What kind of mother would she be if she didn’t accept the offer? Offer? This is blackmail. But Andy would still want “payment” for borrowing his car, and it seemed that he had lost the last bit of modesty toward her. What if he expected more than just the rent from her now? And then there was Hank. He was a good guy, but he wouldn’t keep allowing her to go home early or not show up at all when Jake was sick again. Not to mention the grocery store. She was on notice there already, and it was only a matter of time until she lost the job if things continued that way.

“As soon as you’ve signed the contract, I will settle the hospital bill for the boy,” Ms. Fielding said.

“How many hours a week would I have to be…um, available for you?”

Madison blinked. “Hours? The whole time of course. Why?”

The whole time? “You want me to give up my jobs?”

“So what?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Sherry took a deep breath, hoping it would help her calm down. It didn’t. “This won’t work. When this thing ends, I would be out of a job and—”

“Cut out the crap. What I pay you plus your bonus at the end should be more than enough to last you until you find something new. Besides, how hard can it be to find a job as a waitress or as a cashier in a grocery store?” Ms. Fielding shifted impatiently in her seat. “Yes or no? I want your decision now.”

Decision? There was no decision to make but to do what Ms. Fielding demanded. Jake needed the surgery now, not in a few months or a year. A chance like this happened once in a lifetime. If at all. “I…” Sherry’s heart was beating wildly as if trying to burst out of her chest. “I’ll do it.”

For a few seconds, Ms. Fielding stared at her as if she wasn’t sure she had heard her correctly. Then a broad grin spread across her face. “See, that wasn’t so hard.” She patted Sherry on the shoulder.

Sherry flinched at the touch.

“You’re doing the right thing.”

Sherry wasn’t so sure about that.

Ms. Fielding took the empty food container from her, opened the door, and threw it in a trash bin beside the vehicle. “Let’s get your car and take it back.” She closed the door.

Sherry bit her lip. Hopefully, Andy had passed out by now.

Ms. Fielding started the car and drove off the parking lot. Looking fleetingly toward Sherry, she said, “Something on your mind I should know about?”

She has to know that Andy might be waiting for me. “I’m worried about what I’m expected to pay for borrowing the car.”

“Whatever it is, it goes on my tab.”