Chapter Two

Clara's POV

"You can't show up to an interview looking like a college kid."

The next morning, my mom parked on the old downtown street lined with boutiques. She got out with her arm hooked through Brooke's.

My dad and my brother followed behind. Pierce had gotten there early and was already holding a coffee for Brooke.

I brought up the rear. Nobody looked back to see if I was keeping up.

At the first store, my mom picked out a sharp beige suit for Brooke. It cost almost eight hundred dollars.

Brooke flipped over the price tag and her eyes went wide.

My mom just tucked it back into the sleeve. "Don't look at the number. Gary's people know quality when they see it."

Next came a leather briefcase, a watch with a thin chain band and a pair of soft-soled loafers.

Every time, my dad had his card out before anyone else could reach for theirs. My brother had shopping bags hanging off both arms and was still asking Brooke if she wanted earrings to go with everything.

When Brooke tried on the loafers, she winced and said they were rubbing her heels.

Without a word, Pierce ran across the street to the pharmacy. He came back with a box of blister pads and stuck them on her heels one at a time.

I stood by the window and watched how focused he was. It made me think of a hike we went on sophomore year.

My new boots left a row of blood blisters on my feet. I was limping way behind, and all he did was turn around and say, "Can you hurry up? It's getting dark."

He knew perfectly well that new shoes could do that to your feet. He just never saved any of that sympathy for me.

When we got to the luggage store at the end of the street, I stopped.

My suitcase was the one I'd bought for summer camp back in high school. The zipper had been broken forever, so it was held together with a few loops of silver duct tape. One of the wheels kept wobbling out to the side.

If I tried dragging it to where I was going, I probably wouldn't even make it out of the airport.

In the clearance section, I found the plainest one they had. Dark gray, fifty-nine dollars.

Before I took it to the register, I turned and asked my dad, "Can I get this?"

The second it came out of my mouth, I almost laughed at myself. But I still wanted to know. Out of the thousands they'd just put on their cards, could they spare fifty-nine dollars for me?

My dad glanced at the price tag and frowned. "What's wrong with the one in the garage?"

"The zipper's broken, and one of the wheels is half off."

"It's taped up, isn't it? It still rolls. Money doesn't grow on trees, you know. You sure are good at spending it, though."

My mom came over with her shopping bags and looked me up and down.

"Brooke's about to start working at an aerospace company. Of course she needs nice stuff. What about you? If you end up working the front desk at Pierce's hotel, who's going to care what suitcase you've got?"

My brother leaned against the doorframe, grinning. "She's just jealous Brooke got all that stuff."

I didn't argue. I put the suitcase back on the shelf.

Brooke stood out on the sidewalk in the sun, her new watch glinting on her wrist. "Clara, you're really not getting anything?"

"I'm good."

I looked down at the faded canvas bag on my shoulder.

My mom had just gotten a new car this year. My dad had never once missed paying his golf club dues.

They had no problem spending money. They just never thought I was worth spending it on.

That night, my mom booked a private room at a steakhouse to officially celebrate "both our girls" graduating.

A server wheeled in a cake with a message written across the top in pink frosting. Congratulations, Brooke! Your future is bright!

Brooke shot me an awkward look. "Mrs. Hollis, did they leave Clara's name off?"

My mom kept her eyes on the cake as she cut it. "She doesn't even like frosting. Putting her name on it would be a waste."

I'd never said I didn't like frosting.

I could remember every birthday wish I'd ever made, but I couldn't remember a single year when the cake in front of me had my name on it.

Before the entrées came out, my dad pulled an envelope out of his briefcase and handed it to Brooke.

"I wrote you a recommendation letter. Gary says the interview's basically a formality. Bring this with you, and you'll be starting by the end of the month. And the office is only twenty minutes away."

Brooke held the envelope, and the tears came right away. "You guys are so good to me. I don't even know how I'm ever going to pay you back."

My mom reached over and took her hand. "Don't be silly. You don't owe us anything. You've always been part of this family."

Their hands were stacked together in the middle of the table, and the candlelight made it all look warm and cozy.

I sat at the corner of the table like a guest who'd wandered into someone else's family dinner by mistake. I was almost afraid to breathe in case I ruined the moment.

When the check came, my dad picked it up, circled a few lines with a pen and slid it over to me.

"Here's your share. Forty-two fifty. I already threw in the tip for you."

My mom chimed in. "You've graduated now. If you're going to keep living at home, you'll pay four hundred a month in rent, and we'll split the utilities and the internet."

"We already put you through college. From here on out, you're on your own."

My dad had already put Brooke's steak and the cake on the family card.

I looked at that number on the check, worked out down to the cent, and didn't say a word. I pulled two twenties and a five out of my wallet and tucked them under my plate.