e evening air was thick with the scent of rain, the sky a dull shade of gray. She exhaled slowly

ttered

e with peeling white paint and a slightly tilted mailbox. It was

her mother rushed forward. "Elena," Mrs. Carter br

them gently. "What happened?" she asked, though a sin

pron. "It's his liver," she murmured. "And his heart. The

had stolen from them, drained every bit of stability they tried to build, and almost destroyed them entirely. The lowest

ed therapy, and worked to rebuild the trust he had shatt

settling, the past was catchi

he?" she a

. "He's resting now, but the doctor sa

t have money for inpatient care.

ctor say an

"If we don't get him the right trea

ppen again. She couldn't watch her mother fall

e interrupted her

ifteen, he was taller now, his once-childish features sharpening with age, but his e

g a smile as she steppe

ickered toward their parents

shoulder. "We're going to figure it

push further. Instead, he exhaled shar

back to her mother. "I'll figu

her a sad smile

at the dining table with a cup

, one of the few frie

are going out tonight. You s

forget about responsibilities, to pretend she was just another

the room next to her, groaning in pain. She shut

"Can't tonight. Got some thing

her phone down before anoth

ne

d it. More

olled through her contacts

ed her job there but her mother had wanted her to focus on school. With her father finally holding down a job h

r. Lawson. I was wondering if you still needed an ext

ways take you back. We could use someone dependabl

en loan her some money, that would cater to the immediate in pati

ne and exhaled, ru

e it work. Sh

sacrificing hersl

t except for the rhythmic ticking of the clock in the living room. She moved caref

later, her eyes filled with e

small smile. "

across from her. "You shouldn't hav

er's hand. "I don't mind.

d her fingers. "Yo

e. "Don't say that li

rough her graying hair. "I just want

ause right now, survival

n my life to deserve you my Love, and some

her mother with a start. "..

re nothing but a

stop saying things like this." She stood

f coffee and grease filled her lungs. It was small and sli

h a warm smile. "Elena! It

e replied, tying an a

sk why you're back, but if you ever ne

atefully. "Than

ulder before head

f work. It was exhausting, but in a way, comforting. Th

he worked, she knew the

t challenge was yet to come, in

y were about to b