Page 24 of Big Island Neighbors
“I want to stay the night with you.”
“Well then.” He scooped her up in his arms and muffled her laugh of surprise with another kiss. “Your wish is my command.”
8
Tara
Tara was sitting outside with a spade and a box of soil when Cody came looking for her.
“Hey Mom, can I drive Paige and Piper to practice today?”
She looked up at him. “You want to come to their riding lesson?”
“I want more time behind the wheel before my driver’s test.”
“Sure. I’m just going to finish potting up these tomatoes and then we’ll go.” She’d have to give them extra time to get there, given that Cody tended to drive at little old lady speeds. It was better than the alternative, but it did tend to slow things down. “Would you make sure your sisters are ready?”
When Cody walked back inside, she brushed the dirt off of her hands and pulled her phone out of her pocket. The checking account she shared with Mitch had been steadily declining, and she wanted to make sure there was still enough to pay for the girls’ lessons.
When she saw the number, her stomach plummeted.
There was nothing left but crumbs. Not enough for lessons or feed or the electricity bill with a rapidly approaching due date. A few days before there hadn’t been much, but there had at least been enough for those basic monthly expenses.
Her shock spiraled into anger as she scrolled through the past week’s withdrawals.
Mitch was wining and dining his girlfriend with no thought for their children.
She steadied herself with a few deep breaths before calling him, tapping the name that was still at the top of her list of contacts. He answered on the third ring, and just the sound of his voice grated on her nerves.
“What is it? I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
No greeting, no asking after the kids. Tara felt frozen with anger, but she forced herself to suck in a breath and speak.
“Have you looked at our account balance lately?”
“What about it?”
“It’s nearly tapped out. One more two-hundred-dollar dinner and we’ll be overdrawn.”
“Seriously?” he growled. “Are you trying to tell me I can’t use my own debit card?”
“I’m asking that you communicate so that I have enough to pay our bills. The girls’ riding lesson–”
“Back up a minute.” The venom in his voice stunned her into silence. “How dare you try to tell me how to spend the money I earned?”
A strangled sound escaped her, something between a laugh and a gasp.
“It’s my money!” He was shouting now, and she held the phone away from her ear. “I earned it, and I’ll decide how to use it. You can figure out how to earn some of your own money for once. I’m sick of you leeching off of me.”
“Leeching off of you?” she asked in disbelief. “Is that what you call it? Homeschooling three kids, growing most of our food, cooking three meals a day?”
He hung up.
Tara let her hand drop, still clutching her phone so tightly that its waterproof case bit into her fingers.
“Mom?” Cody’s voice made her jump, and she turned to face him. How much had he heard? “Are we okay?”
“I’ll figure it out,” she said, her tone sharper than she’d meant it to be.
