Page 78 of Clean Sweep
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded once.
“Okay. I . . . it’s not how we wanted to do it, but you’re right. We’re going to lose my job and insurance and . . . it’s not worth it.”
“You’re doing great. Now it’s time to let people help. More than just getting a safer apartment, okay?”
“Okay. I have to go. I’m almost late. I’ll call my Mom on the way in, but I won’t have time to explain everything.“
I sucked in a sharp, quiet breath. From the moment I’d stepped into their apartment, I’d known exactly what would happen: I’d tell Landon to tell Leslie. He would. Leslie would finally learn that I knew the whole truth all along.
What would the coming confrontation mean? Leslie wasn’t going to be happy about my secret-keeping. Our buddingsomethingmight just take a total crash and burn.
I ruminated over the obvious path for a few moments. I could not involve Leslie, handle this with Landon, and hope he didn’t lose his job in the meantime.
No, that path was unacceptable.
Leslie in the dark no longer felt sustainable. If it had reached this level with Celeste, I’d want to know.
Potential-angry-Leslie or not, it was still the right thing to do.
Resolved, I turned Landon toward the door and shoved him gently forward. “Go. I’ll get Starla to the doctor and this place cleaned up. Then I’ll call your Mom and have her come up here. We can figure something out.”
“I can come home for lunch. I’ll be here from 12:30-1:15, then at 5:00.”
“Go!”
“Thanks coach!”
He disappeared down the metal stairs with a hustle that I hadn’t seen from him since the championship game he’d won. I glanced around, stacked my hands on my hips, and let out a giant sigh.
A quiet voice came from just behind me.
“I’m sorry to cause you trouble again.”
I whirled around to see Starla leaning against the wall. She folded both arms over her middle, looking as weary as Landon. Based on their mutual appearances, neither of them had been sleeping much.
“Hey,” I said.
She frowned. “This is exactly what we wanted to avoid,” she croaked, then swallowed hard. She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her eyes, which looked pained and confused and one hundred shades of stressed. I tried to imagine Celeste in this position and couldn’t handle the emotions it stirred up in me.
Despite Starla’s desperate appearance, I still sensed a pillar of strength in her. The same sort of thing that would have drawn a guy like Landon to her side, a mere moth to a flame.
“You don’t want any family to help?” I asked.
“I don’t want to be a burden.”
“Is that what you think you are?”
“I could be.” She tilted her head against the wall, as if even that tired her. Any question of whether she’d be able to drive herself dissipated. “I just . . . I didn’t want this to be how his family met me. I’m in this marriage with Landon forever, the last thing I want is them remembering sick little Starla.”
“You’re not giving the Millers enough credit.”
She blinked, then sighed. “Maybe not.”
“Let’s get you to your appointment,” I said gently. “Then we’ll come back, I’ll grab some food to stock you up, clean the place, and you can rest. We’ll take the next step as it happens, all right?”
Tears filled her eyes like misty clouds.
“Thank you.”
