Page 74 of Married in Michigan

Wait, though.

I finger the fine leather and intricate stitching on the Gucci handbag on my lap. This is the kind of bag I never even dreamed of owning, and here it is.

Worth at least two thousand dollars.

I open the small hard case Paxton packed the jewelry in: a necklace and earrings worth easily five grand, if not more.

That may not get me current, but it would help, and at least buy me time.

It’s shitty, though.

They’re gifts.

But what else am I supposed to do?

A little Googling later, and I’ve created an account on a luxury goods resale app. Post pictures of the purse and the jewelry…

By the time the plane lands, I’ve got buyers for all three items, at nearly full value. Beginner’s luck, probably. I hadn’t expected it to work so fast.

I ask John to stop at a UPS store so I can put a few things in the mail—he looks at me with curiosity, but says nothing. When I go into the UPS store with a purse and come out without one, he raises his eyebrows, but says nothing.

With the items marked as shipped, my buyers send payment. The money goes through, hits my account, and by the time I’m at Mom’s nursing home, I can write a check to take care of the next couple of months.

Now I just have to hope that Paxton doesn’t notice.

17

“Why did you…” She has to stop for breath. “Why did you come back?”

I glare at her. “Mom. You thought I would just vanish? Never come back?”

She glares back. “Told you. Live your life, Mack.”

“I am. I just miss you.”

She softens. “Miss you too, baby.”

“It’s harder than I thought it would be,” I admit.

Mom frowns. Silent, thinking. “If you’re gone, how are you paying for the home?”

I sigh. I’d been hoping she wouldn’t ask. “I’m making it work.”

“How?”

“Mom, come on.”

“No.” She shakes her head with as much resoluteness as she can summon. “Tell me.”

“Don’t, please.”

“Tell…me.”

“I’d have to tell you everything.”

“So tell.”

My throat catches. I can tell her now, because I have an agreement with Paxton, and I won’t back out. Mom won’t ask me to, because I gave him my word, and I don’t go back on my word. Mom set that in stone for me from day one. You make a promise, you keep it.