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Still, I know this as well as I know my own name, ripping her out of my life is going to be like losing a limb.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
SEVEN VIRTUES, NORTH CAROLINA
When I started this blog during my uni years, I never could have predicted it would lead me to so much. Back then, I was set on a mild—oh, bugger it—a severe course of retribution.
I wanted to watch the world burn as I tossed the match on the petrol.
Now, I realize it was part of a grander plan to have my life intersect with the most important people in my life.
For that, I’d like to thank my family for always supporting me. My best mates, for never letting me give up, and you, my readers, for giving me a reason to go on every day.
Some days it took all of you for me to keep going.
—Moore You Want
“Fallon, can you come into my office for a moment?” Florence calls out.
Getting up from my chair, I head toward her office. She stands behind her desk and motions for me to close the door. “Sit down, Fallon.”
I drop into the chair. “Is something wrong?”
“I spoke to my lawyers today.”
My insides freeze. “About me?”
“Not about you specifically, about your situation. Have you and your mother spoken about family estate planning in light of everything that’s going on?”
I snort. “What estate, Florence? Unless Mama won some secret lotto she never disclosed, there’s just her bungalow, her car, and her life insurance policy.”
“There’s probably more.”
“Now that you mention it, there might be some additional policies and crap from her employer, but I’m too exhausted to think of it all right now.”
She comes around her desk and rests her hip against it. “Fallon, you should really speak with a probate lawyer to determine if you’re going to have any responsibility to the hospital because I don’t think you’re going owe them a red cent despite the fact they’re going to try to charge you for every sip of water your mother has taken out of one of their precious plastic cups.”
I rear back. “Excuse me?”
She explains some high level information about probate law in North Carolina before lifting a hand to remind me, “But I’m not a lawyer, Fallon. Don’t take my word as gospel.”
I cross my arms over my chest, hugging myself, as it seems of late, I’m the only one who can give myself comfort. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you came in tonight with devastation written all over your face. The last thing I want this place to be is a burden when there’s no point in you working here.”
“No point?”
“Fallon, the amount of money I’ve paid out is a pittance in comparison to the amount you negotiated. Am I wrong?”
My head drops and I’m unable to form words. Finally, I just give it a shake.
Her hand reaches over and squeezes my shoulder. “I was hoping that wasn’t the case for your sake, but I suspected as much. How much time have they given her?”
“A month, max,” I admit aloud.
“Fallon, I’m canceling your contract.”
My head snaps up at her words. “But…I…you…my mama still needs to be in the hospital.”