"Good night. I miss you so much."
I stared at those messages for a long time.
Then I rebooked my ticket.
Mom hadn't expected me two days early. She didn't ask why, just got up at dawn and started pushing things into my bag, hands quick, face tight.
"Lottie, when you get back, you be good to Eugene, okay? That boy came from nothing—everything he has, he built on his own."
"Oh, and tell him thank you for the money he sent me, but I can't take it."
My hands stopped mid-packing.
"When did he send you money?"
"Just now! He didn't tell you?"
"Just now when?"
Mom took out her phone and placed it in my hand.
"See for yourself."
I opened her phone. The transfer had come through at seven that morning.
Two thousand yuan, plus a message:
Mrs. Winfield, I'm stuck at work with overtime so I can't make it back with Lottie to see you this trip. Please keep this money—I mean it. This October, I'll come home with her for sure, and I'll finally get to call you Mom.
I thought about how I hadn't answered a single one of Eugene's messages since last night.
My hand just… went soft. All the resolve draining right out of my fingers.