Banks Dynasty – Day 26.2

I wake up to a very unpleasant email from Afu regarding the state of the apartment that he and Harvey are renting. I admit I’ve been a bit slack on making sure everything is okay with the place, but with school – I haven’t had time. I barely have time to take care of myself. My hair color is growing out, and I feel sluggish because I haven’t worked out in ages. I note his complaints, but I’ll have to hold off on addressing them for now so I can concentrate on studying for my exams today.

It’s also Egg Day and the morning of Kai’s highly anticipated Donuts for Dads event. As expected, he wakes up very excited.

Kai: Is Uncle Merit here yet? Is he? Is he? Is he?

I barely have time to look up from my notebook.

Prosperity: Please calm down. He said he’d be here early, so you have to trust that he will be.

Kai looks like he’s about to jump out of his skin when the doorbell finally rings. I reluctantly put my notebook down and escort Kai calmly to the door, so he won’t burst out and knock my unsuspecting little brother down the stairs.

Prosperity: Good morning, Merit. Thanks again for doing this.

Kai: Hi Uncle Merit! You’re wearing orange!

Merit: Yes, I couldn’t let you down, nephew.

Kai: Let’s go! I want first pick of the chocolate donuts…oh and powdered that gets all over your face. And the kind with the yummy stuff in the middle.

Merit leads Kai down the stairs as I return to my studies.

Merit: Hey, you have to save some for me. I like the ones with the yummy stuff inside, too.

I leave for campus to take my first exam after Kai and Merit have left. It’s not until about halfway through that I realize that I haven’t had breakfast. I go straight to the cafeteria and order avocado toast, which is easy to eat while I continue studying.

I’m fishing up some last-minute homework for my very last class of the term when another student comes over and sits across from me.

Tanvi: Hey there! I’m Tanvi Darby, and I’m running for sophomore class president. I wanted to tell you a bit about myself, and I hope I can count on your vote next term.

Prosperity: Hi Tanvi. It’s nice to meet you. I wish I had time to listen, but I have just enough time to finish this assignment and try to do some last-minute cramming before class.

Tanvi: No worries! Just remember my name – Tanvi Darby! I promise to listen to the needs of all students.

Prosperity: Okay, thanks.

Tanvi gets up and walks over to give her pitch to another student, preferably someone less busy. I hate to have to push away so many social opportunities here in college. I realize that it’s supposed to be a time to network and make friends, but I can’t find that type of balance when all my extra time goes towards school or Kai.

I leave the student center and go to my last final. It’s not until I’ve completed it and have stepped outside the building that I finally feel like I can breathe! I’ve completed my first term in college. I’d celebrate, but it’s time to go and pick Kai up from daycare.

After leaving the daycare, Kai talks my ear off about how all of his friends thought Merit was so cool. I don’t recall Kai being this happy about anything. He doesn’t run out of things to say until we finally get home. There we see Harvey standing outside.

Harvey has forgotten his key, so I have to let him into the apartment. At least it gives me a chance to see about the things that Afu complained about.

Prosperity: *to Kai* I have to check on Mr. Harvey’s apartment. If you look in the grass, I bet you’ll find that the Spring bunny has hidden a few eggs.

Kai hurries off in search of Egg Day treats while I turn my attention back to Harvey.

Prosperity: So, Afu tells me that your stereo and toilet are broken.

Harvey: It’s nothing that we can’t fix. The toilet is just clogged, and I just need to tighten a few screws on the stereo.

Prosperity: Then why do you think he’s complaining?

Harvey: Can I be honest?

Prosperity: Please

Harvey: Afu is a bit lazy, and he’s not very clean. He clogs up the toilet and just let it sit there. I’m always cleaning up after him.

I’m surprised to hear this. Afu always seems so clean and well put together. I would never have guessed that he’s a terrible roommate.

Prosperity: I didn’t realize.

Harvey: I think he wants to move because he’s tired of me complaining about having to clean up after him.

While Kai continues his search, I enter the downstairs apartment and stand stunned in my tracks as I stare at the filth. It looks and smells like a complete wasteland. If Harvey is telling the truth about Afu, I can see why he’d be complaining. I immediately regret removing my shoes as I step in further to take a good look around.

This place is going to need to be deep cleaned and disinfected. I pull out my cell phone and call up a maid service, but they can’t send anyone out until Monday.

Harvey: *embarrassed* I hate that you have to see the place like this.

He walks over and immediately begins to fix the stereo.

Harvey: I would have fixed this sooner, but I’ve been busy –

Prosperity: – with school. Yes, I can understand that. But what’s Afu’s excuse?

I can’t just leave Harvey to this mess. I’m the one that chose Afu as his roommate, so I feel some responsibility. I immediately begin to gather up the piles of trash left on the floor.

After helping Harvey clean the place up, I leave feeling disgusted and slightly betrayed. I trusted Afu when I allowed him to rent out my property, and this is how he pays me back? Then he has the nerve to complain as if the state of his apartment is my fault. There’s no suppressing the shades of red that I begin to see. I call Kai over, and we head inside.

At least there’s some good news! As we enter our apartment, I receive a text notification that my semester grades are up and ready for viewing. I click the link and am shocked to see that I earned A+’s in most of my classes. If it weren’t for the B in the stupid baroque class, I’d be a straight A student.

This definitely calls for a celebration. Since it’s also Egg Day and baking is a big part of the day’s tradition, I decide to surprise Kai by making sugar cookies.

As I call Kai to the table, I remember the cookies that I made for my high school boyfriend, Byron, on our first date. I was so proud and so in love back then. I hate that I messed that relationship up just like I messed up so many other things in my life…including these cookies. I take one bite and realize that they are barely edible. I stop Kai before he takes his first bite and toss the whole plate in the trash.

Kai isn’t too disappointed in the cookies. He’s tired from having such an exciting day, so he doesn’t even complain when I tell him that it’s time for bed. I tuck him in and kiss him on the forehead. One term down and two to go before I can give Kai and myself the life we both deserve. Until then, I feel like we’re both just barely surviving.

(Generation 2 Chapter Summaries)

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