Chapter 2
I opened the calculator app on my phone and showed him the numbers.
Then, I said while calculating, "Your take-home pay is 6,000 dollars. The car loan is 1,100 dollars, 1,000 dollars for your parents, and 3,000 for the mortgage.
"That leaves you with 900 dollars. And that's not including gas, property fees, or everyday expenses yet."
Andrew's eyes paused on the screen for a moment.
"You've always taken care of the mortgage," he said.
"Not anymore," I replied.
"Do we have to keep things so separate between us?"
"Did you ever talk to me before giving Emily money?"
Andrew pressed his lips together.
Last night, he didn't bother to discuss it. He only told me he needed his payroll card.
I pressed on, "So you're paying for her rent, her kid's tuition, and her living expenses.
"Meanwhile, I'm still covering the mortgage, your parents' medical bills, and Michael's last-minute expenses. Do you think that's fair?"
"I never asked you to take care of Michael," Andrew said.
"You asked me for the 27,000 dollars for his wedding."
"I'll pay you back for that."
"When?"
Andrew stood motionlessly, silent. He had no answer.
Two years had passed since I handed over the 27,000 dollars, and Michael had never once brought it up.
Georgia, though, kept saying it was what brothers always did: helping each other out. She insisted that once Michael was back on his feet, he'd pay me back.
But after waiting two years, all I got was a cash gift of 2,900 dollars at his son's one-month-old party.
Andrew eased his grip on my suitcase, his voice gentler now. "Sarah, I know you've put so much into this family all these years.
"Em came back to town not long ago, and she's still in a tough spot. We can't let money be the thing that leaves a woman and her kid with nowhere to stay."
"She has an ex-husband, she can work, and she's got her own family and friends," I retorted.
"You don't know what kind of person her ex is."
"So you do, huh?"
The room fell silent.
Andrew and Emily had been together since high school, all the way through college.
When they graduated, Emily wanted to stay in the big city, but Andrew decided to return to his hometown and try for a government job. That was when they went their separate ways.
Andrew didn't pass the job exam, so he started working as a sales rep for a medical device company. I met him at a training session. We hit it off, dated for a year, and eventually got married.
He never shied away from talking about his history with Emily.
He always said that what happened when one was young belonged to the past, and one had to keep moving forward.
When Emily got married, he brought me along to her wedding to celebrate.
Now, after her divorce, Emily returned to town and said, "I don't know who else I can turn to." Like that, Andrew stepped right back into her life, taking responsibility for her all over again.
Andrew moved aside, still looking like he couldn't believe I was actually going to leave.
"Take a few days to cool off, Sarah. I'll figure out the mortgage, and I'll explain things to my parents. Let's forget about moving out. We can't worry our parents," he said.
I pulled my suitcase past him. "I've already signed the lease."
Andrew turned to look at me, and for the first time, I saw real shock in his eyes.
"When did you find a place?" he asked.
"This noon," I replied.
"So you've been planning to leave all along, haven't you?"
"I decided last night."
This morning, I checked out three apartments near my office and ended up picking the smallest one. It was a one-bedroom, over 430 square feet.
The lighting wasn't great, but it was good enough. And best of all, it was only a ten-minute walk from work.
The rent was 1,100 dollars a month, with a deposit of one month's rent and three months' rent paid upfront.
When I signed the lease and watched 4,300 dollars disappear from my bank account, I didn't feel bad at all. In fact, I felt relieved.
For once, I was spending money on something I finally had control over.
Andrew followed me to the entryway.
"I told you, Sarah. It's only for a few months. Are you seriously moving out over something like this?" he said.
I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my tote bag. "We'll talk when you're finished playing hero for her," I said.
"How long is this going to last?" Andrew asked.
"Shouldn't you be asking yourself that?"
As the elevator doors closed, I caught a glimpse of him standing inside, still gripping his bank card tightly.
That night, I moved into my new, empty apartment.
There was no dining table or TV. Some light gray curtains were left by the landlord, frayed at the edges from being washed too many times.
I was eating takeout food off a cardboard box when Georgia called again.
She'd already heard from Andrew that I'd moved out, and her tone was a bit softer than it had been that morning.
She said, "Every couple argues sometimes, you know? Drew's always been soft-hearted. That's what you liked about him, isn't it?
"Emily got divorced, and he's lending a hand. Give it a little time, and things will blow over. But if you stop paying the mortgage now, it's going to make us all look bad."
"The late payment won't go on my record," I replied.
"How can you say that? That house is your home, too."
I glanced around the room, my eyes landing on the unopened toiletries sitting next to the cardboard box.
"My name's not on the deed," I said.
Georgia paused for a moment, then quickly added, "We agreed from the start. Once the loan's paid off, your name will be on the deed. You've been part of this family for five years.
"When have we ever treated you like an outsider?"