4
BELLE
Iwoke up at 6:12 a.m. because the air had stopped moving entirely. My tank top clung to me. The little battery fan I’d rigged to the ceiling hummed valiantly but uselessly. July in a van is decidedly not whimsical.
“Love that for me,” I muttered, peeling myself off the mattress.
I cracked the back doors just enough for airflow, staying low so no one could see inside.
I sat there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, listening to the soft tick of the metal expanding in the heat.
My Saturday held derby practice at noon. Which meant I had to kill five hours without melting.
I reached for my phone. No new messages from Geoffrey. Just the invoice reminder from Long Creek.
I flipped the phone face down.
Nope. Not before coffee.
The gym was already crowded when I got there.
I showered quickly, letting the water cool by the end just to try and trick my nervous system into thinking I was refreshed.After dressing in shorts and a loose tank, I twisted my damp hair into a bun.
I studied myself in the mirror. “You look fine,” I told the woman staring back. She looked tired, but fine.
I made my way across town to visit my dad. Long Creek sat quiet under the morning sun. I parked and took a steadying breath.
Good day or bad day, you don’t know until you walk in.
Inside, the air conditioning hit like a cool, refreshing wall. I hadn’t even signed in yet when the receptionist gave me a tight smile.
“Hi, Belle, Nancy would like to see you before you go back?”
“Of course,” I said lightly. “I love administrative surprises.”
The office felt smaller today. Hotter. Even with the air on.
“Belle,” she said gently, gesturing for me to sit. “We’ve sent two reminders regarding the outstanding balance.”
I folded my hands in my lap.
“Yes.”
“The current account is thirty days past due. And with the recommended transition to step-up care?—”
“I know, I’m working on it,” I said softly.
She wasn’t unkind. That almost made it worse.
“We need a payment plan in place,” she continued. “Otherwise, we may need to reassess placement.”
Reassess placement, which meant moving him. Which meant disorienting him further. But where would he even go? Her van?
Why was this system so broken?
“I just need a little time,” I said, keeping my voice steady.
“How much time?”
