I knocked gently on the car window. The little boy’s eyes widened before he ducked under the blanket. A moment later, the driver’s side door opened, and Celia stepped out, arms crossed. Her face was pale, exhausted.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice wary.
I swallowed hard. “I needed to find you. I—I made a mistake.”
She scoffed. “A little late for that, don’t you think?”
I nodded. “It is. And I can’t take back what I did, but I can try to make it right.” I hesitated, then pulled an envelope from my coat pocket. “I have a job for you. If you want it.” I held out the envelope. “And this—it’s not much, but it should cover a motel for a few nights.”
Celia stared at the envelope, her hands trembling. Her eyes glistened, and she exhaled sharply. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes,” I whispered.
A long silence stretched between us before she finally reached out, taking the envelope.
“Okay,” she said softly.
