Page 40 of P.S. I'm Still Yours

“What happened?”

“I talked to the landlord, and, um… we won’t be able to move in just yet.”

I stiffen in my seat. “Why not?”

She keeps her gaze fixated on the road. “A pipe burst in the condo above mine.”

You have got to be kidding me.

“Can we still live in it?”

“That depends.”

I can’t stand how vague she’s being. “On what?”

“How much swimming you want to do this summer.”

Shit.

“The owner said the flooding is manageable. Out of all the units that were affected, mine sustained the least damage, but it’s bad enough that they’re going to need a few months to fix it.”

She continues before I can answer. “Look. I know it’s not ideal, but the landlord’s been really accommodating about it. They’ll be covering three months’ rent and the cost of the storage unit for my furniture.”

If you ask me, it’s the least they can do.

I heave a sigh. “How long is it going to be?”

“It should be ready by the end of the summer.”

“The end of the summer?” I shriek.

If I had known about this sooner, I might’ve been able to work something out with campus housing to stay in my dorm until next semester. Granted, it would’ve been pricey, and I would’ve had to take a few summer classes, but anything’s better than being homeless.

“But… where are we going to live?”

She blows out a breath. “Now, before I tell you, I need you to promise that you’ll keep an open mind.”

I have a bad feeling about this.

“Mom, just tell me.”

“Remember when I said Evie and I had reconnected?”

My heart hurts a pinch.

I remember a time when the thought of Mom and Evie drifting apart would have never crossed my mind. But the truth is, they’ve barely spoken these past few years.

It was a gradual thing.

They kept in touch at first but life and distance eventually got the upper hand.

Evie moved to LA the day after my fourteenth birthday while Mom stayed in Silver Springs until I graduated. Mom mentioned Evie had reached out to her a few months ago, wanting to make up for lost time.

“Yeah?” I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Mom pauses, the dread in her eyes unmissable. “She’s invited us to stay at the beach house for the summer.”

Did I just hallucinate?