“Right. Hope he was helpful. You’re going to need slightly more cheese than that. This is comfort food, and the amount you’ve put in there wouldn’t comfort anyone. If you’re going to sin, sin big, I always say.”

“My lawyer is a she, and she was helpful. I wanted to ask her the best way to give money to you and the baby.” Joanna finished constructing the sandwich and slid it carefully into the pan. “Now watch me burn this.”

“Money?” Ashley stared at her. “You can’t give me money.”

“It’s my money. I can do what I like with it. And what I’d like to do,” Joanna said, “is what Cliff should have done in the first place. Is the heat too high?”

“It’s fine.” Ashley barely glanced at the sandwich. “You mean a loan, right?”

“No, I don’t mean a loan. You don’t need that hanging over you. You have enough to deal with, Ashley.” Joanna wiped her hands on her apron. “I can’t help with most of your worries, but at least I can help with the practical side and also pay for proper medical care. I’ll be giving you money, and I’d like you to live here with me for a while. You can figure out what you want to do before making any big decisions. I should probably tell you the amount, so you can plan.” Joanna named a figure and Ashley assumed she’d misheard.

“How much?” She listened as Joanna repeated it and then held the countertop because it was that or faint. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not kidding.” Joanna carefully turned the sandwich. “Now, don’t distract me because I’m not going to burn this.”

“I can’t accept.”

“Ashley, this is what Cliff should have done when you were a baby. The heat is too high. No matter what you say, I know this is too high.” Joanna lowered the heat slightly. “If he’d done the right thing, you and your mom would have lived in comfort, her medical bills would have been covered, you wouldn’t have lost your home and you wouldn’t now be worried about how to go to college and support a baby. I want that for you now.”

“Joanna—”

“Don’t make a decision now. Think about it for a while. And then say yes.”

“But...” Emotion rushed through her, filled her throat and made her eyes sting. “It’s the thing I’ve been struggling with most. How I’m going to afford to work, and still look after my baby.”

“Well, now you have choices.”

“Why? Why would you do that?”