Chapter 12 - LAUREN’S STORY
Lauren came to my apartment alone.
No Kevin.
No parents.
She cried before sitting.
“I didn’t know about the guarantee.”
“I believe that.”
She looked surprised.
“Why?”
“Because you’re terrible at keeping secrets.”
She laughed despite herself.
Then stopped.
“I knew Mom and Dad favored us.”
“Us?”
“My girls.”
“Yes.”
“I told myself it was because they saw them more.”
“They saw Noah plenty.”
“I know.”
She looked down.
“Mom said Sarah’s problems made Noah complicated.”
My hands tightened.
“A six-year-old is not complicated because his mother had addiction.”
“I know.”
“Did you say that?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because whenever I defended you, Mom reminded me how much they helped us.”
There.
Money.
Silence purchased through gratitude.
“What did they pay?”
Lauren began listing.
Closing.
Basement.
Twins’ tuition.
Dance.
Camp.
Medical.
A car lease.
I already knew most.
Then:
“Kevin’s business debt.”
“How much?”
“Forty-eight thousand.”
I closed my eyes.
“And you thought this was normal?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I thought it was love.”
May you like
The sentence hurt because I understood it.
For years, I thought paying was love too.
