Home for Her Family (9781460341186)

by Carmichael, Virginia

  “Don’t yell at me. I can tell you to get out at any time.” His expression was a combination of annoyance and triumph. “I’m trying to do the right thing and give you fair warning.”

  Fair warning...Sabrina put a hand to her eyes and fought to stay calm. All she wanted was to give her nieces a good home, somewhere safe and near a good school, but more than all of that was the need to appear stable. She couldn’t be moving before the custody hearing. Tears burned at the back of her eyes and she gulped in a breath. But unless money fell from the sky, she was going to have to find another place. Maybe they could move quickly, so that they’d be settled by the time the court date came around.

  She dropped her hand and met his gaze. “I don’t think I can do that. So next month will be our last month.” At least she wouldn’t have to pay rent. But how she could ever come up with another deposit was a topic she couldn’t even approach yet.

  “You mean this month.” His lips thinned out in a smile.

  “I paid the rent a few weeks ago. I paid the last month’s rent when I moved in.” She ticked off the facts, knowing that Mr. Snyder wasn’t being reasonable, but still hoping that this wasn’t happening.

  “Remember, the new owners want another deposit. Without it, you’ll have to move at the end of this month.”

  Not even three weeks to find another apartment, to save up the money, to prepare the girls. Sabrina couldn’t think past the gibbering fear in her head. She turned on her heel and made her way to the stairs. The blood pounding in her ears muffled Mr. Snyder’s last words.

  She trudged up the stairs, unseeing. Mrs. Guzman was watching Gabby and Kassey until she got home, probably letting them watch one of the telenovelas on the Spanish cable channel. A lot of shooting, crying, singing and kissing went on. Mrs. Guzman thought they were fun entertainment, nothing harmful. Sabrina thought they were tacky and sent a terrible message, especially to young girls, but nothing she said could convince Mrs. Guzman to turn it off when the girls were there. Just one more place in her life where she didn’t have control.

  She stopped on the landing and closed her eyes, leaning against the wall. Mr. Snyder was gouging the residents on the rent. He’d promised to give her a letter that showed the owner’s change in the rental policy, but never had. What could she do to fight it? She didn’t even know where to start.

  “Are you okay?” A woman’s voice cut into her thoughts and she stood up straight.

  “Sure, just tired.” She tried to smile a little, hoping the pretty blonde newlywed from downstairs wouldn’t think she was crazy. Angie and her husband had moved in a few months ago and seemed to be wonderful tenants. Young professionals who had a dinner party or two, nothing too loud. They were friendly and polite, always saying hi.

  Angie’s husband followed her out their apartment, his brown hair smooth and tidy. “Hey, there. I saw your girls going upstairs today. They were giggling up a storm.” He grinned, showing perfect teeth.

  “Sounds like them.” Those girls could wake the dead with their giggling fits. “What do you think of the rent changes?”

  Angie looked at her husband. “Chad, did you hear anything about rent changes?”

  “No. Nothing since we arrived.” His brow was furrowed. “We signed a year lease, so I don’t think they can change the terms.”

  “So did I. Mr. Snyder just said, on top of the electrical and the courtyard fee, there’s a new deposit and a rent increase.”

  A long silence followed. Chad exchanged a look with Angie, then cleared his throat. “We don’t have those fees. And I just saw him this morning and he never said anything about a new deposit.”

  Sabrina felt the blood rushing to her head. She swayed on her feet and put out a hand to steady herself against the wall. “Wait, the new fees, you don’t...” She couldn’t finish her sentence.

  “I can ask him,” Chad said, his expression serious. “There must be some explanation. You shouldn’t be paying fees that we aren’t.”

  Her shoulders slumped. No, she shouldn’t, but it was very likely that she was. In Mr. Snyder’s world, people like Sabrina didn’t live in apartment buildings like his. People like Angie and Chad did, though.

  “Sure, you’re right.” Her voice held no conviction. “I have to go pick up the girls. I’ll see you two later.” She pulled her lips up in what she hoped passed for a smile and moved back toward the stairs.

