Josie pulled a face. “I know the art teacher positions are full, but maybe if we fix up his resume a little.”
“I’m sure I can pull some strings at the precinct, if we need it,” Uncle Shane offered.
“Wait.” I rose to my feet, hands up to stop their runaway train. “I’ve been home for maybe eight minutes. Could you both slow down a little?”
“No,” Josie said in a matter-of-fact-tone I didn’t recognize. “I can’t because these girls need to be safe at all times. They’re very important to me. I have to be back at three p.m., and if you and your boy toy won’t take this, then I have an awful lot of interviewing to do.”
She had a way of shutting me down. Ultimatums had never been my favorite form of blackmail, but I heard it in her tone. If I wanted that DNA test, then I had to go along with her plan.
Exhaustion. My life was one never-ending trail of exhaustion.
The author claims no credit to any of the fables referenced in this book. To find official copies you can find them here:
The Old Lion
http://www.longlongtimeago.com/once-upon-a-time/fables/from-aesop/the-old-lion/
The Lion in Love
https://fablesofaesop.com/the-lion-in-love.html
http://yeyoungmeditation.com/544/chinese-fables-egret-oyster/
The Wolf & the Crane
http://www.read.gov/aesop/006.html
The Frogs & the Ox
http://www.read.gov/aesop/002.html