?”

Cecelia shoved her phone in her face so Jane couldn’t see her. “I got Canada.”

“Canada! I always knew they had it in them.”

“Whatever.”

It was Jane’s turn to cut a grapefruit. “Just be home by seven. I should be here. Let me know if you’re late for some reason.”

“Oh, so it’s okay if Lydia’s mom’s car breaks down or if practice runs over? I won’t burn in BuddhistorChristian hell if I’m here ten minutes past seven?”

“So dramatic. It’s too early for this.”

Jane also had too much on her mind. While she didn’t have any meetings that morning, she needed to get to the office on time if she wanted to stay on top of her workandhave a discussion with her HR about upcoming time offs and possibly hiring another assistant. All things Caitlyn reminded her of in their call the day before.She also told me to go easy on Cece. Like I’m not already.Jane was well aware of how much harsher she could be!

“Ugh! Ew!” Cecelia dropped her phone on the table. “Mom’s calling me!”

Jane’s hand almost slipped on her knife. “So? Answer it.”

Cecelia took it into the other room, far away from Jane’s prying ears.

Yet she soon returned when Jane was in the middle of her grapefruit and coffee at the dining table. Before her very acidic breakfast had a chance to settle, Cecelia handed her the phone. “Mom wants to talk to you,” she said. When Jane took it, her niece continued to mouth, “Donottell her about you know what.”

“Yes, hello,jie jie?How are you doing?”

“Jaaaane! Doesn’t my daughter sound absolutely cosmopolitan?”

“Very ladylike, Lilian. Forgive me, I’m eating my breakfast.”

“Oh, this is a quick check-in. I’ll let you get back to your day in a few minutes.”

“Good, because I’ve got quite the day ahead of me, Lil.”

Jane barely had more food in her mouth before Lilian said, “Cece tells me that you’re taking her to New York this weekend. How exciting!”

“Yes, that’s the plan. It’s for Caitlyn’s little thing.”

“Ooh, the pageant! She told me about it last month! Send her my best regards!”

“Yes, that’s the one. We have tickets and I promised Cecelia she could come watch her Aunt Caitlyn win the Mrs. United States of America Pageant. We’re all very excited for her.”

“Will it be on TV? I would love to watch it.”