  She’d had a bad feeling when Mr. Snyder had made a new sign for the front of the apartment building. The old green sign reading Park Plaza had been reworked into something sleeker, more upscale. A bronze plaque attached to the building was understated and elegant, a visible marker of the changes the building was going to make, inside and out.

  Mrs. Guzman had bemoaned the new fees but had already mentioned how she wanted to move in with her son and his family. Since Mr. Guzman passed away, she hadn’t liked living alone. She wasn’t the world’s greatest babysitter, but she enjoyed the girls’ company and appreciated their happy energy. Sabrina groaned. She hadn’t thought of finding new child care, too. Moving would be hard enough, but who would watch the girls after school? Her working hours would be cut down even further. Sabrina had brought them to work a few times, to places like the mission, but it just wasn’t appropriate to be taking them across the city on different jobs.

  Oh, Lord, please help me take care of them. She fought back a wave of despair. How had everything gone so wrong, so quickly?

  She tried to think logically. They had always made it through before. It would be tight for a few months. She’d have to pick up as many repair jobs as she could in the next few weeks. Her mind raced. Besides the amount of money she’d need and the few weeks she had to find a new apartment, it also had to be the sort of place the judge would think was good for the girls.

  Pausing before she knocked on Mrs. Guzman’s door, she inhaled deeply and tried to look as if everything was perfectly fine. Gabby and Kassey didn’t need to carry this burden. She would have to find some way to prepare them for the move, but at the right time, when she was calm. There was a lot to do before then.

  The first item on the list would be finding a place for them to live.

  * * *

  “Thank you for picking me up, Jack.” Grandma Lili squeezed his hand.

  “My pleasure.” Jack smiled down at the older lady who seemed to adopt anyone within ten feet of her. He was thrilled that his sister, Evie, and Gavin had fallen in love and gotten married, but he hadn’t realized that he’d get a grandmother out of the deal.

  “Are you sure we shouldn’t offer to serve?” Grandma Lili gazed around at the packed cafeteria. Tables were pulled into squares and covered with white tablecloths. The centerpiece on each one was a cheery bouquet of paper daffodils and tulips, obviously made by the mission kids. The place echoed with laughter and snatches of conversation. “There are so many people waiting.”

  “Grant said they had more than enough servers when I asked on Friday. As for the line, I think they’re going to have us go one table at a time.” Jack pointed at the corner, where a group had started lining up for the Easter brunch. The smell of mashed potatoes, biscuits, ham, green beans and pie was making his stomach growl. Breakfast had been hours before the church service and it was nearly noon already.

  “Should we find a seat?” Grandma Lili started toward the far side of the gymnasium, but Jack put a hand on her arm.

  “Evie said they had already staked out a place for us. We just need to find them.” How they were going to find anybody in this crowd was beyond him. And he had to admit that he wasn’t focusing completely on looking for Gavin and Evie. He hoped to see another guest here, someone who had weighed on his mind for the past few days.

  “Over here, you two!” Gavin waved an arm, catching their attention from across the room. He looked like his usual self, ready for a day at the office
, except for a tie patterned with Easter eggs. Evie smiled at them from a table populated by a few older folks and a young couple. As the editor of a local paper, her work attire was often a black suit, but today she’d exchanged it for a light flowered wrap dress. Jack couldn’t help but smile at the happiness that radiated from her face. His sister had carried a heavy burden for years, and Gavin’s love had convinced her to lay it down. Jack would never get tired of seeing her like this, absolutely in love with life.

  Grandma Lili and Jack made their way through the crowds to the table at the far wall. “You made me an Easter basket?” Jack leaned over Evie’s shoulder and inspected one of the two white baskets. “I don’t see a lot of chocolate in here. You know I love those little pastel eggs with the candy shell.”

  “Not for you, silly. These are for Sabrina’s two girls. Didn’t you say she had kids?”

  “Nieces, but they live with her.” He gave Evie an extra tight hug and kissed the top of her head. He hadn’t even thought of bringing something for Kassey and Gabby. “And that’s why you’re my favorite sister.”

