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“What does your past have to do with your present?” I asked, not sure I wanted to hear what she had to say

“Simply that I never took the opportunity to share with the world soolf coht around the time—”

“Oh, you have got to be kidding” I glared at her, incredulous “You feel it’s soht twenty-one or -two years after the fact?” The cheating had started before I was in kindergarten

Not the least bit contrite, she said, “You don’t seem to understand the value of e secrets after the fact, as you put it Look at Bobbi Brown’s book on all the rock stars and A-list actors she had sex with—I’m sure she made a lot of money with her tell-all”

My stoo public for cash? Knowing you’d crush Dad all over again?”

How on earth was I even related to this woman?

“I have a synopsis written And I’ve already picked several agents to send the proposal to” She gave ned “I just need a working title”

“Oh, my God” I felt sick “You can’t do that to Dad To me Moth—”

“I just need a littleto you, with all your grand success of late”

I hated every word she said Hated that I asked, “How et rid of her If only I could afford it

Her expression turning shrewd, she said, “Five thousand isn’t too much for your own mother”

I pulled in a deep breath Shit Five grand would drain half of s account I had rent and a car payet my first paycheck from 10,000 Lux before they were due

So I stalked into my pseudo-office and opened the drawer of my desk I collected my checkbook, scribbled out the amount she wanted Tore the paper loose Then Iroom and handed it over

“Don’t coain Because for just the briefest of moments, when she’d first arrived, I’d held the tiniest bit of hope that she’d been here to celebrate azines and newspapers And to actually be a mom

I should have known better the second I’d seen her perfectly made-up face