“Would you like me to check in on Dash while you’re away? Or if she has to work, I can babysit. He can play with that mutt of mine all the livelong day.”
“Would you? I know it’s a lot—”
“It’s not a lot. You’re five minutes away, and it sounds like you could use a break.” She patted my hand. “And because I know you’re a tough girl with a lot of pride, consider it my Christmas gift to you, if that helps.”
I blinked hard. “That helps a lot.”
***
At home, I told Mom the plan.
“December 29th to January 3rd,” I said. “Mrs. Andolina will help out with Dash.”
My mother frowned over a cup of coffee in the kitchen. It was four in the afternoon, but she’d been drinking black coffee by the gallon since she started AA meetings again.
“Are you telling me or asking me?” she said. “Because it sounds like you’retellingme you’re flying clear across the Atlantic to be with your boyfriend I’ve metonetime, to stay with his parents I’ve metzerotimes, and that you’ll be gone forfivedays.”
“Yes, that’s what I’m telling you,” I said, facing her from the living room, arms crossed, as Dash watched, wide-eyed from his LEGO set at the coffee table. “I’ve been busting my ass, working late on my NoSci project every night, while trying to maintain my 4.0 GPA, and I’d like to have this. This one thing that—”
“Really? Because it seems to me like you’re going out to fancy dinners and coming back wearing expensive jewelry,” Mom sniped, gesturing at my hand.
In the dim light of our living room, the ring glittering on my right hand was like a beacon. I stuffed my hand in my sweater pocket.
“I went to a fancy dinneronetime, and the ring is none of your business.”
“None of my business?” Mom snapped. “You’re my daughter. Who you’re dating—who you’refucking—is absolutely my business.”
My entire body stiffened, and Dash’s little gasp was loud in the sudden silence.
“Go upstairs, okay, buddy?” I told him in my lightest tone. “Please?”
He nodded, eyes shiny.
Goddamn her. Goddamn her to hell.
When he was upstairs, I whirled on her and seethed in a stage whisper, “What in the actual hell are you thinking?”
“What amIthinking?” she spat back. “You think you can come and go as you please? That what I say doesn’t matter anymore?”
“Will you lower your voice?” I hissed. “Think of Dash for one goddamned second. Think of literallyanyonebut yourself—”
“Me? You’re the selfish one, leaving us to live it up in some castle with your billionaire boyfriend.” She snorted. “Oh, he’s such a charmer, isn’t he? Such an English gentleman.”
I went cold all over. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
She smacked her mug down with athud, sloshing coffee over her wrist. “If he was really such a great guy, he’d do more than buy you jewelry. I mean, doesn’t he know what a mess we’re in? I’ll be lucky to clean enough houses to make mortgage.”
“That is not his problem,” I said stonily. “That is our problem.”
“Ourproblem,” she said snidely. “I’m sure you’ll be thinking ofourproblem while flying off to his mansion on his private jet.” She stormed from the kitchen to the couch and snatched up the remote. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I gave you the bedroom, so I don’t have a place to be alone. Would you please get the hell out of my face for a few hours?”
She turned on the TV—volume up—to one of her afternoon talk shows, while I stood trembling with rage even as my heart felt like it was going to shatter. Without a word, I stomped upstairs to find Dash waiting for me.
“Harper?” he said tearfully. “Are you leaving?”
“It’s okay, buddy.” I gathered him in my arms. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I can’t take the chance. Not anymore. Another trip, ruined.
