By the time Cin was halfway through the bathroom there was sweat sheening her brow, and she was using the bath scrubbing time to think, trying to decide her next move. Bailey had called twice and Cin had sent the call to voicemail both times, but when Jake called directly after she knew it was going to be about the same thing.
So, with a sigh, she answered, "what?" she hissed, a low whisper. "What do you want?"
There was a pause from the other end of the line and then Jake's voice said, unsure, subdued, "Mom's here."
Cin pressed the phone against her chest and whispered, "shit. Shit fucking balls fuck!" She put the phone back to her ears. "What's she doing?"
"She's eating Captain Crunch."
"We don't have-"
"She had it when she got here."
Cin made herself take a steadying breath. "Okay," she whispered, "does she seem, like, fucked up?"
"Does she ever not?"
"Jake!" she hissed. "Right now is she just sitting and eating and not going psycho?"
"Yeah, she's watching TV."
"Okay. Okay, just leave her there. Go to your room, alright? Just stay out of her way until I get home later. You got it? You just stay away from her."
"... okay."
"Swear it, you little shit."
"I swear."
"Okay," Cin said, rubbing a hand over her face as though that might refocus her. "I gotta finish work but I'll be home later and I'll deal with mom then."
She hung up the phone, shoving it back into her pocket with great annoyance. She scrubbed the bath again and imagined the angry conversation options that could branch out once she was home.
With the bathroom finished, Cin made her way back out to the living room, only a bench separating it from the kitchen. "I'd like to do the kitchen now," she told him, "as long as that won't disturb you?"