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“One sister. She’s seventeen and still at school, but she has part-time jobs to help out. I give Mum a third of what I earn, but it’s not much—the salon only pays minimum wage.”
Jesus. I had no idea. “So they’re struggling to pay the bills?”
“Yes, and that was before I got tonight’s news.”
My heart sinks. “What happened?”
“My boss rang to say she’s letting me go. So now I don’t have a job either. I’ve had to move back home because I can’t pay my rent. And now we’ll have no money coming into the house.” She leans forward and covers her face with her hands, then sinks them into her hair. “What a fucking mess.”
“I’m so sorry.” Words are no use in this situation, though. “Aroha, let me help.”
“You’ve already given me your handkerchief,” she jokes.
“I’m serious. You know I’m wealthy. Let me help you out.”
She sits up, stiffening. “That’s very kind, but no thank you. I don’t want charity.”
“It’s not charity.”
“Of course it is.”
“Then call it a loan.”
“No, thank you. We’ve gotten this far without having to borrow, and I don’t want to start now.”
Frustration flares inside me. “Honey, you can’t sit there and cry your eyes out, then tell me you won’t accept help. What about Gaby? She’s your best friend. She’d gladly do something.”
“No.”
“Does she know about your father?”
“Yes. But I don’t want help.”
I frown. I do understand, but it seems crazy that we all have money, and she’s struggling. “How about Alex? He’d hate to know you’re suffering.”
“No,” she says again, sharply.
“Please, let me do something.”
“All I need is a job, and I’ll start looking as soon as we get back.” She blows out a breath. “Well, as soon as everywhere opens. Why did this have to happen right at New Year?”
“What will you do?”
“I’m not sure. There are usually vacancies for cleaners. I guess I’ll have to start there, at least until I can find something better.” She sees the look on my face. “I’m not too proud to clean. It’s a good, honest way to make money.”
“I know, but…” An idea comes to me then. “Don’t do that. Come and work for me.”
Her eyebrows lift. “What do you mean?”
“I’m working on a project at the moment—a presentation I’ve got to give in Sydney in January. I’m the keynote speaker at the Assistive Technology Conference.”
Her eyes widen. “Wow.”
“I’m giving a talk about our exoskeleton and other devices we’ve invented. Well, technically Tyson and I are doing it, but he’s a chicken and he hates public speaking, and there are going to be, like, five hundred people there, so I’ll probably be doing most of the talking.”
“What a shock.”
I give her a wry look. “I have to put the multimedia presentation together, and I was thinking about getting some help. Most of our staff is on vacation until the fourteenth.”
