My Best Friend Changed Boyfriends Weekly... Until She Chose My Ten-Year Fiancé novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: Paid in Full

Mallory got there ten minutes later.

She came through the kitchen door in the camel coat with her keys still in her fist, and she looked at the three of us and said, "Who died?"

Nobody laughed.

"Sit down, baby," her mother said.

"Mom, what did she do?"

"Diane was here with Edgar. She wants a video from you by six."

"I know she does. She texted me a script."

Mallory's eyes went to the tin on the table, and then to the paper in my hand.

"What's that?"

I held it out.

She read it standing up, with her coat on, and I watched her lips move on the date.

"April 2022," she said.

"Yes."

"That's four years ago." She turned to her mother. "You finished paying four years ago."

"Yes, baby."

"And the rent?"

"She said the rent kept it signed. I believed her."

Mallory put the page down very carefully on the pear-shaped burn mark.

"I've been scared of her for four years," she said. "I kept my coat on at her table, and I let her tell me where to sit, and I kept my mouth shut about Edgar so she wouldn't take your house."

"I know."

"Why didn't you tell me it was done?"

"Because I was ashamed that it ever started," her mother said, and then they were holding each other.

I looked at the tin.

I didn't cry, because I had decided that morning not to, but I did go and stand by the sink for a minute with my back to them.

Behind me, Mallory said, "I could have said it all to her in year five."

"You could have," I said, without turning.

"I could have sat you down."

"You could have."

"I'm sorry."

"That's not what we're doing yet," I said.

She wiped her face with the sleeve of the coat and straightened up.

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