Out of Time: The Family That Lost Me novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: Gas Money

"Fourteen thousand dollars," I said.

Colt finally turned around.

His eyes were red, and he looked younger than twenty-two.

"It's not what you think."

"I think our mother borrowed fourteen thousand dollars from a company that sends notices in red ink. Which part is wrong?"

"The part where it's her idea."

I stared at him.

"Colt."

"It's my truck. I bought the truck two summers ago, Mal. A brand new one, and Mom cosigned, and when I couldn't make the payments she took out this loan to cover them."

"Your truck."

"I didn't ask her to!"

"But you drove it," I said. "To my apartment. You parked it in front of my building, and I paid for your parking sticker."

He flinched.

A freezer hummed beside us, and from the house came the scrape of chairs and my aunt's raised voice.

I photographed the notice, front and back.

The interest rate under the balance said 29 percent.

"She signed this without telling Dad?"

"At the kitchen table. While he was napping."

"Where was I?"

"At work. It was a Saturday."

"I picked up three weekend shifts the month your lease renewed," I said. "I cleaned kennels for your lease."

"I know, Mal."

"The notice says the balance is due in three days. Fourteen thousand."

"She paid some of it already." He wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Last Thursday. Eight thousand."

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