Too Late For Tears, My Dearest Ex

Delgad

ad slowly to l

hat?" I asked, my v

bobbing. He stepped in front of Brandee,

e months ago. Her parents bought their train tickets specifically because we offered them our

payment on this home. They have never set foot in this city because they didn't want to

ain control. "Tell them Dad's arthritis is too risky for a ten-hour drive. They can come in the spring! Bran

u want me to turn my own parents away from the home they helped m

yelled back, completely losing his composure. "Why are you bein

o you were replacing your kitchen backsplash. That takes three days. Why is you

ard, her lip tremblin

a mattress on my floor for weeks! Julien was just trying to be a supportive friend because my family

ounce of sympathy. "You are thirty years old. If you cannot manage

sgiving!" Julien roared, grabbing my arm. "Where is Brandee suppos

rm, then looked up into his eyes with such

m. "Maybe she can sell the nine hundred dollars w

is words, his face

ee because she's gentle and vulnerable, while you act like some ruthless corporate robot. If you had j

retorted. "I told both of you that adults are responsible for their

face with her hands,

my parents not to come and that I'm a fa

fferent tactic. "Elyse... look. If you let Brandee's parents have the room, I will approve the forty-dollar space heater fo

eling an overwhelmi

asic heater and fifty dollars for food-as a bribe to

rs," I said coldly. "A

rang in m

umber with a Columb

it immediat

application for the Senior Marketing Director position. Your credentials and campaign metrics from the past three years are phenomenal. We want you to lead the Columbu

tricity rushed

esitation. "I accept the offer. I will be in Columbus

he executive team. I'll send the

up th

at me suspiciously. "Who

our busine

d my home office to sta

d the office, I heard Julien and Brandee

oncealed by the shadow of th

and fear. "If Elyse's family comes, they'll find out! What if she looks at the

ped br

e body w

whisper. "She doesn't know anything! She never logs into t

sand dollars of her savings over the last three years to pay off my condo loan and cover my credit card bills! There's

withdrawals. In the meantime, I'll take out a personal consolidation loan next week to put fifty thousand back before she notices. Just get yo

an cold, followed by a violent, suffocat

nd fifty thou

without a heater, every pair of worn-out shoes I was forbidden to rep

o paying off the mortgage of the

just man

d my life to build a ki

l, digging my fingernails into my

a punch. If you attack them now, they will

them com

my sweater, and walked back out into the living

art, Julien quickly slipping

n said, forcing a nervous smile. "Look, let's not

pression of complete compliance. "I was overly emotional because

sigh of relief, his pos

epping forward and patting my arm patronizingly. "A

take a long sh

oom, locked the door, and turn

d a number I had saved months ago: a premier real estate broker

ondos. I want to sell it immediately to a cash buyer. I am willing to price it five percent below market

instantly. "I have three cash investors on my waiting list who wi

spreading across my face. "Send me th