I nod. “How about it?”
“Shit, I don’t know.” She grins. “I mean, I know we talked about it, but are you sure?”
“What’s keeping us here? I’ve not been able to find work since walking out on Lorna. You’re always talking about opening your own store. How are you ever going to afford city rental prices?”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were running away before he has time to come back here and find you again.”
“That’s not what I’m thinking of at all. I’m thinking a fresh start might be good for us both.”
“Where would we go? You can’t just say small town America like in the plan. We need specifics.”
“Didn’t your mom say we could come and stay any time we liked?”
“I think she meant for a week or two, not permanently.”
“It wouldn’t be permanent. Once we’re not paying city rents, we’ll be able to save like crazy. Get a place we can share. Hell, let the town think we’re two lesbian moms bringing up a kid together.”
“It would be good to give them something to gossip about.”
“And didn’t you say they all thought you were gay when you were growing up?”
She runs a hand through her hair, her eyes glassy as she remembers something I’m not privy to.
“So you’re saying yes?”
“I’m saying I can call mom and see what she thinks.”
“Whenever she calls, she tells you to come back. I doubt she’ll have a problem with it.”
“Because she thinks I’m going to get knifed every time I go out here, not for some deep-seated familial bonding thing.” She frowns at me. “You’re thinking something. What is it?”
“I always told myself, if I had a family, I’d bring them up somewhere quiet.”
“Doesn’t get much quieter than Grant’s Hollow.”
“Is he hollow? I mean, does he echo if you tap on him?”
She manages a half smile. “I thought it was the dad that made the shitty jokes.”
“This one’s dad will never get near enough to you to do it. I can promise you that.”
She sits up straighter, reaching for her notepad. “Let’s do the math. If we were going to do this, we’d need to hire a van, get the stuff into it, get over there, find somewhere to keep it all, find work, and all while you’re getting ever bigger and throwing up everywhere. You sure you wouldn’t rather stay here where the hospital’s like three blocks away?”
“I have no health insurance. I have no income. You’re covering me on the rent, which is very you but it’s not sustainable.”
“You want to know what I think?” she says before I can explain any further.
“What?”
“I think you should have rinsed your parents for more before you legged it.”
“I was lucky to escape with the clothes on my back, Maddy. I didn’t exactly have time to get much on the way out.”
“So what happens to all the family money when your parents die?”
“Who knows? Who cares? I wouldn’t touch it if it turned up in gold bars on the doorstep. It’s blood money, Maddy. I’m never touching a dime.”
“Noble sentiment, but will you feel that way when you’re out of diapers and formula and the baby’s screaming at you at three in the morning?”