Page 36 of Tame Me

“Watching her drive away is the hardest fucking thing I’ve ever done,” Thane says. “I don’t know how I’ll do this.”

“Day by day,” I tell him. “Let her explore the world, and if she wants a future with us, she will make it known.”

“It’s been an hour, and I’m a mess.”

“I wish I had been here. I think that would have made it worse, though,” I say. “She will reach out, Thane. I promise. I don’t even give her a day, and she will text for some…”

I don’t even get the words out of my mouth, and both our phones ring to notify us of a text. Pulling it from my pocket, I see it’s Ayla.

Ayla:

I forgot my journal… I’ll come back for it soon.

Me:

I’m staying with Thane now, so we will keep it with us. You can drop by and get it anytime you want.

Ayla:

Thanks… I’ll get it soon so I can get out of your hair.

Me:

You’re welcome, Ayla. Anytime you need anything, we are here. Okay?

Ayla:

…okay

Thane:

Hope the drive was okay. Let us know you’re settling okay.

When she doesn’t respond, I know it’s because she’s overwhelmed. Thane won’t see it that way, though. He thinks he’s lost her forever, but he hasn’t. This proves it. She easily could have texted one of us. She could have called and talked to reception. She could have called Tabitha, but she texted us both.

She’s going to come back to us, but when… Not soon enough.

It took me three hours to get out of the car and go inside. Once I got here, I realized that this place desperately needed to be cleaned. The problem is, I have no idea how much money I have. I am sitting at the kitchen island with the massive pile of mail I have to sort through, and I am realizing that I have so much to do. First, I’ll start by calling the bank to see how much money I have available.

As it rings, I grow more terrified that I have nothing. I had it deposited into savings, but I was in the hospital when it came through, so I never found out how much it was. When I got out, before I went to Meridian, I didn’t check.

“Thank you for calling Park Ridge Credit Union,” the lady says sweetly. “How may I help you?”

“Yes, I actually need to check my available balance for my account. Uh… My father passed, and the life insurance was supposed to be deposited about a year ago. I’ve been… away… so I haven’t been able to check it.”

“I can definitely help with that! Can you give me your account number?” she asks. I rattle it off from memory, hoping that it’s correct. Shockingly, I got it right. For some reason, numbers just stick with me. Not much else does, but I can remember a number. She has me verify my account before asking me to hold so she can get everything pulled up. “Yes, so your available balance in your checking account is seventeen dollars and eighteen cents. Your available balance in your savings is $1,568,988.33. You are listed as the executor of an estate under the name Lenord Justice. The account balance in the checking account is $376.65, and the balance in savings is $568,123.39.”

“...What the fuck did you just say?” I ask.

“Uhm… You have…”

“No, I’m sorry. You don’t have to repeat it. I just didn’t expect that,” I say. “Uh… Can I transfer everything from my dad’s accounts into my savings and close his?”

“I can transfer it over, but you will have to come into a branch to close the account. I can note that account of your plans, if you want.”

“Yes, please. That would be amazing,” I say. After a few quiet moments, she continues.

“Your savings balance now is $2,137,488.37,” she tells me. “I also have your father’s account noted, and the monthly fees paused.”