Page 37 of Not Safe For Work

“Karen, we’ve talked about this. Yeah, it’s tough paying for them to go to school, but if paying for it myself means you’re out from under that asshole’s thumb?” I put a hand on her arm. “Then I’ll happily pay it.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. “But they need to come first. Not me.”

“It’s not a hierarchy. We’re still family. We’ll figure it all out.”

Karen smiled halfheartedly. “Well. I should get ready for work.”

I withdrew my hand. “Yeah, me too.”

She pushed her chair back. “Sorry for ruining your good mood.”

“Don’t be.” I paused to put some milk on my cereal. “It’s expensive, but there are worse things than having to figure out how to get all three kids through good schools.”

Her eyes unfocused for a second. “Good point.”

“We’ll make it work. I promise.”

We exchanged looks, and then she headed upstairs.

Alone in the kitchen, I ate my breakfast in silence. She hadn’t ruined my good mood, but the thought of my kids’ education was sobering. Two of them wanted to go to grad school, and the third was still on the fence about it. This was going to get expensive as fuck. It was already expensive as fuck.

But I’d find a way. No way in hell was any kid of mine losing a single night of sleep over student loans. I would come up with the money.

I just wasn’t sure how.