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He broke his back falling off a ladder six o I offered to postpone school and come home and help, butI could do for them was to stay in school and work my hardest So that’s what I did in between bus trips home to visit and offer the best support I could

My parents ran a house painting company their whole lives, but when Dad fell, theira loophole in their policy that work-related injuries needed to be covered by a separate rider I didn’t kno serious their financial struggles were until the night before last, when Mo, there was no insurance money

The only saving grace, as I know fro as we make a payment plan with the doctors, hospital, rehab, etc, we can e it all But they still need money every month to make that happen

Being an intern for the district attorney’s office hat I planned for all year I savedjob to be sure I could afford a little apartot a full-ride acadean, so I could save al the school year Little did I know taking an unpaid internship—e if I’d made a terrible mistake

Hence the need to find paid employment that could fit around my work schedule

Yeah, that didn’t exactly work out as planned

I glance over now to see theat me His size is even more evident here inside the vehicle He takes up the entire space behind the wheel with the seat pushed back as far as possible, and I wonder if I’ve just put ret

“Here” He reaches into the back seat and pulls a suit jacket off a hanger, handing it to me “Lean forward”

I’, so I do as he asks, and his h I’m as delicate as a rose, then I settle back in the seat, wondering what the hell I’ to do now

I reach up and wince asknot just above my temple where my head hit the street

“Thanks,” Imy hands up and down my arms under the jacket “I’m fine now I’ll call an Uber Or just drop o inside I’ll find my way home”

“I’ you to the hospital”

“No,” I half shout, then try to control my tone “I’m fine It’s a little bump, no hospital” I shake my head, and it makes me dizzy