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Her daughter looked at the bedspread, then back at her. “For Dad’s lawyer. The retainer is thirty thousand dollars and Allison doesn’t have it.”
Instant rage burned away all other emotions. That bitch! Erica had talked to her about not dragging Summer into the mess that was her life and she’d done it anyway.
“Allison didn’t ask for the money,” Summer added with a sigh. “She didn’t say anything. I wouldn’t have known except I noticed she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring. She tried to lie about why but I knew she wasn’t telling the truth. So I ragged on her until she told me what had happened.”
Summer swallowed, her expression crumbling. “Mom, she sold her wedding ring. I know it killed her to do that. She loves Dad and it’s her wedding ring.”
All the mad vaporized, leaving Erica feeling foolish for jumping to conclusions. Thank goodness she hadn’t said anything so she didn’t have to apologize.
“She begged me not to tell you,” her daughter continued. “She said you’ve been generous enough. She’s going to sell her car. It’s just so awful. Everything bad is happening to her and none of it is her fault, you know? Plus this is just for the retainer. The lawyer will need more money later and where is that coming from? So when Dan reminded me about my trust fund I thought I could use some of that to help. If I’d thought of it, I would have given her money before, but like I said, I don’t walk around remembering I have it.”
Erica was torn between pride that her daughter had such a sweet, giving nature and feeling cut that Summer worried so much about her stepmother.
“It’s a lot of money to give someone,” she said quietly.
Summer waved that away. “It’s the right thing to do. We take care of our family. I was talking to Avery today and she said her mom would never let her dad’s second wife live with them. She said her mom would be happy to let her die on the streets.”
Tears filled her eyes. “You’re not like that. You’d never say that and that’s part of the reason I thought it would be okay to pay for the lawyer.”
What was that old saying? She was being hoisted with her own petard? The irony of Summer’s admiration for actions she hadn’t wanted to take didn’t escape her. There was also the matter of the current problem. The solution was obvious but she didn’t have to like it.
“I’m not changing your trust,” she began, then held up her hand. “Let me finish. I’m not changing your trust, but I will talk to Allison about the lawyer.” She held in a sigh. “I’ll pay the retainer. She can’t sell her car—she needs it. And tomorrow she can get her ring back.”
Summer threw herself at her, hanging on tight. “Mom, you’re the best. Seriously, I’m so glad I talked to you. Thank you for doing this.”
Erica hugged her back. “When all this is done and settled, I’m going to have a serious conversation with your father about some of the very bad choices he made.”
Summer drew back and smiled. “Right? Who does that? He’s made it so hard on Allison and on you.”
“We’ll get through it. Now I’m going to eat.” Not that she wanted the food, but she was interested in a glass of wine and couldn’t have that on an empty stomach.
Summer scrambled off the bed. “I won’t say anything to Allison. You should be the one to tell her.”
Erica knew her daughter was doing what she thought was the right thing, but she really didn’t want to have another I’m here to rescue you chitchat with Peter’s wife, although there didn’t seem to be any way out of it.
She went downstairs, circling around the family room on her way to the kitchen. She put a plate of takeout leftovers in the microwave, then searched the refrigerator for an open bottle of pinot grigio. She could hear the faint sound of Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep singing “SOS” in the movie.
Once she’d found the bottle, she poured a generous amount, then replaced the cork. The microwave beeped. She took a seat at the island and ate her dinner. When her plate was rinsed, she topped up her wineglass, then went into the family room.
Allison saw her and paused the movie.
“Sorry, is it too loud?”
“Not at all. I thought we could talk for a second.”
The other woman immediately looked wary. “Is everything all right?”
“It’s fine.” Sort of.
She took a chug of her wine, then set it on the coffee table and sat at right angles to Allison.
“I hear Peter found a lawyer.”
The other woman immediately flushed and looked away. “Summer told you.” She swung her gaze back to Erica. “I didn’t want to tell her. You were right before when you called me out on burdening her. She’s still a kid. But I had to sell my rings and she noticed and I tried to lie but she didn’t believe me.” Her head dropped. “I’m sorry. I love her. I would never hurt her, but that seems to be all I’m doing these days.”
“That’s certainly dramatic.”
“What?” Allison’s head snapped up. “I’m not being dramatic.”
