Chapter 16 Needs and Wants Are Different Things #2
“We thought we’d go away,” her mom said. “Just the two of us. When Linda told us, we booked a hotel in Vermont. We want the time together, to count our blessings. When you come, you usually only stay overnight because of your work. We didn’t think you’d mind too much.”
She looked away, unable to speak. Linda, her parents.
Loneliness wrapped itself around her like a shroud.
She swallowed hard. “Of course,” she said, her voice brittle and bright.
“My friend Manuela is always asking me to join her family at Thanksgiving. I’ll spend the day with them.
I hope you both have a wonderful time in Vermont. ”
Her parents exchanged a glance. Were they on to her lie? But, no, they were smiling, relieved that she didn’t mind. “That sounds wonderful. A real big family Thanksgiving. How many kids does Manuela have?”
“Three,” she said automatically. Her ex-workmate used to always talk about them. “Two girls and a boy.”
“We’ll call you on the day and you can introduce us,” her dad said. “We seldom get to meet any of your friends.”
“Sure, that would be great.” Her lips could barely form the words.
There was no way she was going to Manuela’s—even if she was invited, which she wasn’t.
No way she could admit to not having a job.
No way she could even tell her parents what had happened—it was too easy to imagine the shock and shame on their faces if she told them she’d been fired.
Keep a bright face, hide the bad, exaggerate the good.
That was what her family had always done. And now, it seemed, even more so.
“How is your work going?” her dad asked now.
Oh no. On top of the news about Linda, her parents’ trip, and the lies she’d told, she now had to compound that by adding more lies.
“Great,” she said. “It’s a busy time of year. I’m working from home a bit more now, which is nice.”
“Does that mean you have more free time?” her mom asked. “I worry that you spend too much time working.”
If only her mom knew. Morgan forced a smile. “I do, yes. I had breakfast with some new friends this morning.” Even if it was stretching the truth to call Heidi and Lula friends. “And I might go for a hike in the foothills later. Red Rocks.”
“I loved the hike you took us on there,” her dad said. “Have a beer for me at the bar.”
“I will.” She wouldn’t. “And Mom, Dad, I meant it about funding Aunt Linda’s surgery, if she changes her mind. As a gift, not a loan.”
“We’ll tell her. We can contribute too. Maybe, when she tells Nathan and Ellie, she’ll change her mind.”
Morgan nodded, her chest too full of worry to speak. She pressed a kiss to her fingers and then to the screen. “I’ll talk to you next week, right?”
“Of course,” her dad said.
“I love you. And please pass on my love to Aunt Linda, if you talk to her.”
Her mom’s smile slipped sideways. “We will. Love you too.”
The call ended.
Morgan threw the cell phone down on the quilt. Stubborn and pigheaded ran in their family—as did secret keeping. She acknowledged that in herself. But in Linda’s case…well, she would do anything to try to persuade Linda to change her mind.
Anything.
A burst of laughter came from downstairs, followed by a crash, more laughter, and then loud voices.
What the hell were they doing down there? She flung herself toward the door, then stopped. She didn’t have the bandwidth to deal with a rowdy roommate and an even louder visitor right now. Not now, probably not today.
She wished she could go down and make a coffee, have a few squares of dark chocolate, something comforting to soothe her mind. But going downstairs meant dealing with Heidi and Lula, and she just couldn’t.
No, she’d drink water and search the job sites, work on her LinkedIn profile, get her name out there. Maybe it was time to broaden her search beyond positions in finance. If she was to fund Linda’s treatment, she’d need a job sooner than anticipated.
And then there was Heidi. Her trial period was up soon, and they hadn’t discussed it. Had Heidi forgotten, or was she assuming all was okay and was staying on?
Morgan closed her eyes. What had seemed so good at first was showing the cracks.
Heidi was a nice person, a good person, yes.
She wasn’t a weirdo and was mainly considerate.
She was good company. She was queer. And despite her earlier conversations, she didn’t seem to hook up, and the only friend who’d come around was Lula, who was still talking way too loudly downstairs.
But now that Heidi wasn’t tiptoeing around Morgan so much, she was messy.
Untidy. Clothes abandoned in the living area.
The TV remote stashed in random places so Morgan had to hunt for it.
And the kitchen now wasn’t the spotless, hygienically clean space Morgan was used to.
But if she was to give money to Aunt Linda, then Heidi’s rent was necessary.
If she was to keep her house, give money to Linda, and eat, all in the same week, Heidi’s rent was essential.
Compared to the previous applicants, Heidi was still the best. Morgan snorted.
Would she rather live alone? Hell, yeah.
Right now, could she afford to live alone?
Hell, no.
Like it or not, she needed Heidi to stay.