The Love Coupon (Stubborn Hearts 2)

“Kendall needs the dentist, Krystal needs shoes, but Elsie will tell you what else the girls need. She should be home when we get there.” Mom walked on to frozen food and when Flick caught up, said, “Why’d you come?”

“Wanted to tell you I’m moving. I’ve got a new job.”

Peas, mixed vegetables, baby carrots went into the cart. “Another one.” A dozen bean-and-cheese burritos and jumbo-sized packet of potato cakes joined them.

“I’ve had this one for five years.”

“And now what?”

“I’m moving to Washington.”

“Now why would you want to do that?” Mom didn’t wait for an answer, she walked on and waited by the dessert section.

“That’s where the job is.”

Three tubs of ice cream went in the cart. “I won’t understand this job either, will I?”

She would if she tried. Mom was all out of patience and had stopped trying with Flick a long time ago. Flick cut to the chase. “I’ll be earning less money and the city is more expensive.”

Four Sara Lee cheesecakes got stacked on the ice cream. “You came home to give us a sob story.”

“No, to tell you I won’t be around.”

“That’ll leave a huge hole in our lives.”

Dad was the only one quick with his fists in the family. Mom used her tongue to strike. There was nothing to say to that.

“Don’t pull that face. What did you think I was going to say, we’ll miss you? We don’t miss you. We all have our own lives.”

Except Flick’s life financed part of everyone else’s life. There was easily going to be five hundred dollars’ worth of groceries in the cart by the time they finished. Mom added a box of cola to the stash and then a jumbo bag of corn chips.

“For a while I won’t have as much money to send.”

“Ah. That’s why you’re here.” Mom took hold of the front of the cart and surveyed the items inside. “At least you said it to my face.”

“Elsie could get a job.” She had half a hairdressing qualification—she could turn that into something.

“She’s a single mom.” Salsa went in the cart. Two types. And popcorn and an enormous bag of pretzels.

“I said I’d pay tuition if—”

“Elsie doesn’t want to do hair and nails or any of the things your fancy tuition was going to pay for.”

“Lizzy has a job and she’s a single mom.” Her middle sister never asked for money either.

“She’s sleeping with her boss. How do you think she manages to keep that call center job?” Maybe because she was a good worker, was reliable and knew how to play politics.

Flick dragged the cart out of the middle of the aisle. “You work. Dad works.” Mostly. “The boys work.” Best not to worry about the shifty side hustles her brothers had on top of construction and spray-painting. “Why is that not the same for Elsie?”

Spaghetti and Newman’s Own pasta sauce on special went in next. “What makes you think we care about your opinion?”

“I didn’t come here to fight with you.”

A man with a toddler riding their cart moved past them. His expression said Sure looks like you did, lady.

“I don’t know why you came.”

To pay for the groceries. To leave clothing she bought specifically and pretended was secondhand, because her own secondhand clothing was never going to work for either of her sisters or Mom. To pretend she still had a family and they mattered.