I hugged him back.“I got you, Vin.I swear.”
He hugged me tighter.I resisted trying to loosen his arms.He needed this.
I didn’t let go.“I know you’re missing your mom.I’m sorry she’s not here.”
“Are you going to leave me?Put me up for adoption?”
“No.”I smoothed his hair.“We agreed we’re Team Chomping now.That means I got your back and you got mine.I won’t lie and say things will be easy.It’s going to be tough, but we’ll figure it out.”
A while later he settled down in bed and said softly, “These don’t smell like mom and dad anymore.”
“I washed them before we left.”I fluffed my pillow, the one I’d brought from up north.
“Can we go visit Mom and Dad on the highway where they left for heaven?”
“Sure,” I said hoarsely.“How about after school tomorrow?”I swiped a tear away.
“Do you love Coach Hurst?Josh?”Vinny asked.
I sucked in a breath.“Love is a strong word.”
“You make him different.It’s good different.I mean he’s happy and sad and mad all at the same time.It’s different.”He was quiet for a moment.“He was fun and funny at practice.He isn’t funny very often.Mostly, he’s serious.”
“Loving a person and being able to live or be with them are entirely different things.”
“Okay.”He got quiet for a little bit.“You came back here for him, didn’t you?”
“I came back because this is where both of us need to be right now.Time to sleep, Vinny.”
ChapterTwenty-One
ERIKA
Brrr.I pushed off the covers and rushed to the bathroom.The chill of the tile floor had me dancing to keep my toes happy.A glance down found Tracker, staring up.“You’ve got a fur coat.It doesn’t bother you.Do you think the heater went out?”
I flicked the light switch once, twice, and then back-and-forth again.Nothing.
No power?
My phone still had charge.Using the flashlight app, I searched for the breaker box.A flip of a few breakers did nothing.Power was out.
Once I figured out who provided power, I called.
The woman with a thick Indian accent informed me, “Your account is three months overdue for payment.The power has been terminated.”
“Three months?My father just died.This is his house.I can’t believe he didn’t pay his bill for three months.”What else hadn’t he paid?
“Yes, that is correct.”
“How much will it cost to get the power turned back on?”
“The amount owed plus late fees puts you at $1700.15.”
I sank down on the floor.What?
Tracker parked himself next to me.As an empathetic dog, he picked up whenever I suffered high stress.After a throat clear I asked, “Can you put it on a credit card?”
“Yes ma’am.Do we need to change the name on the account since your father passed?I am sorry to hear about that.”
