He Gave Our Family Speech With His Ex, So I Took the Mic novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: Creditor, Again

The card declined at the grocery store on Tuesday morning.

It was the last one I had, a small credit card in my name that I'd used for June's shoes and school pictures.

"Try it again," I told the cashier.

She tried it again.

"I'm sorry," she said. "The account is closed."

I had not closed it.

There was a line behind me, and the woman at the front was a mother from Fairmont whose face I knew.

She looked at my cart, and then at me, and then she looked away very politely.

I took out the cash from my coat, which was thirty-one dollars, and put back everything except bread, eggs and June's cereal.

My hands didn't shake, and I took that as a win.

In the car, Jill called.

"Don't panic," she said. "A county caseworker left a letter for you at the front desk. Somebody filed a concern about June's living situation. Housing instability."

I put my forehead on the steering wheel.

"A couch above a laundromat," I said.

"They want a home visit Friday. They want a bedroom with a door for her, a bed, and a lease with your name."

"I have thirty-one dollars, Jill."

"I know. I told Ross."

I lifted my head.

"You told Ross."

"I didn't ask him for anything," Jill said. "I told him what the letter said. He said, Don't let her sign anything yet."

I had meant to be angry.

What I felt was tired, and a very small, ashamed relief.

He was waiting on the curb in front of the laundromat at noon, his gray coat open, no tie.

June saw him from the window and ran down the stairs in her socks.

"Mr. Ross! Mr. Ross! We have a fort!"

"I heard about the fort," Ross said gravely.

I stood on the step and kept my arms folded.

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