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I cast her a warning look.
Not now.
Private school was my husband’s idea. He went to private school, and he insisted his children would too.
I don’t remember having a say. Probably because I didn’t.
Even in death, he made sure her schooling was paid for.
“Kids are assholes, Hannah.”
“Kim!”
“What?” she mumbles around the cookie she stuffed in her mouth.
“But I’m a kid, Auntie Kim.”
“Oh, sweetie, you’re different. You’re my niece. You could never be an asshole. You’re a powerful woman.”
Hannah’s eyes slide between us. “Me and Isabel are going to be weird sisters like you, aren’t we?”
“Absolutely,” we answer together.
Her dimples are on full display when she smiles. “I’m going to read my book.” She kisses my cheek and stands. Conversation over. She’s returning to her natural habitat.
I wait until she’s out of the room to throw my head in my hands, feeling tears sting the back of my eyes. “I didn’t know. How did I not know my child hated school?”
“It happens. I hated school too. Kids are cruel. Besides, it’s summer break next week. That gives you time to get out of here. Find somewhere you actually want to live. Treat it as a trial run. A long vacation if you will.”
“I will not. I don’t have time for a three-month vacation. Like I said, if we move, Hannah needs a new school, and I need to go back to work which means I will need childcare for Isabel. We can’t live where you live. Your nearest neighbor is a herd of cattle.”
She rolls her eyes. “But you can run around naked without anyone catching you.”
Finally, I laugh, but it hurts my cheeks. Every muscle in my body is tense.
“You’ve sold the shares of the firm. You don’t need to work.”
It wasn’t that much, and the money is for the girls. I’ll use some for a house until I get on my feet, but I don’t want it.”
“You earned that money. You deserve it.”
I earned it?
What a strange way to earn money.
“I need to go back to work.”
It was out of my hands for so long. I didn’t have a choice but to stay at home.
I have a choice now.
I have no idea what I want to do yet, but I know I need to do something.
“It’s a good idea, you know. Moving closer to you. It makes sense.”
I can tell she’s trying to contain the excitement while she sips her coffee. “It does. There’s some small towns close by. Good schools. Not sure about jobs, but you could look into it. Pine Falls is just thirty minutes from my house. It’s beautiful and busy. Lots of tourists so there’s got to be work there.”
“I know it. I remember it from my photography days. Lots of people go there to get married.”
