Page 149 - My FlipBook

T R A I L O F C R U M B S

“What about art?”
He shrugged. “I’ll take it another time—maybe when I’m
unemployed and going through an existential crisis in my
twenties.”
Greta lay on her back and filled her lungs. “Ash, you
didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did,” he snapped. “I told you I’m not leaving
you behind. It’s just you and me…and kind of him”—he

motioned to the kitchen and then across the street—“and
him.” Interesting. So Elgin and Nate stood on the periphery
of their dysfunctional circle too.
“Will you have enough credits to graduate?”
“Barely.”
“You idiot.” She craned her neck forward to see him
better, grinning.

“You’re welcome.”
“Thank you.” Then she scrambled to face him, almost
forgetting. “Ash, Dad sent a check to Elgin yesterday.”
“He did?”
She watched his face, his mind probably running in the
same directions as hers. “What do you make of it? It covers
rent and a little bit extra for us.”
He stared past her, his eyes unfocused. “Not sure. It takes
some pressure off anyway. Maybe now Alice will stop coming

around for her pound of flesh.”
At that moment Elgin knocked and poked his head
inside. “I nearly forgot to ask you,” he said. “Now that your
dad is sending money, I won’t have to rent out the basement.

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