The Struggle (The Things We Can't Change Book 2) by Kassandra Kush Page B

top few papers are mainly about the general layout. My second thought is, oh shit . Because at first, I’d wondered how I was supposed to stay occupied with one landscaping project all summer. Now, I’m starting to understand. It’s not so much a landscaping project as a total backyard revamp.
    “A pond?” I ask incredulously.
    I look up to see Dr. Parker smiling, and he shrugs when he catches my eye. “I’ve been in contact with a company that will install the filtering system and such, so that part is taken care of, but as for the digging of the hole and initial placement preparations, that will fall on you. Like I said, tools are in the shed. Gloves too.”
    A flicker of annoyance flashes through me, at the thought of being a slave to this man, and Evie, all summer.
    All your own fault! My dad’s voice echoes through my head, and I shake it off angrily. I’ll just do my time at the Parkers every day without talking to any of them and get the hell out. I get to leave at four every day, and most of my friends don’t even wake up until two in the afternoon anyway. My own sleep is the one thing that will suffer the most from this arrangement.
    “Any other questions?” Dr. Parker’s voice cuts through my thoughts, and I shrug at him.
    “Looks like I have what I need to get started.”
    “I’ll leave you to it then.” Dr. Parker walks back to the house, and I watch him go. It’s hard to be rude to Ian Parker, even for me. He seems like a decent enough guy, all told. I can clearly see all the richness he has in his life, what he’s risen up to, but somehow I get the feeling that his origins might have been just as humble as my own.
     
     
    The sun is high overhead and my shirt is already soaked in sweat when Dr. Parker comes out onto the deck and yells that lunch is ready. I suppose the bright side of this is a free meal every day, and with the excuse of hard labor, I can stuff myself without anyone batting an eye.
    I stomp up the steps, past the pool to the upper deck and pause to remove my now-muddy boots, glad I had the foresight to wear the oldest of my old shoes. I enter the kitchen, blinking away the brightness of the sun that has finally come out and take in the dark kitchen with its sterile stainless steel appliances, dark granite countertops and cherry wood cabinets.
    Dr. Parker and Evie are both standing at the huge island in the middle of the kitchen, setting out a variety of sandwich makings. There are even foot-long sub buns. I feel my stomach growl and my mouth begin to water. There seems to be more food sitting out on the counter than we usually have in our house at one time.
    I take a plate and proceed to stuff two foot-longs with everything I see. I watch in envy as Dr. Parker takes a long pull on a Bud Light, and have to settle for a bottle of water, sitting down at the kitchen table, which can still seat six people with plenty of room. Evie and Dr. Parker seem willing to give me my space, eating while standing at the island and continuing their conversation.
    “Going to need you at the office, Evie,” Parker is telling his daughter. I eavesdrop on their conversation, my back turned toward them as I eat. “The new receptionist still isn’t filling out the log book right and the accounts aren’t matching up. She’s still having trouble with the phone system too.”
    Evie snorts. “Do you even interview these girls before you hire them? Or are you just closing your eyes and picking an application at random?”
    Parker laughs quietly and I can picture him shaking his head with a self-indulgent smile. “When will you stop setting up such a high standard for them to follow?”
    “I could have worked for you this summer,” Evie grumbles, and I sense a disappointed note in her voice. “I’m fine. Fine enough for that, at least.”
    “One step at a time. Maybe, if Amy doesn’t work out, next month…” he trails off, and then picks up again. “Anyway, I’m going in tonight if you want