39 GLORY WALKER
October 31
I sat at my kitchen table with my coffee and a stack of bills I had sorted into three piles: Due, Past Due, and Final Notice. Checkin’ the balance of my bank account from my phone app; my chest tightened. I picked up the ‘Due in 30 days’ pile and tossed them into the trash. I thumbed through the ‘Final Notice’ pile and stared at them for a while, plannin’ my next move. If there was another option instead of doin’ what I was about to, I couldn’t find it. Still holdin’ my phone, I tapped at my contacts list until I found the number I needed. I took one more gulp of coffee and choked it down. The stuff was cold and weak, but the real dread came once I heard the phone ringin’.
“Hey, Momma.” I did my best to sound upbeat and pleasant, though I hadn’t spoken with he
