Chapter 1

1: 1

After Naomi Swanson got sick, my wife wanted her to move in with us, and she wanted me to help cover the medical bills.

I shook my head. No.

"I'm begging you. She's the only sister I have. I can't just stand by and watch her die."

She had a tight grip on my hand, eyes red-rimmed, like she'd just been crying.

But I didn't think I'd done anything wrong.

"Before we got married, we agreed. We split everything down the middle."

"She's your sister. I'm not splitting her medical bills. And besides, the apartment's in both our names."

"If you want her to stay here, fine. Rent's a hundred a day, and I'll take my half. Fifty."

I didn't bother lowering my voice.

Naomi dropped her eyes, her voice trembling.

"Sis, I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I should just go."

I lit a cigarette and blew out a cloud of smoke.

"People need to know their limits. You can't just expect everyone else to bail you out."

"If you really can't afford it, there's an overpass near the hospital. Warm in winter, cool in summer. People can live there just fine."

Naomi forced a smile and turned to leave.

The next second, my wife caught her by the hand.

"Let me grab a few things. I'm going with you..."

1

I paused, stubbed out the cigarette, and followed them into the bedroom.

Watching her actually drag out a suitcase, I couldn't help frowning.

"What are you doing? Was anything I said wrong?"

"Every stray cat and dog comes to me for money. My money doesn't fall out of the sky."

"Today I help your sister, tomorrow it's some other relative. I make what I make in a month. How am I supposed to bail out that many people?"

Freda Swanson's hands went still, something shifting behind her eyes.

"I have never once asked you to help anyone. This is the only time."

"When we got married, she ran herself ragged for us. Did she ever ask you for a single cent?"

"Leon Cobb, in your eyes, is my sister only fit to sleep under an overpass?"

I shook my head, unmoved.

"One thing has nothing to do with the other. You're her sister. That's just what she was supposed to do."

"And afterward I gave her a ninety-nine-dollar gift envelope, didn't I? What more do you want?"

"Freda, don't change the subject. Bringing this up now, are you trying to dredge up old scores?"

Freda looked at me, something in her eyes I couldn't read.

She said nothing more, just went on packing her clothes.

I reached out and pressed a hand down on the suitcase, irritation creeping in.

"Are you sure you want to do this? Over someone who's about to die?"

"We met in college, and we made it all the way to marriage. You know how hard that was."

"Life's finally getting good. I'm thinking about our future. When did you get so selfish?"

Freda and I had been college classmates. She came from a single-parent home, and after graduation,

her mother and sister were like two locusts, latching onto her and draining her dry.

I'd told her more than once not to get so involved, and every time it ended in a cold war.

She lifted her head, eyes full of disappointment.

"Selfish. Leon Cobb, if you think I'm a selfish woman, then let's divorce."

Furious, I slapped the suitcase.

"Fine. If you want to go, go. I'm not one of those good husbands online. I'm not going to bow and beg you for anything."

"And don't blame me for being blunt. Your sister's kind of illness, treating it is just throwing money away."

"So give it up. Being poor is the original sin. Forget whether it can even be cured. Can you come up with that kind of money?"

The apartment had been the wedding home my parents bought, and her name was on the deed.

At the engagement, I'd proposed that after marriage we'd each keep our own paychecks and split every expense down the middle. She agreed.

After that, in this household, down to a single bowl, I settled every account with her, clean and clear.

Her salary wasn't high, and after the household expenses, there wasn't much left.

But I knew that whatever she managed to save, she funneled every last cent of it back to her mother's side.

Otherwise she wouldn't be eyeing my money.

Freda folded the last piece of clothing and set it in the suitcase.

The look she gave me was ice cold.

"You're right. I took too much for granted. Not everyone can feel what someone else feels."

"Leon Cobb, I've never asked you to do anything. So when it comes to my sister, you have no right to tell me what to do."

She pulled the suitcase and walked straight past me.

I watched her back and stood where I was, not calling her back.

"Sis, don't do anything rash. Your husband's right. My kind of illness can't be cured."

"I've already made my peace with it..."

Naomi grabbed the suitcase away from her, a bitter smile on her face.

"Sis..."

"You put in so much to have a home of your own. I can't drag you back down into my mess."

Then Naomi turned an apologetic look toward me.

"Leon, please don't be angry. My sister's just like that."

"I'm leaving now. Don't worry, I won't come bother you two again. Please don't fight with my sister."

I looked at that gaunt, wasted face of hers, and something sat heavy in my chest.

The words I'd meant to say caught in my throat.