Page 8 of Her Greek Inheritance
Chapter 2
Washington, D.C. …
Gemma Larsen sighed as she stepped into her small, cluttered office in the bowels of the Smithsonian Museum. In her hand was Tyler’s latest tuition bill. Her brother should have graduated by now, but last year he’d decided to enroll in graduate school. Gemma was happy for him, but with more education came a much bigger price tag. He’d applied for scholarships and fellowships to help cover the staggering cost, but just last week he informed her that he’d been turned down for most of them.
Better get it over with.She slid the envelope open. She fell into her desk chair in shock. “Twenty thousand dollars? By September first? It might as well be a million! God, Tyler. How do you expect me to come up with that much money?”
She felt tears of failure sting her eyes and dropped her head onto her desk. Her phone rang and she answered it without glancing at the caller I.D. or lifting her head. “Hello?”
“Gem? Hey, what’s wrong?” It was Aimee, her best friend.
“Hey, Aimee. Just another wonderful day in my life.”
“What’s Tyler done now?” Aimee’s voice took on a hard edge.
“I got his bill for next year in the mail today and made the mistake of bringing it with me to work. I just opened it,” Gemma told her, tears clogging her throat.
“Oh, sweetie! How bad is it?”
“Bad, Aimee. Really bad. Twenty thousand dollars for one year? How am I going to come up with that kind of money?”
“Why are you even considering this your problem?” Aimee fired back. “Tyler’s twenty-two years old. He should take responsibility for his own finances, not expect you to pay for everything. Look, he decided to go to graduate school so he should take out a loan or get a decent paying job to cover the cost.”
“He has a job,” Gemma protested.
Aimee gave an unladylike snort. “Delivering pizzas a few hours each night and playing video games all day, everyday, isn’t a job and you know it! Tyler’s using you and you’re allowing him to act like an irresponsible kid. You need to focus on you and Damien for once.”
“My parents…”
“Have been gone a longtime sweetie, and they would have never allowed Tyler to be so irresponsible. It’s time for him to grow up.” Aimee’s voice held compassion and kindness.
Gemma swallowed. It was hard to argue with Aimee. Knowing how tight Gemma’s money situation was, her friend had moved in with her two years ago to help ease some of the financial burden. But even with Aimee’s support, they still lived paycheck to paycheck. “I promised Tyler I would help put him through school…”
“A four-year degree, not graduate school. That’s on him.”
“I know we don’t see eye to eye on Tyler, but he’s getting good grades and after he finishes, he’ll be much more employable and then he can stand on his own feet.”
“You’ve been living paycheck to paycheck for so long, I don’t think you really see how Tyler’s using you.”
Gemma took a breath, having heard this same thing from Aimee more than once. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll think of something.”I always do.
Aimee snorted again. “If you find a way to make an extra twenty grand in the next three months, hang onto the secret. We’ll market it and make a killing. Sweetie, you don’t even make that much in three months’ time.”
“I know, but maybe I can pick up a few side jobs. I’ll figure out something.” Gemma bit her lip. “I should get back to work. I have to pick Damien up before five P.M. tonight…”
“Let me do it.” Aimee said. “I’m already off and was headed home anyway.”
“Are you sure? You probably have all kinds of things to do…”
“I wouldn’t have offered it I wasn’t willing to do it. Stop being so self-sufficient and let someone help you out for once.” The censure in her voice was the kind only a best friend could get away with using.
Gemma winced. “Fine, but don’t feed him too many snacks or he won’t want his dinner.”
“Yes, Mom. I’ll take care of him. You forget about that letter for the rest of the afternoon and get some work done. We’ll see you this evening.”
“Thanks, Aimee.”
“Don’t mention it—and I mean don’t.”