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Opal had the best voice she’d ever heard. Lilac could sit and listen to her forever. She should have been a country-western star, not on the run with her and Ryleigh.
“Hey, I just got him to sleep,” Opal told her. “Let me put him down. We need to talk.”
Shit. That sounded ominous. Sitting on the sofa, she toed off her shoes and sighed in relief. God, her feet hurt.
“I’m sorry you’ve had to look after Kye so much,” she said as soon as Opal reappeared. “I’ll look after him when he wakes up.”
If only she could get off the sofa by then. Well, she’d figure it out.
“Kye is fine. He’s easy to look after.”
“I need to go check on Ryleigh too.” Lilac was super worried about her friend. She’d never been apart from Kye this long.
“Right. We definitely need to talk.” Opal sat on the coffee table, giving her a serious look. “You’re being a shithead.”
Lilac’s mouth opened in shock. “What?”
“You’re being a shithead.”
“How? Why? Because I left you alone with Kye for so long? I’m so sorry, but I’m not working again until Tuesday evening so I can look after him the entire time. It’s just that we need the money?—”
“Shut up, Shithead.”
“Opal,” she groaned. “Stop calling me that.”
“I call it as I see it. You want to know why you’re being a shithead? Well, it’s got nothing to do with Kye and everything to do with you. Damn it, Lilac. Why won’t you let me help you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You won’t let me help. You never do. I get why you shelter Ryleigh. She’s more fragile. She has a young baby. And we both know that she’s far too trusting and positive to deal with everything. But, Shithead, I’m not like that. Out of all of us, I grew up on the streets, fighting for my fucking life. I’m the one who knows how shitty life can get and how to survive it. So why won’t you let me help?”
“There’s nothing you can do.”
“Of course, there fucking is, but you won’t let me.”
“What do you want to do, then?” she asked, bewildered.
“I want to help contribute to the finances.”
“Oh.”
“Oh, she said.” Opal threw up her hands. “Like she doesn’t think I can get a job? No, she’s got to work two jobs, wear herself into the ground taking care of everyone else, and then look at me like I’ve grown two heads just for suggesting that I could get a job so she could maybe get some rest. Perhaps even have some fun.”
“How can I have any fun when I’ve got to . . .”
“What? Protect us? Take care of us? Do everything?” Leaning forward, Opal flicked her forehead.
“Oww. That was mean.”
Opal shrugged. “That’s what shitheads get.”
“Stop calling me that! I’m not a shithead for trying to look after you.”
“You’re gonna run yourself into the ground, and then what will we do without you? Lilac, I know that asshole taught you that everything is your fault. Because that’s what a dickhead does.”
“Not a shithead?” she asked dryly, feeling herself tear up.
“Nope. Dickheads and shitheads are very different things. You are not responsible for us, babe. We’re all in this together. You have to let me help.”
