Bill. Bill. Bill.
I press the envelopes into a neat stack as Tesa walks into the kitchen. I watch as she starts to collect ingredients out of the cupboard for dinner.
I wish I could give her more. She definitely deserves more. And yet, she chose me. We are already on a strict budget, but I cannot get a well-paying job right now. The bank will not allow any more loans.
And now with Logan living with us and with my parents in the hospital and having to take care of the Barrent family, I don’t think I can take much more.
But I have to tell Logan; he deserves to know.
Speaking of the devil, here he comes.
Tesa glances at me when she hears Logan’s car in the driveway.
“You are going to tell him, right?” she looks at me expectantly.
I sigh and nod once.
Logan walks into the room and quietly shuts the door behind him.
Silence.
I once heard someone say that silence is the most powerful scream. I understand that now.
Logan sits down at the table across from me. Tesa’s phone starts to ring.
“Hello?” she presses the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she continues making dinner.
Loud yelling is heard on the other line.
“Sir! Wait! Please, slow down.” Tesa sets down her spatula and leans against the counter facing us.
“First off, I don’t have a son,” Tesa’s face forms a question.
I look up and raise my eyebrows at Tesa.
“Oh, wait. Him,” Tesa looks at Logan.
Logan points at himself. “Me? What did I do?” he whispers.
I shrug at him. “You mean other than ruin my life,” I whisper back at him.
He sticks his tongue out at me in retort.
“Ha! Doubt that!” Tesa continues her conversation. “Fine, but it is just a waste of time.”
Tesa walks over to Logan and pulls his shirt’s neckline lower on his shoulder, revealing a bruise.
I let my head drop and hit the table, knowing what is coming next.
Tesa sighs and leans against the refrigerator. “I’ll talk to him. Thank you, sir.”
She hangs up and hits her forehead with the palm of her hand. “Logan Lockman!”
“What?” Logan holds his hands up.
“What did he do?” I ask her.
“Started a fight on the soccer field. Beat the snot out of some poor kid with his ‘kar-a-te’.” She makes air-quotes with her fingers as she pronounces it weirdly.
I let my head fall back onto the table with a thump. “How does Mom do it?” I mumble.
“Hold up!” Logan protects himself. “First, I did not start the fight. He did. I was just protecting myself. And second, I left before there was too much blood. Or snot. Whatever.”
“Oh, my word.” Tesa turns back to making dinner.
I look back up at Logan and Tesa. “If one more bad thing happens, I am going to fall into a million pieces.”
“Still wasn’t my fault,” Logan throws in as Tesa sits down next to me, handing us our plates.
“Guys?” Tesa picks up her fork. “Can we please go one meal without fighting?”
“Is that possible?” Logan questions.
I turn and glare at him.
“That doesn’t count,” Logan remarks. “We haven’t started eating yet.”
Tesa deliberately uses her fork to stab her food and shove it into her mouth.
“Poop.” Logan looks down at his food and starts to eat.
“Tell him,” Tesa nudges me expectantly.
Logan hesitantly glances at me.
I sigh. “So, we have good news and bad news.”
He suddenly stands up and holds his arms out to the side, cutting me off.
“Wait!” he jumps up from his chair. “There is good news?”
Tesa laughs. “Sit down.”
“Didn’t even know that was possible,” Logan mumbles as he sits down. “Start with the bad news so we can end on a positive note.” He leans his chair back on two legs.
“Ok,” I take a deep breath before I begin. “We are going to lose the house.”
“Wait. Can’t you just get a loan?” Logan slams his chair back down.
“Already have. Too many times. Bank said if I can’t get enough money by the end of the month, then they are going to take the house.”
“What about a better job?”
“No. Zero people are hiring right now, and the two part-time jobs I have don’t pay well. But there is a spot opening up soon as an accountant.”
“How soon?”
“Two months”
Logan runs his hands through his hair. “What will happen at the end of this month?”
“We were planning on moving in with her parents if we can’t get the money.”
“In California?!” Logan exclaims. “What about our family? What about the Barnetts? Would they transfer to a hospital there? How would they get there? A cargo plane?”
“Calm down,” Tesa calmly pats his hand. “We don’t know what we are doing yet. Which is why we are telling you. To see if you have any ideas.”
“Well, I don’t.” Logans leans against the back of the chair. “Hold up. I was told there was good news?”
Tesa smiles and puts her arms around me.
“Tesa is expecting,” I say.
Logan smiles big and stands up, throwing his hands in the air. “Yeah! Life. Not death.”
He turns and goes downstairs to his temporary bedroom. “Another human that gets to experience this wonderful nightmare called life,” he mumbled on his way out.
“He’s enthralled,” Tesa chuckles and hugs me tighter.
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