Page 52 of Last Resort

“Mom, I don’t have money to give you. I need it for myself.”

Her mother turned to scrutinize her. “I thought you were done with drugs.”

“I am.” She took in a deep breath, hoping she wasn’t about to make a huge mistake. “I need the money because I’m going to have a baby.”

Maci’s pregnancy was too new for her to have thought much about how she would break the news to Evelyn. But sitting here, she realized that she hoped the news would bring about some sort of positive change.

Evelyn had never been able to clean up for Maci, but maybe she would for her grandchild. Maybe they could have a relationship after all.

Her mother stopped and stared at her. “You idiot. You let him get you pregnant? You’ve ruined your life.”

Knots formed in Maci’s stomach. Definitely not the reaction she’d been hoping for.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence. Regardless of mypoor decisionsI don’t have the money, so go find someone else to extort.”

Evelyn was silent, turning back and walking around the room, peeking at all of Maci’s things. Every time she picked something up, Maci ached to reach out and slap her hands away. This was her space, her sanctuary, and she wanted Evelyn out of it.

“You think I’m stupid?” Evelyn picked up a book and tossed it on the couch. “I know you have a rainy-day fund. I’ll take that. You can ask your baby daddy for more money for raising some thankless brat.”

“You should leave, Evelyn. I’ve made my decision.”

Evelyn’s eyes were flinty. She didn’t like when Maci called her by her name instead of Mom. As if Evelyn hadn’t just described her as a thankless brat.

“You’ve made your decision?” She picked up another book, flipping through the pages before tossing it to the side. “Do you think you’re better than me?”

“This isn’t about better or worse. This is about priorities.”

“Oh, yeah?” She put her hands on her hips. “How do you think your little boyfriend would react if he knew what you used to do to get high? Don’t you think someone should explain that to him so he knows what he’s getting into?”

Dread pooled in Maci’s stomach as she steeled herself against the memories. She refused to go back to that time, even in her mind. “I made mistakes. He would accept them, especially since I won’t make them again.”

Maybe if she said the words forcefully enough she could believe they were true.

Her mother laughed, a harsh bark of a sound. “I doubt that. He seems like an upstanding guy. A professional and respectable businessman.”

“He is.”

Evelyn’s lip curled up in a snarl. “Men like that have one thought when it comes to drugs—once addicted, always addicted.”

No. Maci wasn’t addicted anymore. She was in recovery. She’d done everything she could to get better. Shewasbetter.

“I’m not like you. I’m not going to keep doing drugs when I’ve finally made a life for myself. I’m not going to spend forever chasing a high I’ll never be able to keep. I’m happy sober.”

It was the wrong thing to say and it threw Evelyn into a rage. Maci stood there in horror as Evelyn swept out the rest of Maci’s books off the bookshelf and onto the floor, then knocked the bookshelf over. The coffee table ended up on its side, with the empty glass that had been sitting on it shattering on the floor. Evelyn tore pillows and ripped the paintings and pictures from the walls.

It was impossible to believe someone as petite as Evelyn could do this much damage—the drugs in her system gave her the boost of strength. Maci knew not to get near. Evelyn didn’t have these rages often, but her violence wasn’t just targeted on inanimate objects. Maci kept far out of reach.

By the time Evelyn was done, the apartment that Maci had fought and scrounged for was nothing but scraps and trash.

“You ungrateful little bitch.” Maci watched her mother’s chest heave with every angry breath. “You either get me my money or we’ll see what your boyfriend says when he finds out his baby mama was a drug dealer and a whore.”

There it was, Evelyn’s trump card. There was nothing else to do. Maci knew it and so did Evelyn. Her smarmy grin was enough to prove it.

“Fine. Let’s go find an ATM.”

Twenty minutes later, Maci’s bank account was empty—including the five hundred dollars she’d saved for emergencies.

And so was her heart. She felt hollowed out as she watched her mother slip away laughing, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

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