"Mrs. Henderson, can you give me a minute? I need to... yes. Thank you. I'll call you back."
She hangs up. Turns to face me. Those eyes that see everything.
"It was you, wasn't it?"
I could deny it. Should. But looking at her face, hope and fear warring, I can't.
"Yes."
She sucks in air. Long moment of nothing. Then she sets the phone down with care.
"How?"
"Wired it last night. Directly from my account to hers."
"Fifteen thousand dollars." Says it slow. Testing weight. "You just... transferred it?"
"Yes."
"Why?" Voice cracks. "Why would you do that without telling me?"
"You needed it. I could help." I stand. Keep distance. "Watching you tear yourself apart was killing me."
"So you just fixed it? Made the problem disappear?"
"Yes." No apology. Not sorry. "I'd do it again."
"That's not..." She breaks off. Blinks fast. "I don't need you to save me."
"I know."
"Do you? This feels like you trying to fix my problems. Like I'm some charity case who can't handle her own life."
"Not what this is."
"Then what?" She whirls. "Explain it, because I'm trying to figure out if I should be grateful or pissed, and I don't know."
Words press against my throat. I love you. This is what I do when I love someone. Show up. Help. Make things better because I'm shit at saying what I feel.
The words won't come.
"I care about you." I manage that much. "I care about your dream. This was something I could do, so I did."
"Fifteen thousand dollars." Her voice shakes. "Not a small amount."
"It is to me."
Her eyes flash. "Not to me. It's nearly a year's salary for most people in this town. Difference between making rent and not. It's..." Stops. Breathes. "Too much."
"Already done."
"Then I'll pay you back."
"Lucy..."
"No." Cuts me off. Voice firm. "If you want to help, if you really care about me and my work, you'll let me pay you back. Not a donation. A loan. With interest."
I want to argue. Want to tell her she doesn't have to. That I don't need the money. But looking at her face, that stubborn jaw and proud eyes, I realize this isn't about money.
