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For most of the last week of school, Olivia’s roommates dropped her off at the high school on their way to work. Thank you very much, Carson, for taking her car as collateral.
Matt finally answered his phone and acted contrite and grateful for the deal she’d made on his behalf. He was living with their father to save on rent and promised to send her every dollar he made. “I’m working two jobs,” he assured her. “I’ll pay back Carson and you in five months. Six tops.”
“Good,” she said. “If you miss a month’s payment, I’m turning you in myself.”
Probably bluster on her part. It all depended on how hard Carson worked her.
On the morning of the last day of school, Olivia’s mother volunteered to drive her. She insisted she wanted the extra time to talk before Olivia disappeared to the cabin.
Her mother was on the plump side with shoulder-length brown hair and bangs that swept over the side of her forehead. Olivia had gotten used to judging her mother’s mood by her hair. If it was wavy and styled, she was having a good day. If it was in a ponytail, not such a good day. If it looked like it hadn’t been washed in days, it was time to worry.
When her mother rang the bell, she not only had her hair done, she wore earrings and makeup. A good day. That was a relief, at least.
“I still think this is a bad idea,” her mother said, taking hold of the two garbage bags Olivia set near her suitcase. She’d packed her pillow and sheets into one and put an unfinished canvas and some art supplies in another. “You know Carson doesn’t like you. He’s going to act like a drill sergeant and work you to the bone.”
“I know. We just don’t have a lot of other choices.” Olivia grabbed her suitcase and followed her mother.
“I could ask the bank for a second loan. I’ve got enough equity in the house to cover the amount.”
“No. Don’t.” Her mother had suggested this before, and Olivia had shot down the idea then too. “You’re not going to risk losing your house because Matt did something stupid. I’d rather face the wrath of Carson.”
Her mother started down the apartment stairs, adjusting the bags in her arms. “If things get bad with Carson, call me, and we’ll figure something else out.”
“Okay.” Olivia wouldn’t ever make that call. There was no good solution that involved her mother.
“And be sure to remind him that you can’t work the last week of July or the first week of August. You’re helping me with Grandma’s house.”
Her grandmother was moving in with her aunt in the middle of August, so Olivia and her mother were going up to help her sort through things and pack up.
“Don’t worry,” Olivia said. “Carson plans to show the house on July fourteenth. It will be done by the time we need to leave for Missoula.”
Her mother scoffed. “Plans are one thing. You know how construction schedules always run behind.” That had usually been the case on construction projects her father worked on. More than once, her father had missed the trips her family took to see her grandparents because of his work.
“I’ll let Carson know.”
“And text or call me every night.”
“I will.”
Her mother gave her a pointed look. “If you miss a night, I’ll worry something horrible has happened and will have to call the police.”
Apparently, her mother trusted Carson even less than she did. “Or you could just wait until the next day to see if I misplaced my phone. I’m sure the police have better things to do than make an hour’s drive up and back to check on me.”
They’d reached the apartment’s parking lot. Her mother pressed the key fob for a car that was even older than Olivia’s. Her mom’s Ford was mostly held together by prayer, super glue, and the kindness of the local mechanic.
Olivia loaded her things into the back and got inside. An envelope sat on her seat. It held some twenty-dollar bills and a check from Matt for six hundred dollars. He’d told her he’d send one this week for her to give to Carson.
While her mother drove, Olivia counted the bills. Two hundred dollars. “Where did the cash come from?”
“It’s from me.” Her mother shrugged as though the extra money was a small thing. “I canceled a doctor’s appointment and put what I would’ve spent there toward Matt’s debt.”
Alarm bells went off in Olivia’s mind. “What doctor’s appointment?”
“Just my next checkup. There’s nothing wrong with me so it doesn’t matter if I skip one. The office visits are ridiculously expensive, and all they do is take my vitals and send me on my way.”
The office visits didn’t cost two hundred, which meant her mother was also cutting back on something else. Olivia turned in the car to better see her mother. “You can’t skip your checkups or the doctor won’t refill your prescriptions.”
“I’ll be fine for a few months. I’m going to cut my pills in half. That way they’ll last longer.”
