“Oh, uh, they’re…” Honesty was probably the best policy in this case.
Summer could be ruthless if she found out Arabella was lying. “They’re
actually not doing that well. They live in my basement suite. My dad was
involved in this scheme a while back. It was bad. I don’t know why he did
it, but he got caught. He almost got jail time.” Arabella lowered her eyes
and studied her feet. If June didn’t know that, she did now. Maybe Arabella
would be fired, which would be a shame. She actually liked the company
and everyone she worked with.
Summer’s quick, sympathetic expression told Arabella that she had
indeed already known. “Oh really? That’s pretty crazy.”
“Crazy. Yeah. My mom didn’t know anything about it. It was hard for
her. They had to declare bankruptcy.” She reached to the side of the quilt
and dug her fingers into the cool blades of grass there. She deserved this.
This humiliation. She’d deserve it if Summer made her suffer right now,
really ground the salt into Arabella’s wounds.
But she didn’t.
Because June cleared her throat. “I’m sorry to hear that. Really. That’s a
terrible thing to have happen. Everyone makes mistakes. Is your sister
doing okay?” Her tone was completely genuine, but Arabella was afraid to
look up and confirm it for herself.
“She’s in college still. She’s working part time and studying part time.”
“Did you get fired from your last job?” Summer cut in. “For being a
witch?”
“Summer!” June gasped. “That’s—”
“A perfectly logical question.” Now that it was out in the open, Arabella
found it was easier to look up, to fold her hands in her lap and acknowledge
what she’d done. “No. I didn’t. The department downsized and got rid of
everyone but their executive staff. and they barely stayed on. Summer…
June…I’m really sorry. For everything that I did. I wish I could make you
understand how ashamed I am of how I acted in the past. I was the worst