Rendezvous (Renegades 5)

He promised he would, and they disconnected.

Brooke sighed. “Disaster averted.” Her gaze swung to Keaton’s and held. “Thank you. You saved the day and made me look like the hero at the same time.”

“Oh, baby, you are definitely the hero.” He shook his head. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“I’m not going to say it’s easy, but’s it’s definitely worth every minute.”

“I didn’t fully appreciate how much Justin and your sister depend on you until just now. I’d just like to see you working for someone who makes you happy, or at least doesn’t make you miserable. It’s hard to imagine you couldn’t find someone who would pay you—”

“Like I said, it’s complicated.”

“Explain it to me.”

She heaved a breath. “I told you, Jillian pays me well. Still not enough to put up with her bullshit, but it doesn’t matter, because I know how difficult it would be to find another job that pays me this well, or one that lets me live in Florida. And we need the money.”

The way she said “need” told Keaton the financial situation wasn’t just tight, it was dire. “Living is cheap in Florida. At least compared to California or New York where most big actors and actresses live. If Jillian pays you so well, the three of you should be able to live comfortably off what you make, even without Tammy working.”

“It would be for normal, healthy people. But we’re not normal, and Justin’s not healthy.”

It took Keaton a second to connect Justin’s poor health with money problems. This was completely outside his healthy bachelor-oriented mind. “What do you mean? Justin doesn’t have health insurance? Can’t everyone get health insurance? Isn’t that why we pay all those goddamned taxes?” Keaton stretched his mind to understand, but couldn’t. “Don’t all states have programs for kids whose families don’t have the money for health insurance?”

“Like I said, it’s complicated.” She heaved a breath, the sound a combination of resignation and frustration. “When Tammy’s husband died, she took the extension policy Brian’s company offered to bridge the gap until she could find another solution. But the initial stress of Brian’s death took a toll on Justin’s system, and he got really sick. The gap policy had high deductibles and didn’t cover some of Justin’s medications.”

Keaton’s whole view shifted. His mouth dropped open. His breath left his lungs. “Oh, shit…”

“Between Justin’s doctor visits, his treatments, his meds, and his hospital stays, the life insurance Brian had was gone in a matter of months. When she went for public aid, she was told she didn’t qualify because the life insurance was considered income and put her above the need threshold. And because the system looks at your income for the previous calendar year to evaluate need, that meant Tammy and Justin would go uncovered for an entire year before she would qualify for coverage.”

Keaton’s stomach knotted and he rubbed his face with both hands. “You weren’t fucking kidding. This is worse than complicated.”

“Justin’s been sick since the day he was born. Tammy never had a chance to go to school or start a career. She couldn’t go out and get a job that would have paid enough to cover the special

ty childcare he would have needed, let alone provided decent health insurance. She called me in California, bawling her eyes out because she got an eviction notice and was going to be out on the street in a matter of days. She’d stopped paying rent so she could hold on to the health insurance. She was terrified she’d be living on the streets with a sick kid. Terrified the courts would take him away from her. She never even had a chance to mourn Brian because she was always putting out fires and trying to take care of Justin.”

“Jesus Christ.” Keaton sank to the edge of the bed. The impossible situation crippled his mind. He couldn’t even imagine a life so limited. “Is he covered now?”

“Yes. Ellie gave me the money to get them stabilized. When I got there, we found a little ramshackle house for the three of us. We found a better insurance policy that would cover Justin’s meds and treatments, but it costs as much as the rent on the dump where we live every month.”

“Which is why you took the highest paying job.”

“And it’s also why I can’t lose this job. Because Justin was recently accepted into the final round of possible candidates for a research study. If he can get in, he’ll get a procedure that, until now, has been reserved for adults with asthma. The doctors go into the bronchial tree with a laser and burn some of the lining out, making more room for air to flow. It’s permanent and could promise Justin his only shot at a normal life.”

Hope flared inside Keaton. “That’s incredible.”

“It is, but it’s also expensive.”

Keaton smacked a hand to his forehead and groaned. This family couldn’t catch a break.

“Experimental procedures aren’t covered by any insurance company,” Brooke said. “Participation is an out-of-pocket expense.”

“I’m afraid to ask, but…” He winced. “How much?”

She sighed. “The procedure alone, which is done in three different stages with a month in between each, costs twenty thousand.”

“Ouch.”

“Then there are additional medications and follow-up visits. We also have to agree to keep Justin in the study for the entire year so the researchers can gather their test data. In the end, it ends up costing sixty grand.”

Keaton’s mouth dropped open. “Holy shit.”