Not his words. Not the way his fists felt against my skin. Not the way Ma sobbed at night after he punched holes in the wall and jammed insults down her throat.
None of it.
And maybe some of that resentment was misdirected at Ma, and that was why I had a hard time caring for the woman who failed to protect me from it all, but I wasn't ready to admit any of that. Especially not to Millie, who got by unscathed with a near-perfect childhood.
“It's just not possible, Mill. This is all I can offer.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and kicked out one foot. “Then, I don't want your help to pay for someone else to do what you should be doing.”
I just shook my head. It was clear we were at a standstill. She could be so stubborn sometimes.
Before I could say anything I would regret, I turned on my heel and headed back toward my cruiser. “I have to get back to work.”
“Aren't you going to at least say hello to her?” Millie called to my back.
“I'll send you a list of qualified people in the next few days. Look it over and pick someone,” I replied.
I wasn't giving up my loft for nothing. She'd accept the help, whether she wanted to admit she needed it or not.