Page 26 of The Rebound
“This is why I didn’t want to tell you,” I groan, rubbing my face.
Mam’s eyes drift to the right, getting that look that means she’s thinking hard about something. “We’ll come back.”
I stare at the screen. “No.”
“Just until you’re back on your feet.”
“I’m on my feet!” I say, beginning to panic. “I’m fine!”
“Your Aunt Ellen rents out a room in Dublin. I’m sure you could stay with her. She’s fed up with those students.”
“I’m not moving back.”
“Well, obviously not toClonard,” she says. “I can only imagine how that would sit with your sister. But Dublin will be fine. You could—”
“I’m not moving to Ireland at all,” I interrupt. “This is just temporary. I’m going home in a few weeks.”
Mam looks confused. “Without Tyler?”
“Yes.I wasn’t in New York because of Tyler. I moved there before him.”
“I know that,” she says. “But you said you’re no longer living together.”
“Yes. I mean, no, we’re not but—”
“And you don’t have an apartment or you wouldn’t be with your sister.”
“No, but—”
“And you don’t have a job!” she finishes. “So why be so far from the people who can support you?”
“It’s not that far,” I protest. “And I have people there. I have friends.”
“But what if this happens again, hmm? You’re much better off back here where we can look after you. What does Louise think?”
“I haven’t told her yet.”
“What was that?” She leans into the screen. “Don’t speak with your hand in front of your mouth, Abby. No one can hear you.”
I drop my fingers to my lap. “I said I haven’t told her yet.”
Mam looks aghast. “She doesn’t know you’re homeless?”
“I’m nothome—”
But she’s already reaching for her phone. “I’ll call your aunt.”
“No, don’t. Mam.” I clap my hands to get her attention. “I’m going to talk to her. Stop freaking out.”
“I’m allowed to be worried about my daughter, Abby.”
“Not when there’s nothing to be worried about.” I straighten as the front door shuts below. Louise and Tomasz are back from their walk. “I’m fine. I’ve got everything under control. I’m just visiting her until I can get something new.”
“But you said it was impossible to get anything at the moment.”
“No,” I correct. “I said it was hard at the moment. They also told me it was hard to get into the top colleges and hard to get into the top graduate schemes and hard to work such long hours but I did, didn’t I?”
“Abby—”
