“I’ll put your clothes and stuff in the guest room?”

I dried my hands quickly. “No, I couldn’t… one night was more than en—“

“Now Shane, I thought we made some headway tonight. You know, that whole ‘accept help sometimes’ thing?”

I shook my head, “No really, it’s OK.”

Tina came up to us, “Shane, you can’t live out of that little pick up out there.”

Bette smiled, “Besides, you need a good night’s sleep so you are well rested for your interviews tomorrow. And I don’t think your pick up truck has a hot shower in it.”

Stuck at that same fucking spot I found myself last night. What to do…

Bette took my hands and pulled me to the dining room table, sitting me down.

“OK, look, here’s the deal I’m putting on the table. You stay here. I have a guest room with your name on it.” I tried to interrupt but she stopped me, “No, listen. Once you get your job tomorrow, which I know you will, you will be able to save up a few pay checks and then find your own place but until then, you can’t live out of your truck. So stay here, I have the room and you are more than welcome.”

Seeing that she was done for the moment, I set my jaw, “I’m not some charity case Bette. I don’t need some fucking hand-out.”

“And I’m not offering a hand-out, just a place to crash till something else more solid comes up for you.”

I thought about it. “Well, I have to pay you somehow.”

Bette nodded, “Fine. Tell you what. We’ll split groceries, you cook dinners, and we’ll call it fair.”

“That’s not fair, what about rent or something?”

She glared at me, “Shane. Honestly, what can you afford right now in rent? Not just to me but anywhere right now?”

I looked down at the table. She didn’t need to pour salt on the wounds.