Paid in Full for Family Love novel Chapter 6

Chapter 5

She called back immediately. I declined. Then I turned off my phone.

Here’s the thing nobody tells you about cutting people off, it doesn’t feel heavy.

It feels light.

No more automatic withdrawals. No more five grand bleeding out every month. No

more pretending I owed something I’d never borrowed.

I walked to work and the sun was actually warm. The subway was crowded like always,

but I didn’t feel the weight of it. I breathed and the air went all the way down.

At lunch, my coworker Jess noticed.

“Whoa, did you win the lottery or something? You never get the steak sandwich.”

I cut into it and smiled.

“Just realized something. Maybe I should be the first person I take care of.”

I left work on time for once.

That never happened. I was always the one staying late, taking the sl wanted, because every extra dollar meant less pressure at home.

Not anymore.

dy

I walked slow. Watched people on the street. They looked happy. Or tired. Or somewhere

in between.

Funny. Life’s not that hard when you stop carrying a house on your back.

They were waiting at my apartment,

Mom, Mike, Jen. Standing by my door like it was their right.

Mike and Jen both had bruises. Fresh ones.

Mom rushed at me.

“Emily, finally. We’ve been waiting for hours.’

I stepped back.

“What do you want?”

Chapter 5

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Jen’s voice was sharp.

“What do you think we want?! You destroyed our house! Where are we supposed to

live?!”

“Not my problem.”

I unlocked the door. Mike grabbed my arm.

“We called a contractor. To fix it. Fifteen grand. That’s on you.”

I stared at him.

“You destroyed our house!” Jen shrieked. “We don’t have that kind of money! You owe

us!”

“You don’t have money for renovations,” I said slowly, “then live in the framing. I took out what I put in. Nothing more.”

I turned to face her.

“Also, you still owe me six grand. That’s day two. One more day, and I’r lawyer.”

Mom’s face flickered. She softened her voice.

“ing my

“Emily… is this still about the thousand? If you fix the house, we’ll give it back. Okay? We’ll Venmo you. Just make it right.”

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Chapter 5

Chapter 7

Now I get it.

Mike didn’t learn to be like this on his own. He had a teacher.

“Mom. I gave you everything because I thought you were family. That doesn’t make me stupid.”

I kept my voice even.

“The thousand? You charged me. You asked for it. I don’t want it back. It’s tainted.”

I looked at her.

“The renovation? My money. I spent it, I tore it out. If you want me to put it back, fine. Pay me what you owe me. Pay for the labor. Then I’ll think about it.”

“You…” Mom clutched her chest. “Emily, we are family. Why do you have to account for every penny?!”

I laughed. “You started the accounting. ‘Business is business,’ rem you only want to do business when it benefits you.”

r? Funny how

Jen’s voice went shrill. “That’s different! We were joking! Nobody thought you’d

actually take it seriously!”

“Joking.” I looked at her. “Nobody was laughing when you cashed the Venmo. You seemed pretty serious on vacation.”

They didn’t have anything to say to that.

Mom grabbed my hand. Her eyes were wet.

“Emily. Please. I’m begging you. Just… make the house livable again. Basic. Just enough. Jen’s pregnant. The baby can’t come home to oncrete floors and exposed wires.”

I pulled my hand back slowly.

“Mom. Where your grandchild lives isn’t my problem. It’s your son’s.”

“How can you say that?!” Mike was furious. “That’s your nephew!”

“Funny,” I said. “You don’t treat me like family. Why should I treat an unborn baby like