Jackie looked down at her phone, lips pressed into a hard line. The voice on the other end had sounded desperate for company, and she wanted to make sure she was okay but…

“Hey, Jackie? Are we going or what?” J.C. asked from where he stood near the door, backpack slung over his shoulder, glaring at her impatiently. 

“Uh, yeah. Give me a second.” Jackie shoved her phone in her pocket, quickly grabbing the two brown paper bags that sat on the counter. 

“Chop chop, or we’re gonna be late!” J.C. said, clapping loudly, causing Jackie to roll her eyes. 

“Catch!” Jackie tossed one of the sacks at the teen, who caught it, clutching it against his chest. “Can’t forget lunch.” She walked forward, placing her hand on his head as she led him out the door. Jackie stopped in front of the door, pulling her thick leather jacket on before grabbing her beanie. She pulled it over the tips of her ears, a few locks of her black hair escaping to curl over her forehead and the nape of her neck. 

The brisk Chicago winter was cold, but with the promise of warmer weather to come. Jackie exhaled, breath fogging out in front of her face as she stepped down the steps. She made sure to sidestep the half-melted snow that the snowplow had pushed into the curb. Moving toward her beat-up truck parked under the carport, J.C. was already climbing into it as Jackie opened the driver-side door. 

Climbing in Jackie noticed J.C. shivering, rubbing his hands together as she turned the truck on. “Are you ever gonna get the heat fixed? I’m abouta freeze to death in here.” 

“What do you think,” Jackie laughed as she threw the truck in reverse. “I’m made of money?” She looked into the rearview mirror, dark brown eyes looking back at her. 

“Fine.” J.C. huffed, falling back against the seat. “I guess I’ll just freeze then.” 

Jackie rolled her eyes at her brother's antics as she pulled out onto the road. “You won’t freeze. Stop being so dramatic.” As they drove toward the middle school, J.C. made a show of obnoxiously shivering, causing Jackie to roll her eyes once more. 

“Careful. If you keep rolling your eyes like that, they’ll get stuck.” J.C. snarked with a smirk of someone who was very proud of what he’d just said. 

“Har. Har. Very funny. You should do stand up.” 

“Ya know, I think I just might. You’d come to all the shows, right?” 

“Oh of course. How else will I see you bomb?” 

“Hey! You don’t know that I’d bomb.” 

Jackie hummed in mock thought. “You're right. All the more reason for me to be in the front row. Then I can embarrass you by obnoxiously cheering from the front row.” 

“Jackie!” J.C. cried. “I’m being serious.” 

Jackie laughed. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I just gotta give you a hard time, ya know.” She flashed him a smile. “I’m sure you’ll do great at whatever you decide you want to do with your life, ‘kay?” 

“Okay,” J.C. said quietly, attention turned to the window.  They lapsed into silence briefly before J.C. let out a sudden. “Oh! I almost forgot. I have a club meeting today, so I’m gonna go to Oliver’s house afterward.” 

“M’kay, but if you need a ride home from Oliver's house, just text me.” 

“I won’t,” J.C. said, rubbing his hands together. “I’ll probably have dinner there and then his mom will drive me home.” 

“Just keep me in the loop, buddy.” 

“Fuh-ine.” J.C. rolled his eyes, but Jackie could tell he was smiling under his scarf. 

They rolled to a stop in front of the school and J.C. pushed open the door, exiting the vehicle. “Have a good day at school.” 

“And you have a good day at work.” 

“I make no promises.” 

“Then neither do I.” 

They laughed at their own private in-joke before J.C. closed the door. Jackie watched as he disappeared into the swarm of middle schoolers. She waited for a beat before catching sight of the time. “Shit! I’m gonna be late!” Putting the car back in drive, Jackie pulled out back onto the road, heading toward work.