BLOOD AND CONTRACT

2: The

sand dollars in it. I looked at the clean bills, my mind slow to make sens

's study, her work clothes messy from her shift at the hospital. Dark ring

my heart pounding. "Nothin

arp despite her tiredness. "Sorry notes don't come

her own house. Her hair was dull around her face, and she had on the

d. "I can't... I can't handle this. I can't p

g her as she shook. "Don't do any

me hard. I was twenty-two, still in school, still figuring out my own path. How

howing as she led Mom to sit. "About everything. About D

ght of those hard things. The scary, huge things t

?" I asked, though I felt sic

fit... it's not enough. And without his income..." She stopped, swallowing hard. "I

. You're not leaving. You'll be a

red her mouth, shocked. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean... I just mean t

lt the room close in. Every breath was hard. Ev

rd myself say. "I'll leav

You have that job lined up with Morrison & Associate

school-it was all I had hoped for, all I had worked for. But seeing my sister so broke

picked up without thinking, needing any br

s kind, full of worry. "Ho

ow to do this, Richard. I don't kno

ull of care. "You're not alone. I to

still in my hand. "Rich

through tonight." He paused, and I heard paper

hould be doing this. I should

tion," he went on. "I knew your dad well enough

?" My voice was

by tomorrow after the funeral director v

felt like hope and

t where I left them. Mom stared at nothin

said, not looking up. "I

s chair. It still smelled of his cologne, and for

e was small, unsure.

desk, at the half-done crossword he'd never finish. This house was filled with twe

sure. "We'll lay Dad to rest right, and we'll

worry in her eyes. The same

cover would only pay the home loan for half a year. One term for Grace's school. Mom's

he hinted at. Maybe I was just scared, but it all felt wrong. Dad was fine when I rang him las

were sinking, and Richard see

r the next thing I knew, the sun wa

. "Richard's here, and there's some

arp-dressed man at our table. They stood as I came in, and

wyer. I brought him to talk clear

is case. "I'm sorry for your loss, M

eling a chill. Why a lawye

said before. Your dad's business owes a lot to folks. The hou

ped at me-numbers big enough to mak

t weeks before they take the house. Grace's school fee

ht weeks. We had eight we

er, "I might have a way out. It's not usual,

ho taught me to drive, who was there for my school events. His gra

way?"