Guilty Pleasure (Redemption #4) - Jessica Prince Page 0,3
devastating blow. She’d lost her previous job because of how much time she’d been forced to take off, and due to the disease’s hold on her body, getting another one was out of the question. It had taken a lot to get it out of her, but she’d finally confessed that there had been days when she couldn’t even get out of bed.
Then came all the medical bills that followed the terrifying diagnosis.
By the time she’d finally reached out to me, the creditors were already blowing up her phone, and she was at risk of losing her home. When she first called and admitted how bad things truly were, I’d been mad at her for waiting so long. But I couldn’t say I didn’t understand.
My aunt, while sweet as sugar and kindhearted to her very core, was a proud woman. She’d taught me to be the same way, but sometimes that pride was more curse than boon.
Her pride prevented her from asking for help sooner, and mine had pushed me to turn tail and run seven years ago. So I understood why she’d fought so hard and so long to go it alone. She was hoping for things to start looking up, and she’d held on to that hope until there was nothing left to grasp.
“You didn’t need to come greet me,” I said in a scolding tone as I rushed up the porch steps.
“Nonsense,” she chided, waving me off like I was being ridiculous. “My favorite niece comes back after all these years, the least I can do is drag myself out here to welcome her home.”
I finally managed a genuine smile. “I’m your only niece, Sissy.”
“Tomato, toe-mah-to.” She moved in as if she was preparing to give me a hug; I made it easier by closing the distance between us and wrapping her in my arms so all she had to do was pat my back in return.
She was so much smaller than she’d been when I left, and seeing her hurting tore my insides to shreds.
“Well, you performed your welcoming duties, so let’s get you back inside, yeah?”
She looked back toward my car, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. “What about your things?”
“I’ll get them later,” I assured her as I guided her back inside. “It was a long drive. I just want to sit and catch up with you for a bit. I’ve missed you.”
What I really wanted was take a nice, hot shower then sleep for about twelve solid hours, but there was no way I’d admit that to her. I could see in her face as she grinned up at me that she was thrilled to have me back, and I wasn’t going to do anything to take that away from her.
“I missed you too, sweetie. There’s a fresh pitcher of lemonade in the fridge. What do you say we pour ourselves a couple glasses and put our feet up?”
I grinned down at her, knowing my gaze was radiating the same love I saw shining at me from her eyes.
All thoughts of Ronny Culpepper—all the unpleasant memories that had slammed into me with the force of a Mac truck the moment I crossed into town—disappeared the moment I saw Sissy. As always, this incredible woman had the gift of making everything better.
“I say that sounds absolutely perfect.”
Chapter Two
Lark
The next three days were the most exhausting days of my life. With the majority of the time spent driving to and from countless doctors’ appointments, as well as trying to get Sissy’s finances back to rights, my hours had been filled to the max.
And that wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg.
With Rina still living at home and as selfish and wild as ever, the farmhouse was in complete disarray. Sissy hadn’t been well enough to pick up after her daughter, so the mess had grown and grown. It had taken every spare minute of those three days to completely clean the disaster created by a grown woman. On top of all of that, there had been the battle of trying to get my proud aunt to agree to go on disability. I’d finally managed to talk her into it, but it hadn’t felt like a win. Instead, I ended up feeling guilty and ashamed and heartbroken, knowing she hated the very idea of it.
In those three days, I’d had to run to town here and there to pick up prescriptions and such, but I’d intentionally put off the bigger errands, such as grocery shopping.