Page 2 of Four Money (Ever and Always 1)

“Seriously, Holly,” Kari added, “you don’t want to miss out. My boyfriends are doing it up right. They rented the entire top floor, hired a team of chefs to cook a private meal, and they invited a bunch of their closest friends. They even told me that if you’d allow it, they’d send a home health aide to take care of Momma C.”

“They would really do that?” Why were they going to such extremes? And why would they be so generous with her? Was that just the kind of people they were? Lavish and excessive?

Holly tried not to judge, but when she sometimes had to schedule their payments down to the last penny, she couldn’t imagine having the wiggle room to drop that kind of cash on strangers.

“Yes, they would,” Andi reassured her. “They’re great guys and they can afford it. If they offered, let them. We’d love to spend time with you.”

Maybe they were right. Maybe just this once, she deserved a treat.

Hopefully seeing how the other half lived wouldn’t make her realize how much she was missing out on. She glanced at the rickety table that doubled as a desk. It was piled with statements from the doctors and medical facilities they owed, including the estimate for her mother’s needed surgery.

At the rate she was able to put a couple bucks here or there into savings for the transplant… Well, it was going to take her a hell of a lot longer to save the amount she needed to show before they’d give final approval for the procedure than her mom had left. Disappointment threatened to crush her chest, as it had so many sleepless nights lately.

Yes, she needed a break before she lost it completely. If her friends were willing to give her that priceless gift and her mom was okay with it, she was going to accept it.

When Mom reached out to squeeze Holly’s hand, she realized there was nothing worth more in the world. After a little bit of time to refresh and get her head on straight, she’d be able to share more quality time with her mother, while they could.

She looked down and said, “Swear you’ll call me if you so much as get a hangnail. I’ll be right downtown and can come home at any moment. Okay?”

“Promise. Now let them spoil you like I wish I could.” Her mom let go.

Guilt washed over Holly, but she smothered it as best she could. It was only for the weekend, not forever. “I’ll go pack a bag, but I don’t think I have much that’s appropriate for hobnobbing with fancy people.”

“Oh, please. That’s what shopping is for,” Kari laughed, and Andi perked up.

Holly held up her hands, backing away from the pair toward the single bedroom in their home, which she used since her mother had decided she was most comfortable in the living room. “I’ll make do with what I’ve got. I probably have a black dress somewhere that might be passable.”

“No, seriously,” Kari begged. “Andi helped me make a good impression when I was in a similar situation last year. Let me pay it forward. We’ll go to the spa, relax, get makeovers, then buy sparkly Vegas-worthy outfits that will drive our guys wild at the party they’re throwing. Who knows, maybe you’ll even hit it off with one of their handsome friends.”

That sounded as farfetched as a fairy tale to Holly. But she couldn’t deny that for just a couple days, it might be nice to pretend happy endings were possible again.

“Listen to them, honey.” Her mother would have shoved her out the door if climbing out of the recliner wasn’t such a chore.

What the hell? Holly relented. “I guess there’s no use in trying to fight the three of you. You’re as stubborn as I am.”

“And then some.” Andi beamed.

“I’ll call Ford and let him know you’re keeping the aide.” Kari high-fived Andi, as if they’d planned this all along.

“Keeping?” Holly narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, yeah. Her name is Beth and she’s outside.” Kari grinned. “Our limo is waiting by the curb too.”

“Limo?”

Kari shrugged. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I doubt that.” Holly shook her head, then leaned in to hug her mother. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, too.” Her mom pressed lightly on her shoulders. “Now go. Enjoy every minute.”

She intended too. Because both of them knew what her mother left unsaid.

Enjoy it while you can.

While she was young and healthy, and while her friends’ generosity made it possible for her to have a reprieve, and while her mom was stable enough to even consider leaving behind temporarily. Come Monday, Holly would be back to reality. Their problems would still be there to worry about then.

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