Page 52 of Just Business

“Dad left me with an exorbitant amount of debt. I came close to losing this house, and I’m still paying on it. I wish I could figure out what the hell he was thinking.” She pauses for a second. “No, that’s not true. I know what he was thinking. He was an alcoholic who let the disease poison him day by day until it killed him. I’m so damn angry. But then when I allow myself to just be angry, I feel guilt. He was my dad. The greatest man I ever knew.” Penny’s chin wobbles, and I squeeze her hand in encouragement.

“Hey, it’s okay to cry. Whatever you need, I can handle it.”

My words seem to cause a dam to break, because she lets out a strangled sound and tears begin to flow freely.

“I’m so fucking angry at him. Of course, he missed Mom. That’s to be expected. I missed her, too, but I had to shove it all into this tiny little box to be whatever he needed me to be. But why couldn’t he get help? Why couldn’t he hold himself together and get help? And now I’m left with nobody.”

Her words hit me like a blow to the chest and I think about that list of therapists my sister texted.

“The last few years have been lonely. Everyone has someone; Josie has her kids and their lives, Greg and Lisa have one big happy family, Jackson is busy with his diner. Sometimes I can be in a crowded room and feel alone.” She inhales deeply and lets out a shaky breath. “I haven’t been to the cemetery since my dad’s funeral. I’m scared to go, because then I’ll have to deal with all this.”

Bringing her close, I rub circles on her back. While I don’t know what it’s like to have nobody, I do know what loneliness looks like. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re floating alone on an island with nobody to reach out to. If that's anything remotely similar to what Penny is feeling, I’d gladly sit beside her on that island and we’d face things together, whatever they might be.

I hold her until her tears turn to sniffles. “I guess it goes without saying, but don’t tell anyone about what I’ve shown you. Josie knows those rooms are like that, but I haven’t decided what I’ll do about all of it yet. I know I can’t let them sit like that forever. It’s just hard, ya know?”

“Whenever you’re ready to tackle it, I’ll be right there with you,” I assure her.

“And nobody knows about the debt. Not even Greg.”

“You can trust me with everything,” I tell her.

Penny’s eyes move across my face, but eventually, she nods and looks down at her hands. “I know I can. The same goes for you.”

We slip into silence, our breathing the only sound, but then I hear a soft chuckle. “I can’t believe I just showed you my crazy.”

“Hey,” I say, dipping my head to meet her eyes. “I’ve got some crazy of my own. And my crazy really likes your crazy.”

She’s shaking her head smiling at me when the sound of my phone buzzing interrupts us, and I look down to see who’s calling. There are only a few people who it could be since my phone stays on silent with the Emergency Bypass turned on for my family and Penny only. My sister’s name lights up the screen.

“Shit. I’m sorry. It’s Cassie. I really need to take this.”

“Of course. I’ll give you some privacy.”

I’m a total ass for taking a call when it’s evident Penny is still warring with her emotions, but Cassie never calls me like this, and my mind goes to every worst-case scenario. I climb to my feet and head downstairs, answering the call on the third ring.

“Hey, Cass, what's up?”

“Aussie, you were right!” There’s anger in her tone, and I have to take a minute to think about what I might have been right about. All my senses go on high alert.

“What's wrong? Is it Mom?” My mind immediately fears the worst. I think Cassie and I both worry that one day, we’ll get a call that he’s gone too far and hurt her badly, or worse.

“No, oh god, I’m so sorry. I should have known you’d think that first. I’m sorry I scared you. But you were right, Alan is an absolute douchebag.”

Cassie goes on to explain that Alan has been staying later and later at his gym. She didn’t think anything about it because he has personal training clients, but tonight, one of her friends was there working out and she walked into the locker room and there Alan was, with his pants around his ankles, getting a blowjob from a woman who was a regular.

“He tried to deny it, but Danielle has no reason to lie to me. She gains nothing by making that story up. And if I'm being honest, I think I’ve seen the signs for a while now, but I’ve been in denial.”

“What do you need me to do? Beat his ass? Help you bury a body?” I ask, enraged but also hurting for my baby sister. “I can fly there and help with whatever you need. Just name it.”

She sighs. “I’m in an Uber headed to the airport now. I’m going home.” I know by home she means our aunt and uncle’s house.

“Let me come help. It’s the least I can do,” I offer.

“I’m not as devastated as I thought I’d be. I’m just pissed as shit right now. But I’d love it if you did. It might be the distraction I need from this cluster-fuck. If it’s not too much to ask.”

“No, of course it's not too much to ask. You know I’ll do anything you need. Let me text Ty and work out some details, and I’ll let you know when I’ll be there. I love you, baby sis. I’ll be there soon. “

“Love you too, Aussie,” Cassie replies softly.

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