One Kiss for My Last Month novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: The Signature

They had me behind the swinging doors, with a needle in my arm, long before any of this happened.

Everything in the waiting room I got from Mom and Alana later, a piece at a time.

The surgical waiting room had a fish tank, a television with no sound, and a row of chairs bolted to the floor.

Mom sat in the chair nearest the doors, still in her apron, with her hands between her knees.

Alana came in at nine that night with her coat buttoned wrong.

"Eli's with my sister," she said. "I came as soon as I could. Is she out?"

"Not yet. They won't start until the custodial parent signs. They're waiting on Craig."

Alana sat down beside her.

For a long time neither of them said anything, and the fish went around the tank.

At nine forty, the elevator opened, and Dad walked out of it.

His suit jacket was gone and his shirt was untucked.

Grandma Maureen was a step behind him, in her camel coat, with a clean tissue in her hand.

Dad stopped when he saw Mom.

"Where is she?"

"Back there, waiting for you to sign," Mom said.

"Is she," he swallowed. "Is she going to be all right?"

"I don't know, Craig."

He nodded, and kept nodding, and sat down in the farthest chair with his face in his hands.

Grandma Maureen did not sit.

She crossed the room to Mom, and looked down at her, and lowered her voice to the one she used for church.

"Signe, dear. I think we can all agree today has gotten out of hand."

Mom did not look up.

"I've spoken to our lawyer. There are ways to settle this, so that nobody's name has to be in the paper."

"Maureen."

"Let me finish." She opened her purse and took out an envelope, cream-colored, thick. "There's a check in there. It's more than you will make in three years behind that lunch counter. You can get your daughter a proper apartment. You can get yourself some rest."

← Chapter 17 · All chapters · Chapter 19 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend