Page 129 of A Million To Fall

“And that wouldn’t work?”

“It would if it was just me,” I say. “But it won’t fly with the court. I need to show a judge I have stable housing if I want custody of Cass and Bronx.”

I swallow, my throat suddenly tight. “Some landlord might overlook the credit thing if I could put down a huge deposit. But I can’t. Not with legal fees and everything else. It’s… complicated.”

“God,” she murmurs softly. “I had no idea.”

“Most people don’t,” I say. “Most people will tell me to just go back to school, better myself, work harder.”

I laugh bitterly.

“But that’s the thing. I do work hard. I work sixteen hours a day, six days a week just to survive. How am I supposed to squeeze school into that? See, I can’t pick myself up by my bootstraps if I don’t even have boots.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“There might be programs I could try. But I don’t have the luxury of time to see what works. I need to show a judge I can take care of my siblings. Now. I can’t screw around and hope something sticks.”

“I don’t even know what to say,” Skye whispers.

“You don’t have to say anything,” I tell her. “Life just… is what it is. And I’ll do what I can.”

The silence that follows isn’t awkward. Just heavy.

Skye hugs her clipboard a little tighter while I stare at our feet.

Finally, I force a small smile. “Well.” I clap my hands together once. “That was depressing.”

A surprised laugh escapes her. “A little.”

I shrug. “Apparently I was due for a minor existential crisis.”

“Only minor?”

“Okay, moderate.”

That earns me another smile. A real one this time. God, I missed that smile.

I clear my throat and take a step backwards. “I should probably head to AJ’s. See if they’ll let me inhale a burger before my shift starts.” I nod my chin at her. “How about you? What’s next on your schedule for today?”

Her smile dims a fraction. “Spa.”

I raise an eyebrow. “That sounds terrible. My condolences.”

“With Archer’s mom.”

Ah.

“My condolences,” I repeat more seriously. She giggles, which immediately sends my heart into revolt against those newly imposed rules about keeping my distance from Skye. “Alright, I better get going.”

She nods, then does the one thing that always makes my brain glitch—she rises up on her toes.

And hugs me.

thirty-nine

Skye

The smell of lavender fills the air, soft music humming beneath the chatter of women in plush robes. Archer’s mom sits next to me, ankles crossed delicately, voice light and cheerful as if we’re just two besties catching up.