I let out a sigh of relief. “You scared me for a second.” They laugh even harder, and I even let my own soft chuckle past my lips. “But I am paying attention. I always am. This is just . . . a lot.”
I watch my dad’s gaze flicker between the list and my eyes like he’s not sure what I’m going to say. And honestly, I have no idea. I was not expecting this. I thought I’d complain a little more, probably shed a few tears, and my parents would promise me a real internship next summer. But instead, I’m staring at a list of things that feel like a lot harder work than anything I’m used to.
“But the rest of this is serious?” I ask cautiously.
Dad nods. “Very.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “How do you know I’m not just going to jump ship? I could call it quits right now and never look back. I could get a job somewhere else.”
“If you really wanted to do that, you would’ve done it already,” he says, and I hate how right he is. This family might drive me crazy, but they’re everything to me. Designing for anyone other than Voss would be a crime. “Scarlett, this is what you need. You might not see it right now, but you need some sort of direction. Some goals to tick off before you settle into working. The design jobs aren’t just going to parties and sketching pretty dresses.”
I flinch. “I’m not sixteen anymore. I’m not . . . lost. I know what I want.”
“You’re right,” my mom says. “Youdoknow what you want. You just don’t know how to get it. This is your ticket. Your chance to prove to us this means something real to you.”
I pick up the list, running my fingers over the printed words. “I can’t believe I’m really doing this.”
My dad laughs heartily. “I know it’s a little unconventional, but it’s tradition. It’s important that you do this on your own. You can’t ask us or your brothers for help.Youhave to be the one to do whatever it takes to complete it.”
I meet his eyes. “So, this is a test?”
“A fun one!” Mom exclaims.
My dad nods. “You’re an A-plus student,tesoro, this is going to be nothing compared to most of the work you’ll be doing when you’re working with us.”
It might be nothing right now, but it’ll meaneverything.
I finally slide the list back into the wallet and put it in my bag. My mom lets out a happy sound that she thinks I don’t hear, and we all get up from our seats. They trap me in a tight hug, swaying me from side to side, the same way they did when I was a kid. It’s awkward and a little uncomfortable, but I know better than to pull away too soon.
“We love you,” Mom whispers against my temple.
“So much,” Dad adds.
“I love you guys too,” I say, my voice muffled from how squished I am. “But you’re insane.”
They hug me impossibly tighter before letting me go. I open the door, and my brothers are sitting on the floor, sharing the bag of fries Leo had earlier. When they spot me, they scramble to their feet, trying to look casual, and I laugh.
“What happened to not eavesdropping?”
They all ignore me, and Junior bumps his foot into mine. “They gave you a list?”
“Yep,” I say, flashing them all a smile. None of them look surprised, which is weird. “Did you guys know about this?”
They nod.
“Kind of,” Leo says. “We thought you’d argue your way out of it.”
“We had to do something similar when we were your age,” Arthur explains. “It’s kind of a rite of passage. But we didn’t think they’d do it to you because you’re . . .”
I tilt my head to the side. “Not an idiot?”
“Basically.”
I groan, sliding down the wall and they do the same. Knowing I’m not the only one who had to do this puts me at ease a little, but it doesn’t take from the fact that this is ridiculous.
“How the hell am I going to pass this?” I moan aloud, mostly asking the universe for some answers.
“You’ll figure it out, sis,” Junior says. “You always do.”
