CHAPTER 24

KY toys with KY's bracelet. Click, click, click, click. But even that isn't enough to soothe KY the way it should. Throughout KY's shift, KY went back and forth over the numbers. It's going to be extremely difficult to keep this business running on what KY earns, but we must. KY's siblings are worthy of love. They are worthy of a home. Tears burn KY's eyes as KY wraps KY's knees with KY's hands, and they start to course down KY's cheeks. Before long, the drip becomes a deluge, and the deluge becomes raw ugly crying.

How did KY's life get so totally messed up? KY's boyfriend dumped KY after completely humiliating KY and telling KY that KY's let KYself go, KY's mom doesn't care if we are safe or where we live, and KY'm living in a very small apartment which KY know KY'm going to have trouble paying for.

KY wipes KY's eyes out to get rid of the tears because the kids are going to be coming over soon. They can't witness KY deteriorating like this. Just think positive, KY. The children are alright now, and KY can sort the rest out later. Don't allow the children to witness KY being anxious about the money affair. You don't want to worry them. Pretend that everything is alright now. Just smile when you catch them.

KY squares KY's shoulders, gazing at KY's phone on the counter where KY set it while KY organized the bedroom. KY hoists KYself up and grabs KY's phone, scrolling to the chess website. There are a few invites waiting for KY's approval. KY chew KY's lip and approve them all. They're all lined up one after the other. The reward isn't significant. Ten dollars usually; sometimes even twenty. But KY has to spend the money on buying food for us. Every cent counts…because KY'm at desperation's door now.

KYOLINE DIEGO

PELLA has noticed that KY's been in a blue state and suggests setting KY up with a friend of a co-worker. The first thing KY wants to know if he's Imperiosi, but she says no. She then offers to baby-sit and browbeats KY into getting out of there, so KY decides to acquiesce to get KY a diversion from KY's problems. KY means, he can't be that bad as the man who dumped KY in front of KY's friends, right?

Chase, the man, calls KY and suggests taking KY to a good French restaurant. KY picks a dress and gets herself ready, taking more time to put on KY's make up and styling KY's hair. PELLA is babysitting the children for KY and has told KY to simply have fun and have fun KYself.

KY and Chase get together at the restaurant, and then we just easily converse, and KY likes KY's being KYself. He's handsome, sexy, and charming.

"Do you live alone?" he asks as we start our entrée.

KY shakes KY's head, grabbing KY's glass to take a sip of the wine he had ordered for us. "I take care of my three younger siblings, so they stay with me." His forehead creases. "So you still live with your parents?"

"No. My dad passed away a few years ago. And my mom isn't able to look after them right now, so that's why the kids have moved into an apartment with me. They're great kids." KY flashes him a smile. "They're sixteen, six, and five."

His face blanches. "You're a single mom?"

"Technically, well, I'm their sister." But KY imagine if the circumstances were the same if KY were a single mother.

He slams his linen napkin on the table as he scoots back in his chair. "No man in their right mind is going to want to go out with a woman who's got three screaming brats waiting for her at home. I don't believe you didn't even bring that up."

Indignation starts to brew within KY. "You never asked. If you had, I would have happily informed you, just like I'm doing now. I haven't been attempting to hide it. I didn't realize it was such an important issue.".

"Of course, it's a fucking problem," he snarls. "I'm here to get away from a nagging wife and my own two whining kids!" KY's fork onto the table. "Wife? You're married?"

"You women are all the same. Starving to cling to any man, so that he'll be a meal ticket for you and your brats."

Everyone around us is looking at us now, and KY's face reddens as he says these words. "I think it's worse when a man does this knowingly and omits mentioning that he has a wife and that he is a cheat," KY fires back with KY's true emotions poured out. "And I don't want your money. I work and am capable of looking after myself."

He leaves, and KY comfort myself by drinking the rest of KY's wine. KY hides KY's face in KY's hands. PELLA clearly doesn't know that he is married, and it isn't her fault he's such a liar and scumbag.

As KY gets ready to leave, KY thinks tonight can't get any worse, but the waiter comes running over with the bill Chase left for KY to pay. Two hundred dollars for a bottle of wine and two entrées? Yeah, he's completely a scumbag, and KY feels like crying as KY puts it on KY's credit card. KY has no idea how in the world KY'm going to be able to pay all the bills this month and KY knows that KY'll have to get as many chess games as humanly possible.

But then KY tells KYself to just look at how well KY's doing, supporting KYself and KY's siblings. KY's worked two part-time jobs, mornings at a flower shop and afternoons at a restaurant, having KY's evenings to work at the MANCHESTER LED. DEBORAH now also works a part-time job, and she assists in looking after the wee ones when she can, or KY'm alternating childcare favors with LYDIA. KY'm just barely able to stay on top of it. Even though it's still difficult because CAT M'NOO's cousin, Ramona, is a supervisor at the MANCHESTER LED and creates the staff rotas. And despite KY only asking for night shifts and lowering her own price to nearly begging her, Ramona enjoys making life difficult for KY. KY's no doubt whose bad influence is the cause of her cousin's mean girl attitude. Despite CAT M'NOO possessing TENZ JER'SEY, she still loathes KY's guts.

So, it's not so easy, but the fact that the kids are enjoying themselves means the world to KY. KY swore off dating made men already after the TENZ JER'SEY affair, and after this date with Chase, KY'm through with dating all men—for at least a while. KY just want to focus on KYself and the kids.

But this scheme isn't supposed to happen…

KYOLINE DIEGO

KY's efforts to get KY's mom into rehab. One of the ladies KY works with told KY that KY has to be tougher and just walk away from KY's mom. But KY don't see getting her to rehab as KY being weak.

Because KY'm definitely not doing weak at fixing things up for KYself and the children. KY'm not still living at our mom's anymore, waiting around for her to magically get better by herself. Instead, KY relocated us into a new residence and am doing KY's best damn self to provide a good life for us all.

And KY wants KY's mom to get better if she can, for DAMON and L'OREAL's sake—though KY don't know there ever will be a day when they'll be able to come back and live with her again. And that's okay because their home is with KY as long as they want KY. KY'm never going to let them down, and KY'm going to make sure that KY'm always there for them.

KYOLINE DIEGO

It's the funeral of an Imperiosi wife today. She was a family friend, but KY's mom isn't able to make it, so KY'm attending in her place.

We're back at the family's mansion now for refreshments, and everyone is outside, but KY's got the start of a headache. KY winces, rubbing KY's forehead, trying to massage away the ache. It doesn't work, and KY decides KY needs an Advil.

It winds its way through the crowd of people until KY reaches the door that leads into the inside, KY heads straight for the kitchen. KY exhales as KY enjoys the coolness of the inside. The sun outside is too bright, and KY far rather enjoys the dim lighting in here.

KY lugs itself to the kitchen cabinets but is unable to find what KY is looking for. Taking a deep breath, KY heads up to the bathroom. They have got to have some Advil in there. Opening the cabinet beside the basin, KY finds the familiar white bottle with its gaudy label on the top shelf.

Stretching across KY's toes, KY can reach in and grab it and draw it down. Opening it, the cap resists for a moment, before opening with a cheerful click. KY spooks out two pills into KY's hand and moves to pick up a glass from the counter, which KY fills at the tap. KY swallows the pills hurriedly, followed by a lengthful slug of cold, soothing water.