  “Better be for more than that, buddy.” But Evie looked pleased that he approved of the baskets. “Gavin picked out the toys. He said we should only fill them with sugar if we want her to hate us.”

  “My grandson is right.” Grandma Lili settled into the chair across from Gavin, adjusting the cuffs of her light pink silk shirt. “No mom likes what happens when the sugar high wears off.”

  “Speaking of Sabrina...” Jack said, letting the rest of his sentence go unfinished as he spotted her. He stood, unsure of whether to wave or walk on over. She had just come through the door, holding Gabby by one hand and Kassey by the other. The girls looked as if they were both talking at the same time, probably excited by the idea of the mission’s Easter egg hunt after the brunch.

  She caught his eye and frowned, brows drawing together. Jack froze, wondering if he had misunderstood their conversation. Hadn’t she been expecting him?

  “I’ll be right back,” he tossed over his shoulder as he started toward the door. Better to find out now if she was here with someone else. Evie could bring her Easter baskets over to their table.

  Sabrina’s gaze followed him across the cafeteria, dark eyes watchful. Her button-up blue shirt and jeans were clean, but worn. The girls were dressed in pretty dresses and sported matching daisies on their headbands. When he got closer, Gabby raised her hand and smiled shyly. “Hi, Coach.”

  “Hi, there, Gabby.” He crouched down and held out his hand. “I’m just Jack today. Or Mr. Thorne, if your aunt insists.”

  “She doesn’t,” Sabrina said. Her lips twitched and she looked happy to see him, even though there were dark circles under her eyes. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

  He stood up, sticking his hands in his pockets. “Why wouldn’t I be? I invited you, remember?”

  “I thought that was sort of a general reminder, not an actual invitation.” Pink bloomed on her cheeks, and she hurried on. “For people who didn’t have anywhere else to go. I assumed you and your family would celebrate at home.” She lifted one shoulder and let it drop.

  Jack said nothing for a moment. She thought he’d invited them because they had no other family or friends...and she’d come anyway. That said more to him than a printout of her whole family history. He swallowed back the lump in his throat.

  “My parents are in Florida on vacation and the mission is really special to us,” he said. “We wanted to be here today.” He leaned closer and dropped his voice. “I should warn you, my sister and Gavin’s grandmother are the nosy type. Be ready to fend off a bunch of questions.”

  He expected her to laugh, but her eyes stayed somber. “I don’t have anything to hide and no reason to lie if I did.” The emotion in her face wasn’t arrogance or boredom; it was something stronger. She seemed like a woman who was doing the best she could, with what she had, and she looked bone weary.

  He moved before he thought it through, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. She didn’t resist, but leaned into him. He could hear her shaky intake of breath and the slow exhale. She smelled like strawberry shampoo. When he spoke, his voice was rough. “Come and sit down with us. We’ve been waiting for you.”

  She nodded against his chest and leaned back. She glanced up once and he caught the glint of unshed tears.

  He turned, wondering how a simple conversation had turned into something so much deeper. He wasn’t a soft touch. He was as logical as they came, but something about her fragile smile spoke to a place inside, a place where you’re at the end of your rope and only sheer determination is keeping you from slipping into the abyss.

  Jack led the way, Kassey chattering about the Easter egg hunt and Gabby silently holding Sabrina’s hand. Please, God, Sabrina needs to catch a break. Let this be an Easter of peace for her.

  * * *

  “Welcome, Sabrina.” Gavin had stood up as they came to the table. He looked pleased to see her.

  “Come sit over here with me,” Grandma Lili said, patting the chair to the left. Her bright blue eyes were the same shade as Gavin’s and her cheery welcome was the elderly, feminine version of his outgoing personality. Sabrina perched on the edge of the metal folding chair and waited for the interrogation. A single guy from a rich family probably had tons of girls chasing him, and his loved ones would be used to culling the candidates. But after several moments, Sabrina realized Grandma Lili was content to pat her hand and listen to the others talk. Relief flooded through her. Jack sat on her other side and she felt flanked by the two, as if they were protecting her.

