Mila reviewed the last page of the document, carefully marking her copied version with a highlighter then sticking a small sticky note on it, leaving a tab of it longer than the paper so it would be easy to find. She glanced down at the page then moved to her computer, typing the details into her report and marking down the page number for reference. She hit 'save' on the document then closed it out and opened up her email, attaching the file and emailing it to the two lawyers who needed it.

"Mila, did you finish that report on the arson case?" Aliyah asked, poking her head out of her office.

"I left that on your desk yesterday," Mila frowned.

"You did?" Aliyah asked, raising her eyebrows. "Oh, shit, that's right," she muttered to herself. "Sorry hon, never mind. My mind is already on vacation"

"T minus..." Mila glanced down at the bottom right corner of her computer screen, where the time was displayed, "four minutes until you are vacation-bound."

"God, four minutes never felt so long," she sighed. "How's that other case going?"

"I just emailed you the report and copied Kayla," Mila said, rising from her seat and grabbing the stack of papers she carefully organized and carrying it towards Aliyah's office. "Here's the file on the case. Marked the pages that I reference in the report," she said, setting the stack down on Aliyah's desk. "Do you think Kayla will need anything else?"

"She better not," Aliyah sighed, plopping down in her seat and moving her mouse around to wake up her computer. "Don't take any of her shit, Mila. She's a great lawyer but she can be a real hard-ass."

"Who are you talking to?" Mila said, gesturing to herself.

Aliyah chuckled and nodded. "Fair enough. I heard you were asking about your insurance policies, is something wrong?"

"Oh, no," Mila said, tucking her hands behind her back. "Not at all. Just feel like I should know the details of my own insurance, you know?"

"The company has great insurance," Aliyah said, sinking back in her chair and crossing her legs. "Whatever it is you need shouldn't be hard to get. Our copays are low."

"That's good to hear," Mila said, keeping the smile plastered on despite her racing heart. Copays were the least of her concerns, small in comparison to what she needed. Life insurance was the only thing she cared about seeing but she was worried only asking for that would raise red flags, so instead she asked for paperwork on all her insurance, claiming she couldn't remember all the details and lost her insurance cards.

"All right, hon, get out of here, don't you have somewhere to be?" Aliyah asked, leaning forward and typing in her computer.

"Ah, no, my plans were cancelled," Mila answered, trying to keep her tone light. Terrence decided against the plans he had because Stella was so sick so she didn't need to babysit. He told Mila she could stop by anyway and she intended to but was no longer on a strict timeline. "It's okay though, it gives me a chance to catch up on all the shows I've been wanting to binge."

"How's Stella doing?" Aliyah asked, looking up from her computer, the pity evident both in her tone and the smile laced with sadness.

"She's fine," Mila nodded. Except she wasn't. Stella really wasn't fine at all and she couldn't be until Mila figured things out.

"And how are you?" Aliyah asked, her eyes darting to her screen again.

"I'm good."

"Thinking about heading back to law school anytime soon?"

"No," Mila said, clasping her hands together. As much as she wanted to go back to law school, there was no point. If her plans worked out, she would be dying soon and it wouldn't matter. Law school was a dream she didn't get to keep and she was fine with that as long as it kept Stella alive. "I just don't really have the time right now."

"You just said you're going home to binge TV shows," Aliyah said, raising an eyebrow and peering at Mila over her computer screen.

"Well, tonight," Mila laughed. "It's not like that every night. Usually I'm just constantly busy."

"Uh huh," Aliyah said doubtfully. "All right, well I won't keep you from your TV shows."

"See you later, Aliyah," Mila nodded, backing towards the door. "Have a nice vacation."

"Hey, Mila?" Aliyah called out just as Mila turned to leave. Mila glanced back, looking at her questioningly. "I think you'd make a damn good lawyer. I hope you find the time to go back to school."

"Thanks," Mila said, throwing her hand up in a wave and facing forward, away from Aliyah, as soon as she could. Not only did it not matter if she went back to school since she wasn't going to be around, but she also couldn't afford it. Being a paralegal in that law firm paid well but all the money went to someone else. "Goodnight."

Mila's shoulders slumped the second she was out of Aliyah's office and she shuffled back to her desk, plopping down in her chair and resting her elbow on the desk, dropping her chin it. She began closing out all her documents and programs and had just turned off her monitor when Lindsay from HR stopped in front of her desk. "Hey Mila," she greeted cheerily, holding a folder to her chest. "Your makeup looks gorgeous today."

"Oh, thanks," Mila said, smiling up at Lindsay. "I like the glasses on you. They're new, aren't they?"

"Oh, yeah," Lindsay said, rolling her eyes. "I don't usually wear them in public but my allergies have been terrible and I can't get my contacts in so I'm stuck with the glasses."

"Well, you look super cute with and without glasses," Mila said, leaning forward. "What's up? On your way out?"

"No, I actually have to stay late tonight," Lindsay pouted. "But I brought those insurance documents you asked for," she said, setting the folder down on Mila's desk.

Mila's heart thumped and she quickly grabbed the folder. "Thanks, Lindsay. Good luck tonight."

"Thanks girl, see you Monday," she said, heading back to her office. "Have a nice weekend!"

"You too," Mila mumbled. It wasn't meant to be a mumble, she meant to say it back with just as much enthusiasm but she was already distracted, thumbing through that paperwork until she found the life insurance policy, her five-hundred thousand dollar life insurance policy.

Her heart pounded in her chest and she pulled it out, hoping more than anything that Lindsay had been wrong. Maybe there wasn't a suicide clause. Mila read that a lot of insurances were getting away from that and Lindsay mentioned an upgrade to the plan earlier in the year. If that was the case, maybe it took out the suicide clause and she wouldn't have to rely on anyone else.

