"Stop right there." I leaned forward, taking her hands in mine. "You getting sick had nothing to do with his decisions. He chose to leave. He chose to take what he did. That's on him, not you."
"But you're carrying everything now. The bills, the apartment, taking care of me..."
"And I'm perfectly capable of handling it." I forced a bright smile. "Besides, who else will keep you from flirting with every medical professional who walks through that door?"
She didn't laugh like I hoped. "I just feel so-"
"Nope. We're not doing the guilt thing today." I picked up the TV remote. "Look, Diego's evil stepson is about to reveal another shocking family secret. Way more interesting than dwelling on people who aren't worth our time."
"Madison-"
"The past is the past, Mom. Right now, we need to f
