Queen of the track

XXVII

Chapter 27.

Raven

          On Sunday night, I approach AJ's room and knock quietly, glancing over the car poster on front of the door. We still weren't on the best of terms since he challenged Gray to a fight, but what I have to say is too important to let this get in the way of that.

"What?" I hear faintly from the other side of the door.

I turn the handle and open the door, but stay inside the door way, looking in on him sat at his small desk, papers and books strewn in front of him as he scribbles down words furiously.

"Got a minute?" I ask. "It's important."

"No." He answers, but finishes the sentence he writes and puts the pen down, turning in his chair to look at me. "What?"

With a deep breath, I step inside his room and close the door. He glances at it quizzically, and watches as I perch on the side of his bed.

"I've been thinking..." I start, clicking my tongue as I try to find the words.

"About?" AJ pushes.

I inhale deeply through my nose. "The boys," I say quietly, though the chances of them hearing me through the floor with their video game playing on the TV is pretty slim.

AJ shuffles in his chair and turns it to face me fully, resting his elbows on his knees, then nods. "Yeah, so have I."

I quirk an eyebrow. "You have? What about?"

"You first."

With an annoyed glance at him, I say, "I think they should start getting the bus to and from school. It would make things so much easier for us—we wouldn't be cutting class, and there would generally be less suspicion."

AJ nods slowly as he thinks over it. "Yeah, that's something to think about."

"Okay..." I drag the word out, having expected the need to convince him. "What were you thinking?"

"That dad was right." He sighs. "Maybe we should look into getting a sitter or housekeeper." He shrugs. "If they could cook, clean and get groceries, as well as picking up the boys, it would take more pressure off us."

"Us? You mean me." I say bitterly. "As nice as it would be, we can't afford to hire anyone. Even part-time."

Now I'm not saying that I'm playing housewife; we all do our part in keeping the house and our lives in order. AJ helps with all the stuff he mentioned, and we get the boys to tidy their own room and help with the communal areas of the house, but I'm the one that makes the lists, the chore rotas, and nags all my brothers to do their assigned chores and homework. Not to mention keeping weekly tabs on our budget and getting the bills paid before any red-lettered mail comes through the door.

We function well as a team, but I'll be damned if AJ overlooks my part in this.

"Yes." He nods once. "You do way more around the house than we initially agreed, but I'm the one bringing the money in."

"I could bring in just as much—"

"But you don't, Remy." He cuts me off. "And maybe if you did, we wouldn't be struggling right now."

My nostrils flare. "So that's what this is about? You just want me to start racing again?"

"No, I'm not saying that." AJ shakes his head. "If you don't want to, I don't want to force you, but..."

"But?" I urge.

He sighs again. "But, I don't know how long I can keep it up." I blink at him, words escaping me at the confession. "I need to arrange this fight with Taylor, but once that happens...The last time I fought was a close call. I can't guarantee things won't go south this time."