Putting a foot down.

"Are you coming tonight?"

It was the same song and dance every Thursday night. It caused her to bite her inner cheek as she looked back to her desktop.

"Not this week sorry." She apologized.

She almost thought her sister in law hung up on her because of how silent the line went. But then like normal she heard the overdramatic sigh that twisted her gut.

"What's the excuse this time?" Her voice was dripping with annoyance that made her skin crawl.

"I'm working-"

"Damn it Suzie you're always working!" Her sister in law scolded. "At this rate the girls and I think you hate us."

What could she respond with? Her social battery was dangerously low after the day she had at work. And she was really hoping to finish her commissions tonight. 

A quiet evening with some music and her stylus in her hand? It sounded like a good way to destress and recharge so tomorrow would hopefully go easier.

Besides with her in law's friend group she always felt like the odd one out. The only one not in a relationship. The only one that was content with their job. The only one that didn't drink alcohol like it was water. It seemed like the opposite would have been true.

"I don't hate you guys." Suzie admitted with a small sigh of her own. "I just had a really rough day at work today and i still have a few commissions to work on-"

"It's not like they're going to disappear overnight." Her sister in law snapped. "First you tell us you want to hang out more but you've been blowing us off for the last month and a half-"

"Hey, that's not fair." Suzie stated. "I told you I wanted to hang out with you and my brother like old times. You suggested 'girls night' and I told you guys the first time thursdays are usually my longer shifts to begin with so I'd be poor company thursday nights."

"No you didn't."

She had to bite back her own groan as she rubbed at her face with her free hand. Her guilt was turning into frustration as she stared at the clock. At this point she'd be lucky to get one done before she had to get to bed.

"Ok you know what. I'm done."

"The hell does that-"

"It means lose my number Laura. Not everyone can work a 10 hour shift and be fine like you. Some of us are too drained and if at this point you don't understand that then I don't know what to tell you, I can't fix stupid." Suzie snapped.

"Oh don't be like that Suzie"

In response she hung up. Tossing her phone onto her desk as she ran her hands through her hair and let out a loud frustrated groan.

But at least she was free to work. Looking at her Commission list and putting on her playlist. She actually managed to start and finish 3 sketches. Sending them off for approval before she could go onto line art and coloring when her phone started to ring again.

A picture of her and her big brother as kids, mud covered faces grinning up lit up her screen. She sighed a bit before stealing her nerve and sliding to answer before putting it on speaker.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Suzie...what happened?" She heard her brother's voice ask.

She let out a sigh. "What did Laura tell you?"

"Something about how you're being unreasonable and told her some very unlike you words I highly doubt you said."

Suzie sighed and went through her phone messages. To see that Laura had indeed texted her a few times. Before threatening to get her brother involved to talk sense into her.

"I told her to lose my number and I can't fix stupid." She said as she blocked her contact.

"That sounds more like you."

"When I told you guys I wanted to hang out more I wasn't a supervisor. Now she expects me to be able to go from work to whatever bar she found this week to hang out with her friends that can't stand me much either." She admitted.

"What can I say, you're a particular flavor of a person most people can't stand." He chuckled.

"Wow thanks, that helps so much." Suzie groaned as she got an email back with approval. She smiled sadly as she stretched her hands out. "Did she want you to chew me out or something?"

"Eh, probably. But I told you guys the last fight I was going to stop being the middleman."

That made her pause mid line. She felt guilt again. She promised herself, and their mother she would try and make this work. Laura made her brother happy even if she made her miserable at times. "I'm sorry she's forcing you into this"

"Not your fault kid but instead of saying hey I can't do Thursdays, why don't you pick a different day?"

"I tried that once. I suggested we try Wednesday or Friday. She said Fridays wouldn't work cause that's when the place she wants to drag me is the busiest, which is fair. But Wednesday she and her friends work and it would be horrible company if we hung out then." She mocked.

"I'm sorry what?" He asked. "She didn't tell me that."

"Yeah...well I've told you before your wife doesn't like me." She admitted with a sigh as she grabbed her phone and leaned back in her chair. "Look. This isn't the first time you've called me about this."

"It is not." He agreed.

"I'll text her tonight saying I'm revoking my invitation." She started ignoring the click of her brother's tongue. "I'm tired of this weekly fight. And when I do bite the bullet and go out with her. I'm miserable in whatever club or bar we're in. I can't do this. I'm not like her. I don't feed off the vibe of the room." She stated. "Instead of dealing with her complaining about me being a buzz kill every week maybe you'll only hear about it for the next few days and then she'll forget it."

"Suzie, are you sure?" Her brother asked. "I can try and talk to her. Would doing something more lowkey be helpful?"

"At this point We could do group silent reading and I doubt it would be much different." She admitted with a sigh. "It's not just the places, it's the company."

The line was silent for a moment. Before she heard her brother's sigh. It wasn't annoyed, it was more frustrated.

"If that's what you want." He stated.

Suzie frowned a bit. "It's the lesser of two evils." She decided. "Text me if the world ends?" She asked.

"Of course brat. Talk to you later." He stated.

She smiled sadly as she hung up. She didn't feel good but she felt better than before. It was enough she was able to get back in her groove and finish her drawing. Completing one drawing all together and the line art of another before she noticed the time.

Laura and her girls were probably done partying now. So she unblocked her number and sent her one single block of text.

She kept it straight to the point. She didn't feel comfortable with her friends and the places they chose. And she was especially tired of getting guilt tripped these last few weeks for not coming when tired when that was her excuse when they tried to figure out another day. Stop inviting her out. And stop getting her brother involved when he had nothing to do with this.

She stared at the phone. When the two check marks appeared and the little chat bubble with the three dots popped up she made her phone go dark and slipped it into her pocket before she got up and stretched.

She ignored the notification sounds as she got something to drink and nibble on before bed.

She ignored the sounds as she changed into some pajamas and pulled out her work uniform for tomorrow.

She took a look though when plugging in her phone for the night. She saw a string of curses and accusations of her trying to be high and mighty when she was nothing but a loner. It was filled with many spelling mistakes and in the end was just her sending the same emoji of a hand gesture over and over again until if Suzie had to guess, she fell asleep.

"At least I can enjoy my Thursday nights again." She mumbled with a sigh. Silencing her phone before heading to bed. At this rate it was probably better if she just remembered to reach out to her brother more often.

She didn't need Laura making her feel bad for how she lived her life.