Chapter 76

ISABELLA'S POV

I woke up with a nagging feeling that we might be evicted in the next three days. The weight of impending doom pressed against my chest, making it hard to breathe. Worry and frustration gnawed at me, an unrelenting presence in the back of my mind.
Matt had only sixty dollars, and Caroline had broken her piggy bank, managing to scrape together just forty-five and a few cents. I had only 150, earned yesterday, as all my savings had gone to rent last month, along with groceries and other bills. Altogether, it wasn’t enough.
With rent standing at five hundred a month, we were drowning with no lifeline in sight.
Anxiety overwhelmed me, clawing at my insides like a trapped animal. The night before, my stress had boiled over. I had snapped, demanding my keys back from Matt in a fit of anger. The outburst hadn’t solved anything. It had only left a bitter taste in my mouth and an unspoken rift between us.
I hadn’t expected to be responsible for two other people besides myself. That wasn’t the life I had envisioned. During my mother’s burial, they had come—two strangers who weren’t strangers at all. Matt and Caroline. They had stood there, grief-stricken, and told me the truth: they were my mother’s children, too. They hadn’t known until their father, John, had confessed on his deathbed. They had tried to find her, only to learn that she was already gone.
I had taken them in, not out of duty, but because I understood that kind of loneliness. In a way, I suppose we had saved each other. Yet, there were moments when doubt gnawed at me, whispering that I wasn’t strong enough, that I wasn’t even capable of taking care of myself, let alone them.
A soft knock pulled me from my thoughts. The door creaked open, and Caroline stepped inside, balancing a cup of coffee on a saucer. “I thought I’d bring you coffee in bed. You look exhausted.”
She wasn’t wrong. I hadn’t even moved from the bed, hadn’t seen a reason to. The crushing weight of it all made it hard to function. I didn’t want to stand. I didn’t want to exist. If I could have willed myself away, I would have. But Caroline was watching me, her eyes filled with concern. So, I forced a smile for her, even as my heart ached.
I took the cup and saucer from her, my fingers trembling slightly as I tucked stray strands of blonde hair behind my ears. I had dyed it, thinking that changing my appearance might make me feel different, might separate me from the person I used to be. It hadn’t worked. I was still me. I had still lost it all.
The warmth of the coffee seeped into my fingers, grounding me for a fleeting moment. I inhaled deeply, the rich aroma offering a tiny sliver of comfort.
“Thank you, Caroline,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
She nodded, lingering for a moment as if debating whether to say something more.
“I got a job, Isabella,” she announced suddenly. “I’ll be working daily shifts at Kay’s Burgers. Kay said I can take whatever shifts are convenient for me.”
My heart clenched. “That’s sweet of you, honey,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. I wished she didn’t have to work, but the truth was, I needed all the help I could get.
“Maybe I could ask Kay if he’d lend us some money?” she suggested hesitantly, rubbing her legs together. She still wore her pink stockings, despite my constant teasing about them.
I glanced at her feet and smiled. “That’s not a good idea. You’re too young, and besides, what would you even say to him?”
“I’d just beg. He can be really nice when he wants to be.”
“You don’t have anything to offer as collateral, sweetheart. I’ll find a way for us. Don’t worry about it.”
Caroline sighed but didn’t argue. She simply turned and left me alone with my thoughts once again.
As I left for work, she whispered that she had been praying for some last-minute help from heaven. I sighed too, touched by her faith, even if I didn’t share it.
When I arrived at work fifteen minutes late, Ford glared at me in that disapproving way that made me feel like a student being scolded. “Sorry,” I mouthed as he walked away.
***
One week to eviction and still no money. When I returned home, I found Caroline kneeling by her bed, whispering prayers. It warmed my heart to see her believe in something, but I was out of options. With nothing left to do, I started packing our belongings into bags.
“Wait, Isabella, what are you doing?” Caroline’s voice trembled as she stepped into the room.
I ignored her, forcing her to stand there for a few minutes before finally looking up. “Let me know when Matt gets home. I need to talk to both of you about something important, and I need you to understand, okay?”
“That’s his car engine,” she said, tilting her head toward the window. Sure enough, the engine was still running—Matt hadn’t even turned it off yet.
The doorbell rang, making me jump. I’d been so on edge that every little sound startled me. Caroline ran to open the door while I took a deep breath and followed her to the living room.
“Hey, sis. No work today?” Matt asked, glancing at his watch. It was nearly seven, and he knew I hated being late.
“I’m leaving soon. That’s why I need you both to listen.”
“Okay, sure. Wait—did you get the rent money? Jesus, that’s great news!”
I rolled my eyes. “Did I say anything like that? Stop being a dick and listen.”
Matt raised his hands in mock surrender, keys jingling between his fingers.
“We’re going to be evicted in seven days,” I stated flatly.
Caroline cut in before I could continue. “You sound so sure. We could still get the money today and pay before the deadline.”
I bit my tongue and let her finish before responding. “What I’m saying is, I need you both to start packing. We can stay with Lucy until we figure something out.”
**“Wait, all three of us? No way. Where would we sleep?” Matt scoffed, crossing his arms.**
**“You’ve never been to Lucy’s place, Matt. It’s bigger than ours,” Caroline pointed out.**
**“That doesn’t change the fact that she only has two bedrooms,” he muttered, rubbing his temples. “I could stay with Pete for a while and maybe ask Allan for a loan so we can find a new place.”**
**I stiffened. “Who’s Allan? A loan shark? Don’t get yourself into trouble for us.” My warning came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t take it back.**
**Matt’s jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with irritation. “Allan is Pete’s dad, for crying out loud.”**
**Caroline and I exchanged glances. The tension in the room was thick, but we both knew Matt—once his mind was set, there was no changing it. With a reluctant sigh, we nodded.**
**“Do what you need to, but stay out of trouble,” I muttered, pulling my bag over my shoulder. “I’m heading out.”**
**I barely made it two steps before pausing at the door. “I’m almost late. Let me have my truck key.” I held out my hand.**
**Matt fished it from his pocket and tossed it to me, but the familiar jingle was off. Frowning, I examined the keyring. “Where’s the house key?”**
**“Oh. Misplaced it. Sorry,” he admitted, looking genuinely apologetic.**
**I scowled. “You should be, because you’re never touching these again!” Clutching my keys in a death grip, I stormed out, my heartbeat hammering in my ears.**
**I had fifteen minutes to get to work. I prayed the traffic** wouldn’t be bad, but with my luck, I knew better.
By the time I arrived, exhaustion crashed over me like a tidal wave. My legs ached, my head pounded, and I felt like the weight of the world had settled on my chest. The thought of another shift—of plastering on a fake smile and pretending everything was fine—made my stomach churn.
I didn’t want to be here.
I didn’t want to be anywhere.
For a split second, a dark thought slithered in—one I’d shoved away too many times to count. Wouldn’t it be easier to just... stop? To let it all go? The pain, the regret, the endless cycle of pretending?
I squeezed my eyes shut, inhaling sharply through my nose. Not now. Not here.
Forcing a smile, I stepped behind the counter and took orders, letting the monotony numb me.
Then, just as I was about to take a break, the air shifted.
A presence. A ghost from my past.
I turned, and my stomach dropped.
A face I hadn’t seen in over a year.
A face I had tried desperately to forget.
A face I had burned out of my memory a thousand times.
**Levi.**