“I like this one.” Ella held up the ‘Harvard Law, just kidding’ shirt.
“I got that for him when I went to Boston,” Char hollered over the vacuum with a grin.
When Char finished, Ella heard Wright barking his fool head off next door.
“I better go take him for a walk.”
“I think this looks good enough,” Char commented.
“I can take the trash bag to the dumpster when I take Wright out.”
“Thanks.”
“You want to have a drink. I’m wide awake,” Ella invited Char.
“Sure. I’ll be over after I check on Vick,” Char nodded.
Ella snapped the leash on Wright and headed to drop off the trash. She grabbed the mail on her way back in.
“Bill, bill, garbage.”
Ella froze when she saw the envelope from The University of Chicago Medicine. Ella’s fingers shook as she opened the letter and read.
“No, no, no.”
Ella dropped the letter and pressed her forehead to the tile counter, attempting to repress the tears pushing past her lashes.
“How can insurance deny the claim? We were assured this would be covered. How the fuck does the hospital expect someone to come up with that kind of money?” Ella started pacing her kitchen. “They can’t kick Sabine out. She’s starting to show improvement.”
Ella’s fist clenched. She had to come up with seventy-five grand, for Sabine to finish out the experimental regimen, and that included the portion the drug company subsidized. It was insane.
“This can’t be happening.”
Ella shook her head as she reread the letter. Nothing changed. The news was as grim as when she’d first read it. She could appeal, but by the time all that went through, Sabine would be out on her ass.
“What’s wrong?” Char said from the door.
“I got really bad news.” Ella tried to calm down.
She was glad she’d expended so much energy with Wolf, otherwise the apartment would be rattling to pieces.
“I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Ella paced the living room. Things were going so well, wonderful even.
“I should’ve known. I’m not meant to have a normal, happy life,” Ella sobbed under her breath.
“What?” Char asked. “Ella where’s the booze. You need a drink, girl.” Char opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Chardonnay. “Here.” Char pulled the cork then shoved the entire bottle at Ella.
Ella grabbed it with shaking fingers, and took a giant gulp. Nothing was falling off the walls or down from the ceiling, but it still felt like the world was tumbling down around her.
Get it together. Sabine’s depending on you, Ella berated herself.
Ella paused as a crazy idea resurfaced. Back when she was trying to come up with money for college, she’d entertained a wild idea. Ella had dismissed the crazy scheme, because it just didn’t seem ethical or right. But now, weighed against Sabine’s life, it seemed her only option.
“Char can I ask a big favor?”
“What is it?
“I need you to watch Wright for a few days, and drive me to the airport, please.”
“Sure. Anyone who can make Wolf like unicorns, and crawl around on the floor barking like a dog, deserves that, at the very least.”
“Thanks, I need to change and grab a few things.”
“Did someone die?” Char asked hesitantly.
“Not yet,” Ella said as she walked into the bathroom.
Wolf
MD and Wolf hung out in front of a corner store, with-in sight of the one-story house.
“Trip’s an hour out with Marisol and Amy.” MD hung up his cell.
“Shit, Trip brought in the heavy fire power. What the hell does he need with us?” Wolf chuckled.
“No joke. Iris could’ve found the house, then Marisol could’ve smoked them out.”
“I’m looking forward to the day we can sit back and let the ladies handle the dirty work, while we eat bonbons.” Wolf nudged MD with a rotten grin.
As much as they joked, there was no way Cain or Trip would let their women put themselves in harm’s way, no matter how capable they were. Wolf felt the same about Ella. She could probably level a gang of assailants, but there was no way he’d test that theory.
Ella and her unique brand of Voodoo fit in well with Iris and Marisol. It was so odd how these unusual females were finding their way into Shifter circles.
“They’re back-up, if we need it, but Trip said to head on in, if we’re good to go. Mainly they came down to get the kid once we’ve secured him.”
“I guess the boy can’t ride home on the back of a Harley,” Wolf nodded.
“Let’s go, while those bastards are sleeping off whatever shit they were into last night.”