Page 24 of Abyss

We got home twenty minutes ago—half-past one AM—but thank God we all got home, mostly in one piece.

Apparently, after dinner, Neil started complaining about a sharp pain on the right side of his abdomen that he said had gotten progressively worse, to the point where he felt nauseous and unable to walk. Thankfully, Mom made a quick decision to drive him to the ER, where they rushed him in for surgery after a few tests.

Shuffling toward my bed with my phone in hand, I grab my glasses off my nightstand and wiggle them over my eyes. My brows pinch as I read the text a couple of times while my mind tries to make some connection with the number and the text.

I’d received a text from Belinda while I was in the waiting room, informing me she had an appointment in the morning and would be late tomorrow, and it dawned on me that she likely had no idea I’d submitted my resignation.

So, instead of getting into all that with her—though, I’d started trusting her over just a few days of knowing her and knew she’d understand no matter what I decided—I replied, informing her that I wasn’t sure if I was coming in tomorrow since I was still waiting for my brother to be out of his emergency appendectomy and had no idea when I’d be getting home tonight.

She’d immediately called me, asking for details andensuring I was okay—something I couldn’t express to her at the time, but deeply appreciated.

But looking at the text from the unfamiliar number on my phone now, I can only assume it’s one person. The person she likely notified with my life update.

Perching on the edge of my bed, my heart pounds as I type back.

Me

He’s resting at home but should be back to normal in a couple of weeks. Thank you for asking.

And though I’m sure he won’t reply—and had no real reason to do so, given I was still leaning toward my original decision not to work for him—I stored his number in my contacts.

Why? Because I’d apparently developed a new toxic trait of storing numbers of men who’ve either fired me or threatened to do so at every encounter.

Currently, there was only one person on that list.

I stare at our exchange for a few seconds in silence, wondering if I was leaning toward the right decision. On one hand was my pride—the promises I’d made to stand up for myself—but on the other was my family and their well-being.

Wasn’t one so much more important than the other?

We’d just depleted ninety-nine percent of our savings on Dad’s medical bills and funeral costs, and now, I couldn’t even begin to fathom the slew of medical bills that would rack up after today. Not to mention, Mom would likely have to take time off to be home with Neil until he was well enough to be on his own.

My gut twists with anxiety as a pang of fear pricks the corners of my eyes. Were we ever going to get a break? Couldwe ever resurface from the undertow we’d been fighting against for the past couple of years after Dad got sick?

The vibration of my phone pulls me out of my thoughts, and I stare back at the relit screen.

Captain CrankyDick

Despite what you think, I’m not the biggest asshole to walk the earth.

I bite the inside of my cheek, wondering if I was imagining the hint of vulnerability from my crabby boss.

Me

As long as you believe that, it shouldn’t matter what I think.

A string of three dots immediately jump on the screen as I wait for his message before they disappear altogether.

After staring at the screen for another minute, I put my glasses on my nightstand and turn off my lamp before getting into bed. My thoughts are still jumbled, right along with the pressure inside my chest.

I’m just tossing and turning on my pillow, trying to silence my mind when my phone glows from its place on my nightstand.

Captain CrankyDick:

There’s a package for him sitting on your front porch. No worries if you’re already asleep; you can get it in the morning.

Before my feet have even had a chance to register their placement on our old laminate flooring, I’m rushing out of my room to the front door.

Swinging it open, I practically trip over the large cellophane-covered basket, secured with an orange bow. I note the wireless headset, a digital reader, a handheld game system,and the various snacks and candy inside before my gaze scours the dark street in front of my house.

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