LITMIR.BIZ

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day after her mama suffered a stroke, Faith considered that the end of her relationship with her sister. Her parents had worked hard to build up their nest egg for retirement. Her mama had worked as a schoolteacher and principal for twenty years. Her dad had been a superintendent at a delivery company for years until he was flung from his delivery truck four years ago in an accident and broke his back in three places. Thankfully he could walk, but the injury prevented him from working. Her mama had taken care of him before her stroke.

      Faith couldn’t forgive Love for stealing from their parents. Who were already struggling after her dad’s injury. From what her mama said, Love had got away with all of their savings. Savings that would have gone a long way toward helping pay the ongoing medical bills and retrofit the house to accommodate her disabled parents. All things she’d depleted her savings to pay for and worked hard to continue to pay for.

      “Love isn’t sick, Mama. She’s a junkie,” she said, not bothering to hide the contempt in her voice. She walked back to her suitcase and tossed the dresses inside.

      Virginia took out the dresses and started folding each of them. “Don’t hate your sister.”

      “After what she did, it’s hard not to.”

      “Family is family, and she’ll always be your sister. I know it’s hard for you to understand how she let drugs take over her life, but she wants to get better.” Virginia placed the folded dresses in the suitcase. Then she gave Faith a direct stare. “And when she’s out, we’ll do what we can to help her. Right?”

      Faith looked away to zip her bag. That was a promise she couldn’t make. This wasn’t Love’s first stint in rehab. She’d believed her sister once before, and less than a year later, her sister had betrayed their parents.

      “If you’re not going to talk me out of going, then I guess I’d better go catch that plane,” Faith said instead.

      Virginia sighed but didn’t push.

      Faith took her overnight bag from the bed. “I’ve made dinners for every night and they’re in the freezer,” she said.

      Virginia shook her head and chuckled. “I know, Faith.”

      “And Marie said she’ll check in on both of you every day. I’ll keep my cell phone with me the entire time. If anything happens—”

      “Nothing is going to happen, and there isn’t much you can do from New York anyway,” Virginia said.

      “You’re right. I should stay.”

      “Child, come on and quit fussing. Everything will be fine.” Virginia turned her wheelchair around and left the room.

      Faith followed her mama to the front of the house. It had taken most of the past two years to retrofit the house with wider doorways, bathroom handrails and other changes to make life easier for her parents. After Love’s grand theft, Faith had offered to move her parents to Houston, where she had the salary to take better care of them, but they’d refused. They’d both lived in Laurel County all their lives and didn’t want to move. If they insisted on staying, then Faith insisted on making sure their house was worth staying in.

      At the front of the house, they went out into morning air, already warm and humid for early June. Marie sat on a white porch rocker, talking with Faith’s dad. Jimmy Logan and Marie were both laughing, probably at a joke that Marie had made. Her friend was always good at making her parents laugh.

      “Well, I guess I’m set,” Faith said.

      The smile on Marie’s face fell. “You’re going wearing that?”

      Faith ran a hand across the sleeveless lavender top and jean shorts. “What’s wrong with my outfit?” Faith asked. “I’m going to be on a plane all morning.”

      “And when you get off, you’re meeting Irvin Freeman. I knew I should have come over and picked out your outfit.”

      Jimmy placed his hands on the walker in front of him and stood. “She looks beautiful just as she is.” He shuffled over to her. “You have a good time up there. Don’t worry a bit, and take dozens of pictures for me and your mom, okay?”

      She smiled and leaned over to give him a hug. “I will, Daddy.”

      “Let’s get you to the airport,” Marie said.

      “Did I tell you where the spare key is?” she asked Marie. “And don’t forget that I called in my daddy’s prescription and it’ll be ready later today. I left the money—”

      “On the kitchen table,” Marie cut in, rolling her eyes. “I know. You’ve told me and your parents a dozen times. Just go and have fun and quit worrying about things here.”

      “But I just want to make sure—”

      Marie took her arm and pulled her toward the steps. “We got it. Wave goodbye to your parents.”

      Faith couldn’t wave because she had to grab her bag as Marie dragged her by her other arm down the porch. Her parents waved and grinned as if they enjoyed watching Marie pull her away.

      “Call me if you need something,” she said to them.

      “You just have a great time, child,” her mama called back.

      Her parents looked so happy for her, she thought as Marie drove off. She’d have to try to enjoy herself for their sake, at least. Truthfully, a small part of her was excited about going to New York and not having to worry about how much an item cost or how much the meal was before ordering it. She missed that part of her old life, but she didn’t reflect on it too often. She’d done what she had to do, and there was no need to relive memories of a past that wasn’t coming back.

      As they pulled away, she couldn’t help but take in the wheelchair ramp that needed replacing and the patch on the porch roof that leaked during hard storms. There was still so much to do, so much to fix. Since Love had robbed them blind, fate had kicked in to make sure everything that could go wrong did, including the house. She should stay at home, tending to those items, not travel to New York to party. No telling what bad luck fate had in store for her for going on this trip.

      * * *

      Hours later, Faith rolled her overnight bag off the plane, into LaGuardia Airport. She moved with the crowd toward the exit, anticipation and nervousness making her hands slick on the handle. She’d traveled around the South and West a lot, but she’d never been to New York. Even though she hated leaving her parents, this trip was giving her the opportunity to see the city, something she wouldn’t have ever done on her own.

      On the plane ride, she’d convinced herself to find the silver lining in winning the contest. Since she’d got the call that her mama had had a stroke and arrived to find out that her sister had stolen all of their money, she didn’t put a lot of trust in luck.

      But she refused to become one of those angry, bitter women who couldn’t appreciate things. Since her family had practically pushed her out the door to come, she would make an effort to enjoy herself and the city. She even admitted that it might be slightly cool to meet Irvin Freeman. However, she doubted the star wanted to spend the entire weekend playing tour guide. She could definitely suppress any eye rolls or sarcastic remarks if he did turn out to be a stuck-up snob during the few limited interactions she was likely to have with him.

      She hoped.

      She found her way to the pickup area of the airport. The instructions she’d been given said a car would be waiting for her. She only hoped she could find it in all of the activity.

      A cameraman, a photographer and a guy holding a large sign with her name on it were the first people she saw. No problem recognizing her ride.

      A woman with a bright red streak in her black hair stood next to the sign guy. She was dressed in a black suit that hugged her body so closely it had to have been custom-made for her. She fired off directions to the men. She must be the one in charge.

      “Hi, I’m Faith Logan,” Faith

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