Chapter 2
Washington, D.C. …
Gemma Larsen sighed as she stepped into her small, cluttered office in the bowels of the Smithsonian Museum. In her hand was Tyler’s latest tuition bill. Her brother should have graduated by now, but last year he’d decided to enroll in graduate school. Gemma was happy for him, but with more education came a much bigger price tag. He’d applied for scholarships and fellowships to help cover the staggering cost, but just last week he informed her that he’d been turned down for most of them.
Better get it over with. She slid the envelope open. She fell into her desk chair in shock. “Twenty thousand dollars? By September first? It might as well be a million! God, Tyler. How do you expect me to come up with that much money?”
She felt tears of failure sting her eyes and dropped her head onto her desk. Her phone rang and she answered it without glancing at the caller I.D. or lifting her head. “Hello?”
“Gem? Hey, what’s wrong?” It was Aimee, her best friend.
“Hey, Aimee. Just another wonderful day in my life.”
“What’s Tyler done now?” Aimee’s voice took on a hard edge.
“I got his bill for next year in the mail today and made the mistake of bringing it with me to work. I just opened it,” Gemma told her, tears clogging her throat.
“Oh, sweetie! How bad is it?”
“Bad, Aimee. Really bad. Twenty thousand dollars for one year? How am I going to come up with that kind of money?”
“Why are you even considering this your problem?” Aimee fired back. “Tyler’s twenty-two years old. He should take responsibility for his own finances, not expect you to pay for everything. Look, he decided to go to graduate school so he should take out a loan or get a decent paying job to cover the cost.”
“He has a job,” Gemma protested.
Aimee gave an unladylike snort. “Delivering pizzas a few hours each night and playing video games all day, everyday, isn’t a job and you know it! Tyler’s using you and you’re allowing him to act like an irresponsible kid. You need to focus on you and Damien for once.”
“My parents…”
“Have been gone a longtime sweetie, and they would have never allowed Tyler to be so irresponsible. It’s time for him to grow up.” Aimee’s voice held compassion and kindness.
Gemma swallowed. It was hard to argue with Aimee. Knowing how tight Gemma’s money situation was, her friend had moved in with her two years ago to help ease some of the financial burden. But even with Aimee’s support, they still lived paycheck to paycheck. “I promised Tyler I would help put him through school…”
“A four-year degree, not graduate school. That’s on him.”
“I know we don’t see eye to eye on Tyler, but he’s getting good grades and after he finishes, he’ll be much more employable and then he can stand on his own feet.”
“You’ve been living paycheck to paycheck for so long, I don’t think you really see how Tyler’s using you.”
Gemma took a breath, having heard this same thing from Aimee more than once. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll think of something.” I always do.
Aimee snorted again. “If you find a way to make an extra twenty grand in the next three months, hang onto the secret. We’ll market it and make a killing. Sweetie, you don’t even make that much in three months’ time.”
“I know, but maybe I can pick up a few side jobs. I’ll figure out something.” Gemma bit her lip. “I should get back to work. I have to pick Damien up before five P.M. tonight…”
“Let me do it.” Aimee said. “I’m already off and was headed home anyway.”
“Are you sure? You probably have all kinds of things to do…”
“I wouldn’t have offered it I wasn’t willing to do it. Stop being so self-sufficient and let someone help you out for once.” The censure in her voice was the kind only a best friend could get away with using.
Gemma winced. “Fine, but don’t feed him too many snacks or he won’t want his dinner.”
“Yes, Mom. I’ll take care of him. You forget about that letter for the rest of the afternoon and get some work done. We’ll see you this evening.”
“Thanks, Aimee.”
“Don’t mention it—and I mean don’t.”
Gemma smiled as she hung up the phone. I’m so lucky to have a friend like Aimee. The woman had stuck with her through the worst time of Gemma’s life. When her parents died, Gemma’s life changed drastically. She’d taken full responsibility for raising her younger brother. At the time, she’d been romantically involved with Jason Stephens, her college boyfriend of two years. She’d believed they were heading for marriage.
Jason had been very supportive of her handling her parents’ affairs—until she announced Tyler would live with them till he was finished with school. Jason threw a fit. He’d tried to force her to let her brother go into foster care. Gemma shook her head. It was still hard to believe the man she thought she’d knew intimately was so selfish, lacking any compassion for others. She’d tried to make him see her brother was her responsibility, but he’d finally made her choose between her brother and him. She’d chosen Tyler. And I’d make the same decision again today!
Aimee had been there as she’d struggled with being not only an older sister, but both mother and father to a teenage boy. She’d encouraged Gemma to find some normalcy for herself. Gemma had gone on several dates, but the moment the guy learned she was raising her younger brother they’d broken things off.
Gemma exhaled loudly. So what! Aimee’s worth a thousand dates. At first, the rejections had hurt, and then she just stopped putting herself out there to be hurt. Even the thought of getting romantically involved with anyone left a sour taste in her mouth. Men are an additional problem I just don’t need in my life!
At least I have Paris. Gemma smiled. That was the only break in her self-imposed isolation she’d allowed—and what a break it was. Aided by too much champagne and a suave Mediterranean man who’d swept her off her feet. Her smile faded. That disappointment was the worst of all.
She’d found herself pregnant and all alone, no knowledge of where the father had gone, or if he would ever return. She wasn’t even completely sure he’d told her his real name, a fact that still grated on her nerves even two years later. God, I was such a sucker back then!
Gemma had quit believing in her own judgment where men were concerned after that. Now she kept to herself, worked as many hours of the day that she could, and loved on her little man. It was hard and lonely, but Aimee was always there to cheer her up. Besides, the minute she walked into the apartment this evening and held Damien in her arms, all of the day’s troubles would disappear.
He was her world, and none of this other stuff mattered in the least. The money needed for Tyler’s schooling was concerning, but she’d figure it out just like she’d done numerous times before. The fact that this was almost twice what she’d needed to come up with a year ago was like getting punched in the gut, but it was for her baby brother. I want him to succeed, and if I need to cut back to see that happen—well, that’s just what I’ll do.
Gemma pushed the tuition letter into her purse, trying to forget she’d even seen it. She turned to the work in front of her. Past and future can just take a backseat for now. Things have always worked themselves out before. They will do so again. Somehow…