Johnny squinted. He didn’t want to wake up, but it seemed everything was conspiring against him.
The crooked Venetian blind blasted sunlight in Johnny’s eyes. The smell of bacon and eggs wafted. He raised his head from his pillow toward the sound. Colton, his twin, had walked in, shirtless, barefoot, and then sat on his bed, two feet away from Johnny’s own in the small room they shared. “Bro, you awake?”
Johnny grunted. “It’s too early.” His voice still dry and raspy.
“Mom left for a double shift at Waffle House. She left you a card on the table. I got mine.”
“Yeah?”
“We got gift cards for Olive Garden.”
Their older brother walked up to their door and knocked. “Happy Birthday, Johnny! Happy birthday to you both!” Brendan then sat on Johnny’s bed. “Get up, sleeping beauty!”
“I worked
