Perfect Match

Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 19 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 1

“We’re going to be homeless.”

“No, you’re not.”

“We’re going to be tossed out in the street and left to starve.”

Hannah Olaniyi bit back a sigh as she switched her cell phone to her other ear. Her older sister, Abigail, always tended toward the dramatic. In the distance she heard children squealing with delight as they raced about the playground. A few feet away a jogger darted past and a dog tugged on its leash while attempting to sniff the trunk of a tree. She felt the warmth of the late-spring sun as she strolled through the park on her lunch break. She saw its rays cascading over the green grass, but it did little to lift her spirits. It was just proof that life went on while her world fell apart. “That’s not going to happen. How’s Dad?”

“He’s coming out of the hospital tomorrow.”

Hannah felt some of her tension ease. Her parents’ financial woes had so stressed her father that he’d been rushed to the hospital two days earlier due to trouble breathing. Her mother and sister had been certain he was suffering a heart attack because of his weak heart, caused by a construction accident over eleven years ago that left him unable to work. A shady contractor had cut corners on materials used at a site where her father had been working. He ended up falling through two floors of the structure and seriously injuring his back and left hip, leaving him in constant pain. Since then, hospital visits had become part of their lives, as had countless physical therapy sessions.

Fortunately, this time it was just a panic attack, although his blood pressure was dangerously low and he was dehydrated.

Hannah glanced at a tree whose leaves swayed in the slight breeze. “I’ll come visit after he’s rested a day or two.”

“There’s no need trying to hide from the inevitable. You can’t face them, can you?”

“Of course I can,” Hannah said, fighting to take hold of her temper. Her sister was good at igniting it. “I saw them just yesterday. They were fine.”

“They were just pretending to make you feel better like they always do,” Abigail said, as though her sister was dense. “They don’t want to worry the baby of the family.”

There was only a five-year age difference between the two sisters, but most of the time it felt like much more. Abigail had wanted to stay an only child and had never welcomed Hannah’s arrival. For twenty-eight years she had convinced herself that Hannah was their parents’ favorite although they worked hard to treat their daughters as equals—same birthday gifts, same holiday gifts, but nothing seemed to change Abigail’s opinion.

Hannah rolled her eyes. “I’ll talk to the bank.”

“They’re going to take the house.”

Hannah knew it wasn’t that simple. Their home insurance policy had been canceled because the house needed major repairs. She remembered the contractor they’d hired to inspect the house and his quote of over forty-five thousand dollars. If they did not have the repairs done they’d lose their house, and with her father’s medical needs that would mean a rehabilitation center or senior residential facility for him—and nobody wanted that.

“I won’t let that happen,” she said.

“Did you suddenly get rich?”

“No, but—”

“Then how will you stop them?” Abigail’s voice cracked. “This is all your fault anyway.”

Hannah paused, not sure she’d heard right. “M-my fault?”

“Yes,” Abigail said with feeling. “Dad refinanced the house to help you with your education so that you could get your fancy college degree. But instead of graduating and getting a job right away you decided to start your own company. If you had joined an established law firm or something you’d have the money to help. While you were having fun at college I was working to support the family, and now that you’re out you still can’t do anything.”

Hannah gritted her teeth. Her sister knew how much earning her degree meant, but every chance she got she belittled her efforts. Abigail knew that Hannah had applied for several jobs and, despite her stellar grades and work experience, hadn’t gotten hired. These factors had been part of the decision to start her own law practice. “That’s not true, and you know it.”

“Why didn’t you just join Uncle’s business like we all wanted you to? You’ve worked there since you were sixteen and ran the office like no one else.”

“I didn’t want to be a secretary.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being an office assistant.”

Hannah kicked a pebble, imagining it was her sister’s shin. “I didn’t say there was.”

“You could have gotten married to Jacob. He has money.”

“I’m not ready to get married, especially not to him.”

“You’re just selfish and—”

“Okay, that’s enough. It’s not my fault that you’re miserable.”

“What?”

“You keep blaming me, but in reality you’re miserable because you’ve never left home. You stayed there and watched the house slowly fall down around you and you did nothing. After Dad’s accident you had an opportunity to travel and didn’t. Even though you’d saved your money for a two-week trip to France. Something you’d been talking about since you were nine and saw the movie An American in Paris. Dad was doing well then and you could have gone. We all told you to, but you made a choice to stay.”

“I couldn’t have gone then.”

“What about years later?” Hannah continued before her sister could argue. “You chose to stay home and help Mom with Dad. I chose to become a lawyer so that I could help both my parents and others. So if you’re unhappy, that’s not my fault. Okay, so I didn’t expect things to work out this way. I thought after graduation I’d get a great job and soar high and fast. That didn’t happen, because in the real world lots of graduating lawyers don’t get work right away. That’s the dirty little secret they don’t tell you before you enter the profession and get thousands of dollars in debt. I know a guy who graduated top of his class who’s waiting tables, and another who’s working at his father’s car lot. I’m doing the best I can. My business is slowly growing and I’ll show you what I can really do, but for now get off my back and find someone else to blame for your unhappiness.”

Silence followed and then she heard sniffling. “I didn’t mean to make you mad,” Abigail said in a tear-soaked voice. “It’s just been so hard. Mom and I have done our best to maintain the house, but you know Dad was always the handy one. I’ve never been good with repairs and things like that. I’m doing all I can, and I’m so scared.”

Hannah gripped her phone. With her sister, if it wasn’t insults it was tears. “Yes, I know,” she said, trying to soften her tone and keep the irritation out of her voice.

“I’ve spent my life supporting our parents, and I’m helping to take care of Dad. I’ve done more for them than you ever have....”

Hannah sighed, knowing that she’d never convince her sister to see her in a different light. She knew her sister was as dependent on her parents as they were on her. She’d never ventured out alone, had few friends and had never had any romantic interests. Only in her early thirties, Abigail was resigned to living at home and being provided for. Most times Hannah felt like the older sister because Abigail was never one to offer advice or encouragement.

“It’s going to all work out.”

“Mom is so worried. We can’t imagine having to put Dad into some kind of facility, but if we lose our house no other place will be able to address his needs.”

“Look,” Hannah said, trying to sound strong, although she didn’t feel she had any strength left. She rested against a tree. “I said I’ll handle it.”

“When?” Abigail pressed, as if she expected her sister to provide a miracle at that moment. “How?”

“Soon.”

“How soon?”