“What?” she shouts.
“I’m so fucking stressed out, Cammy. I don’t know what to do. What if she hurts her? What if she stresses her out and sends her into a seizure?”
“I’m leaving work,” she says.
“To do what?”
“To go there!”
“You’re only going to piss her off.”
“I don’t fucking care.”
“Please, do not get yourself arrested or in more trouble.”
“I am not leaving Chrissy there with heralone. Not when she’s in a bad mood like this.”
“She was high as fuck. Hopefully she’ll forget about it tomorrow. She fucking…” I swallow hard. “She told me to pay for her.”
“She didwhat?”
“She fucking told me to pay for Chrissy if I wanted her.” I hold back the tears. “What is wrong with her?”
“God, I fucking hate her,” she hisses. “I’ll call you later.”
“I can’t answer until after work.”
“Yeah, I know, but…”
“But what?”
“Maybe see if there is an emergency number or something? What if…” She sighs. “Just see if there is somewhere I can call in case I need you, okay? I promise I’ll try not to.”
“Okay, I will. Love you.”
“Love you, Cass. Just relax, okay? I’ll deal with her.”
I end the call, resting my head against the headrest. I give myself a moment to let the tears fall, then I wipe them away. When I open my eyes, Harmon is standing outside my window.
“Fuck,” I hiss as I turn the car off and grab my things. He steps out of the way so I can open the door. “I’m so sorry I’m late, I—”
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Yeah. It’s family stuff. I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“I am.”
“If you need the day off—”
“I don’t,” I grit out.
Would it help? No, not really. I’d only go over there and piss my mother off more and make this situation worse. Needing to be here helps. It’s giving me a responsibility. It occupies me.
I move around Harmon and head inside. I feel him walking after me and hear his quick footsteps.
“Cassius, you can talk to me,” he says.