Page 100 of The Love Playbook

Five minutes later, the curtain to the dressing room slides open and Barb steps out.

Behind me, I hear Marti groan under her breath, and as I bite my lower lip to stifle a laugh, my cell phone rings.

Snatching it up, I glance at the screen, prepared to silence it when I catch Carol’s name and freeze.

I stiffen, my grip tightening as I swallow over the anxiety clutching at my chest.

“Is everything okay?” Barb asks from her spot in front of the mirror, her gaze focused on me in concern.

“Uh, yeah. I’m sure it’s fine,” I say, trying and failing to smile. “I just . . .” I lift my phone out in front of me, my heart banging against my ribs. “I need to take this really quick.”

“Take your time,” she calls out as I rise from my seat.

Crossing the room, I hurry down the hall and back out into the main shop, away from prying ears as I answer. “Carol, what’s wrong?”

“It’s bad, Charlotte.”

My stomach drops to the ground at my feet, and I stumble. “What’s going on?”

“Your mother fired me.”

I pause, my eyes widening. “She fired you? But my father gave her money,” I hiss into the phone, looking around to make sure no one’s listening. “She has the means to pay you now. There’s no need for her to fire you.”

“Yeah, well. Maybe she didn’t take it. I don’t know.”

“Slow down,” I say, trying to keep calm. “Tell me exactly what happened, everything she said.”

If my father lied to me about the money, I’m going to kill him.

“I was urging her to call Dr. Sherri, and she snapped, went on some rant about how she can’t afford to see her anymore and she wasn’t helping her anyhow. Said something about no one caring about her unless something’s in it for them, and that the only reason I care is because I get paid. Then she demanded I leave. When I argued with her, she went on about how as soon as I sold my house, I’d be gone anyway, so I might as well go now.”

“Shit,” I hiss. “I assume she’s not taking her meds?”

“You assume correctly. And you know I’d help your mama without the pay. I care about her, Charlotte, I always have. But when I suggested as much, it only seemed to aggravate her further.”

“I know. This isn’t about you. I just don’t understand why she’d do this if she has a check coming to her every month again. There’s no need. I talked with my father and worked it out. He’s going to help her while I get her medicated and in therapy, then find her another job.”

“This is too much for you, Charlotte. You shouldn’t have to deal with this.”

No shit.

“I know,” I say, pinching the bridge of my nose. “But I’m not sure I have much of a choice.”

Because if I don’t help her, no one will.

“I’ll handle it,” I say finally. “I need to call my father, see exactly what he said to her when he sent her the check. Maybe there’s some sort of misunderstanding, or . . .” I refuse to think he lied. Dad isn’t the type to go back on a deal, but something doesn’t add up. “I don’t know, but I’ll take it from here.”

“I tried to get through to her.”

“I know you did. Don’t worry about it, Carol. I’ll shoot you a text once I work it out. No worries,” I say, even though my stomach is tied in knots with worry.

I hang up and dial my father, relieved when he answers on the first ring. “What did you say to Mom when you gave her the check?” I blurt out, bypassing any pleasantries. “I thought you took care of everything?”

“Charlotte, aren’t you supposed to be dress shopping with Barb right now?”

“Yeah, actually, I am, because Iknowhow to keep my end of a bargain,” I hiss. “Do you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks, sounding offended.