Page 40 of Worth the Fall
“Did you deposit money?” She demanded.
I glanced at the calendar with red rocks hanging on the wall. Tomorrow was the twentieth. “Yes, Mom, there’s enough money in the account.”
“I didn’t want you to screw up like last time. I’ve got people waiting for this money, Allegra.”
I picked up the frozen peas, crawled into bed, and lay down with them resting on my face. “I promise it’s there, Mom.” I sniffed hard. “Can I tell you something?”
She sighed hard on the other end, even her breath having a strong Texas accent. “Right now?” She asked impatiently.
“Please, Mom?” I begged, wishing I’d just called Martha. “I could use some advice.”
Again, she sighed. “Can you talk fast?”
“What could be so important that you can’t listen to your daughter?” I demanded, my sudden anger surprising me.
She was quiet for a moment. “What is the matter with you, Allegra? What would your father say with an attitude like that? How dare you disrespect your mother like that?”
I put my hand on my chest and clutched my shirt, pulling at it anxiously. “Mom, I just-”
“I don’t have to be ridiculed like this by my own daughter! After all I’ve done for you, Allegra. The money better go through in the morning or-”
“It’ll be there,” I said harshly before hanging up.
I resisted the urge to throw my phone as hard as I could at the wall, wanting to watch it shatter into a million pieces.
~~~
I held tight to the to-go cup in my hand as the elevator soared upward. For the first time in almost a month, I felt like myself again.
My morning run, the twenty-minute shower, the precisely applied shade of lipstick, each step a testament to my principle of control. I felt a quiet satisfaction as the elevator doors opened on the 27th floor, at exactly 7:45.
Martha was sitting at her desk, chewing a pencil and talking loudly on the phone. She spun around and wavederratically when she saw me. “I gotta call you back,” she said to the phone before slamming it back into its cradle.
I set my armful of folders on my spotless desk and rushed into her open arms. She held me tight, rocking back and forth.
“Oh, Allegra! It feels like it’s been ages!”
I breathed in her familiar scent of laundry detergent and hairspray.
She leaned back first and held on tight to my shoulders. “Now, let me see that cheek, my goodness. You could’ve pressed charges, honey!”
I absentmindedly touched my cheek. The swelling was minimal thanks to the frozen peas, and unless you knew it was there, the concealer was doing its job to cover up the worsening bruise. My eye, on the other hand, had been persistently bloodshot ever since. “It would’ve caused more harm than good,” I waved away her worry and sat at my desk.
“I’m glad you’re okay.” Martha took her own seat and chuckled to herself. “I swear, I would’ve done anything to see those boys drag Harrison out of there. I bet you were wanting to pee your pants!”
I couldn’t help but smile at the image of Harrison, red-faced and demanding to be let go. “It was quite the sight. I’m sure that little Utah town will be telling the story for years.”
The office was bustling, and everyone had a purpose. I drank in the busy feeling, missing the pace. The mix of the clicking of keys and the low hum of a crisp air conditioner fell together in perfect harmony. I smeared creamy lotion on my palms and let it absorb into my skin. “It feels so good to be home,” I muttered to myself. I slid my lunch tote into the minifridge below my desk, excited to eat the boring food I hadpacked.
“When do you head to Oklahoma?”
“Next week,” I said with a breath of relief. “I’m exhausted and so tired of planes. Having my apartment for a few days is going to be heavenly.”
She leaned forward, resting her head on her palm. “By the way, Craig has been bragging about your videos for days. He’s made sure we all watched them, so I can officially say I’ve seen how hot that boy is.”
I felt one of my cheeks go pink. “Oh, Martha!”
“Do you miss him?”
