Page 59 of Prospecting

She reached over him, pulled the corners up. “Shower,” she asked wrinkling her nose.

“Depends,” he grabbed her, held her, kissed her. “Will we be only showering?”

“Since your limp,” she said but realized he wasn’t. “Damn, does that thing never stop?”

“For you, never,” he grinned.

“Fine but you get to wash both of us,” she said as she pulled out of his arms. “You can wash the sheets too.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said.

***

“What do you mean you’ll be gone for a year,” Hazel demanded shrilly.

“We’re taking a year off to travel,” Sheridan said. She looked behind her to see Cade coming to her side. He always kept an ear out when she spoke to her mother. She smiled, appreciating his concern.

“Where will you go traveling,” Hazel said. “Are you sure it’s safe to be out of touch for so long?”

“Cade and I are going to see some sites,” Sheridan said ignoring the insult. Hazel increasingly criticized Cade and implied he was going to sell her. “We won’t be completely out of touch but we’re taking a year to be together with no commitments.”

“You can’t possibly need an entire year,” Hazel said. “You’ve been alone with him for the last four years.”

“We’ve been working,” Sheridan said. “We want to do more than work.”

“We’re exploring some planets,” Cade said. “We pick up the new ship in a few days and then we’re off.”

“Was the new ship really necessary,” Hazel said. Greed and calculations filled her eyes. “Surely you could have given your nieces more, helped your sister, and your father and I.”

“I talked to dad about your finances,” Sheridan said firmly. “He said the two of you are doing fine. You got a raise and promotion from Calli. Dad did too.”

“You don’t understand,” Hazel said.

“You need to stop gambling,” Sheridan said sharply. “If you can’t do it on your own, get help. You’ve done enough damage to this family with your addiction. I’m not giving you money to lose while you gamble.”

“I don’t gamble,” Hazel denied.

Sheridan stared at her mother until Hazel looked away. “We’ll see you for a little while when we pick up the ship but then we will be out of touch for a few months,” Sheridan said.

“You don’t understand how hard it is,” Hazel said turning on the tears. “Tappn doesn’t allow me to see Mia or the babies. Now you’re going off. I have no one.”

“You have all of us and dad,” Sheridan said. “You don’t need to be in daily contact. You’ve never been in daily contact with me. This is no different.”

“I’m too upset to talk about this,” Hazel said dabbing at her eyes. “I need to go.” She cut the connection.

“All right,” Cade asked as Sheridan turned to him.

“Should I have not said anything,” she asked.

“About the gambling,” Cade asked. “I think you did good there. You made her aware she wasn’t fooling anyone.”

“Maybe it will make her get help,” Sheridan said burrowing into his arms.

“But you’re not holding your breath,” Cade said.

“She’s gotten in trouble three times since we all stopped giving her money,” Sheridan said. “Dad has taken her off all their accounts and given her an allowance. She’s an adult, how can she not figure it out.”

“It’s a sickness but you’re right. At some point, she needs to look at herself,” Cade said.

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