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"I’ Seth wants to cook," Jackie said "This is stupid Petra is stupid"

I closed the book "I don’t know Maybe she’s got a point When you careat ad for Castorelli’s Deli, didn’t you fall head over heels in love with it?"

"Was that the dancing pickle?" Trey asked, laughing "I loved that pickle"

"It was a good idea," Jackie said slowly "And I ca myself I don’t think these tips, or whatever they are, are practical Or fair I’ve been doing this longer than anyone atthe co about"

"You do," I said "Butabout are two different things"

"It’s all advertising," Jackie scoffed

"I don’t know," Trey said "I kind of dig this Petra chick"

Jackie made a face and went outside for another smoke

"You live for your work," Trey said quietly "What are you doing when you’re there, Mo your job before You’re freaking obsessed with it Is this guy picking on you?"

"No," I said "Not really"

"Then what are you doing?"

I heard the fear in his voice Trey knew more than I wanted to tell him about our financial situation Children shouldn’t need to know about lapsed life insurance policies and low-return 401(k)s and college savings accounts that would only cover one year’s tuition Jesse and I had been diligent about our money, but that didn’t seem to have the results we’d anticipated Even careful people couldn’t save enough to cover retire costs of everyday living Trey had a right to be worried I had a responsibility to hide that I was terrified

"Don’t worry about it I’ve been a star at Giaco" The lie left a sour taste in lass ater and squeezed some lemon into it Trey stared out at the backyard

"I can’t believe I’ this to you," he said, "but you need to focus"

I thought about the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times I’d said those sa too arden idea You’ve never done anything like this before You would have groundedlike it"

"Maybe I’, like you are"

He smiled faintly, and then shook his head "You aren’t allowed to do that"

"And you are?"

"Yeah I’ irresponsible, Trey"