Summer Fling - Players of Marycliff University, Book 1

Chapter 7

What do you need, Mom?

She tapped her finger on the side of her phone while waiting for a reply. When nothing came right away she went back to her grading.

Bzzz, bzzz. Another text.

You need to come home.

It was Wednesday afternoon. Maybe her mom could wait a couple more days.

Can it wait until this weekend?

No. Come home now.

This time the response was immediate. Abby let out a low growl of irritation, but she was worried, too.

Do I need to call 911?

No. I need your help.

That meant that she wasn't about to try to kill herself at least. Probably.

I'm working now. I'll come after.

Abby waited, but her mother didn't text back. The florescent lights overhead glared down at her, reflecting off the dingy institutional floor.

What now? was all she could think as she went back to grading.

She had one more lab to teach at three, and then she was done. She usually stayed until five, grading the assignments from her last lab, but today she left when she was done teaching.

Abby poked her head into the office across the hall from the classroom. "Dr. Ramirez?"

"Yes, Abby?" Dr. Ramirez looked up from where she worked at the computer on her battered wooden desk. She taught the classes that Abby ran the labs for. "How did the language labs go today?"

"Good. I got a text from my mom earlier." Abby made an effort to keep her voice neutral.

The look on Dr. Ramirez's face changed from polite curiosity to sympathy. "Ah. You need to go?" As Abby's academic advisor, Dr. Ramirez was aware of the difficulties in Abby's relationship with her mom.

Abby nodded. "She says she needs help with something at home. I know I usually stay until five, but I need to go see what she needs."

"Of course. Let me know if you need anything, okay?" Dr. Ramirez's dark eyes showed sympathy and concern.

"I will. Thanks." With a little wave, Abby left.

Abby's flip flops slapped her feet as she hurried out of the building and down the street. She lived close enough to campus that she usually walked. Today she wished she'd brought her car.

Abby hurried home, taking only ten minutes for a walk that usually took fifteen. She was sweating by the time she got there from hurrying in the warm June day. She went straight to her car, a twelve year old blue Kia Rio. She had gotten out her keys a block from home, and the car beeped as she hit the button on the key fob to unlock it.

She slid into the driver's seat, threw her bag in the passenger seat, shoved her key in the ignition, and turned.

Nothing happened.

She tried again. There was a faint clicking sound, but the engine wasn't even trying to turn over.

Abby rested her head against the steering wheel and resisted the urge to scream. She didn't even want to go see her mom, but if she didn't, she didn't know what her mom might do to herself. She had no idea what was going on or why her mom needed her, but she had to figure out how to get there.

She reached for her bag and pulled out her phone. Megan could take her. She knew about her mom's issues and would be able to handle it without making a big deal of things. Depending on what was going on, maybe Megan would even be helpful. Abby called her.