  She looked up to see Jack’s sister watching her with a curious expression. Her gaze was assessing but not unfriendly. Maybe Evie and Gavin were the type to dig into her personal life. Sabrina stiffened her back and waited for the questions. She wouldn’t lie, she had nothing to hide. But part of her wished that she was a professional who spent her days dressed in fancy suits rather than coveralls. She had trimmed her bangs that morning, hoping to look polished, but there was only so much you could do with a pair of scissors in the bathroom.

  “These are for you two. Happy Easter!” Evie said as she handed the girls pretty white baskets.

  “You didn’t have to do that.” Sabrina shifted uncomfortably. She’d made them cards and they’d baked special cookies last night, but there was no extra money for Easter baskets. Maybe it was obvious how very poor they were, especially since they weren’t wearing anything fancy.

  “It’s my favorite holiday.” Evie smiled in response, leaning against her husband. He pressed a kiss to the top of Evie’s head and Sabrina dropped her gaze. Their happiness was so beautiful it made her throat ache a little.

  “Oh, Tía, look!” Gabby was holding up a bright pink jump rope and a pack of crayons. Out of the basket next came sparkly pencils, a small coloring book, stickers and a special diary with its own key. A small bag of candy was the only sweet treat and Sabrina let out a breath of relief. They didn’t need the sugar overload, especially since they still had cookies.

  “Thank you so much!” Kassey threw her arms around Evie and hugged her tight. “I’ve never had my own crayons and pencils before.”

  Sabrina felt her face flush. “You have pencils, Kassey.” They must think the girls didn’t have school supplies at all.

  “Not my very own, and they’re not pink.” She hugged them to her chest and grinned wide so Sabrina could see all her little teeth.

  “Why don’t you two color for a while until it’s our turn to get some lunch?” Grandma Lili took her paper place mat and folded it like a card.

  “I hope they hurry. I didn’t get anything to eat today.” Gabby plopped into a chair and opened her coloring book.

  Sabrina wanted to hang her head and groan. Gabby hadn’t wanted to eat the toast she’d made because the crust had been
darker than she liked. There hadn’t been time to try again, just to catch the bread at that perfect moment of not too toasted. She wouldn’t eat a banana and turned up her nose at the cereal. Sabrina had refused to let her have cookies, so off they’d gone to church and Gabby had skipped breakfast altogether. Now it sounded as if they had no food.

  “Nothing at all?” Jack cocked an eyebrow at Gabby, daring her to insist.

  “She’s sort of a picky eater.” Sabrina resisted the urge to list all the foods Gabby had refused.

  “A supertaster, eh?” Gavin leaned forward. “Scientific studies have shown that picky eaters actually taste food more intensely.”

  Jack snorted. “In case you didn’t notice, Gavin here is a scientist. Most of his sentences start with the words there was a study on that. He’s like our own personal trivia search engine, but for science.”

  The conversation veered into medicine, diseases and which of them had the best memory for facts. The cheerful chatter was natural and affectionate. Sabrina felt herself relaxing for the first time in days. She glanced across the table as the men traded friendly barbs. She could have picked Jack’s twin sister out of a crowd of hundreds: same jet-black hair, bright blue eyes, matching dimples. But within minutes Sabrina could see how different they were. Jack teased while Evie was serious. Jack chatted with everyone at the table while Evie was quiet. But something about the pretty woman struck a chord of familiarity. She had an aura of leftover childhood shyness, blushing easily when Jack teased her about marrying his best friend.

  “I knew they would get married when Evie went up on Wolf Mountain with him. She hates the snow.” Jack said this last bit as if he was sharing a secret with Sabrina.

  “I don’t hate the snow,” Evie protested. “I just don’t think it’s really wise to propel yourself down a mountain on two small sticks. What if you break your neck? I can’t watch you snowboard, either. All those flips and tricks. I don’t care if you’re the champion of the world, you’re asking to break something.”