Mila skimmed over the paper, pausing when she read the heading 'Exclusions'. Exclusions were factors that invalidated or limited a death benefit. Her heart sank as she read the words she was hoping wouldn't be there. If the insured commits suicide within the contestability period, payout is denied.

"Contestability period," Mila murmured, setting her finger on the page and following along the headings. She remembered reading that before she got to the exclusion section.

Her fingers paused on the 'contestability period' heading and the sinking in her heart became just as heavy in her stomach. Contestability period: Two years from policy issue date. Mila had only recently qualified for insurance at the law firm. They required she worked there a certain amount of time before she could get the benefits. She'd only had the benefits for about six months. That meant she still had a year and a half left in the contestability period. She didn't have a year and a half. Stella didn't have a year and a half.

The breath that came out of her was so shaky, she recognized she needed to get out of there. Gathering her things and the folder with insurance papers, she hurried out of the office, down the elevator and out towards the bus stop. She sat on the cold bench, cursing herself for not bringing a jacket as she read the entire life insurance policy from beginning to end, hoping she could find a loophole somewhere.

She shivered when the wind picked up, missing her car as the chill reached her fingertips. She loved her car, but she sold it a long time ago to help with Stella and never got another one. Any extra money she had went to Stella, there was no room in her budget for a car.

Her phone started ringing and Mila sighed, tearing her eyes away from the report and pulling out her phone, seeing Terry's name. Her heart started pounding in a different way and she quickly answered. "Hey, is she okay?"

"She's okay," Terry answered.

Mila sighed in relief, pressing her fingers to her temples. "What's up?"

"I stopped by the hospital today to pay on some of Stella's bills," Terry began.

"And?" Mila asked, glancing down at her insurance policy again.

"And they said the payment wasn't due," Terry continued. "They said someone came in and paid five grand of it a few days earlier."

"And?" Mila repeated, setting her finger on the paper so she wouldn't lose her spot.

"Mila," Terry said sternly. "Five grand? Where did you get five grand?"

"Does it matter?" Mila shrugged.

"Yes, it does."

"Is Stella getting treatment?" Mila said, clicking her tongue in annoyance.

"She is but... Mila, I appreciate everything you're doing, Stella does too, but this isn't the way to do it."

"What is?" Mila challenged, staring ahead but picturing her brother's face. He could lecture her all he wanted, it didn't change the fact that they'd already done countless charities, received multiple donations and it still wasn't enough. Eventually it all ran out and Stella was left with more medical bills, more denials of treatment because Terry and Mila didn't have the money to pay for it all and had too much debt stacking up for anyone to feel comfortable giving them more. If Marcus would just kill her like she summoned him to do, the life insurance money would be enough to take care of Stella. "What is the way to do it, Terrence?"

"Mila," Terry sighed. "I'm not trying to be a dick here, but you work in a fucking law firm, what happens if you get caught doing illegal shit?"

"Well, it's not really your problem, is it?" Mila said, glancing to the side as she heard the familiar rumble of the bus approaching.

"Sis, come on," Terry groaned. "Don't do that. I'm just trying to watch out for you and Stell both. You know I love you."

"Sure I do," Mila muttered, away from the microphone where he couldn't hear. She brought the microphone back and closed her files in preparation of getting on the bus. "I have to go."

"Mila, please don't be pissed at me, come over and have pizza with us-"

"Goodbye, Terry," she said, hanging up the phone before he could finish.

Mila got on the bus, reviewing the insurance policy even after she got home. She changed out of her work clothes and into all black, still coming back to that policy, reading it over and over until her eyes were tired and she started to see double from eye strain. A tightness in her chest and quiver in her breathing told her the hopelessness of the situation was getting to her, so she closed up the policy and pulled her hood over her head as she walked out the door.

Several blocks into a part of town she didn't enjoy visiting, she met Dallas down a dark alleyway. He was very much the same as always, leather jacket and tight jeans, a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth. She approached carefully and paused several feet away, her hands tight on the taser she had hidden in her hoodie pocket.

"You got it?" He asked, blowing out a cloud of smoke that hung in the air as still as Mila' heart felt.

"Depends, do you have what I need?" Mila asked.

"Of course, Mimi, you know I do," he said, tossing a duffel to her. She crouched down and unzipped the bag, finding a stack of cash inside. She quickly zipped it back up and slung it over her shoulder, pulling a scrap of paper from her pocket.

"The security guard passes by the front door every twenty minutes," she explained, handing him the piece of paper. "If you time it right, you should have enough time to use the code to unlock the door and get what you need."

"Much appreciated, Mimi," he said, taking the paper and offering a smile. "What about that technology place your firm is representing? Anything new on that?"

Mila kept her expression even and shook her head. "No," she lied. She'd been helping the gang steal for the past several months, only because she got a decent cut from it and it was the only way Stella's bills were getting paid. She had no problem doing it to businesses that were about to go out anyway thanks to their corruption. Doing it to the new technology business who had an owner with a good heart, she wouldn't do. "Sorry. Someone else is working the case and I haven't been able to get anything out of it yet."

"Let me know if it changes," he said, pushing off the wall and stashing the paper in his pocket. "Pleasure doing business with you."

Mila gave him a smile and kept the strap of the bag close to her chest as she walked away, passing through the dark neighborhood again, picking up her pace anytime someone looked her way for too long. She got on the bus as soon as she could and several stops later, arrived in front of Terry's house. The lights shining through the front window told her he was probably still awake, but she didn't feel like talking to him and it was past Stella's bedtime. She could see Stella without having to deal with Terry.

Circling around to the side of the house, Mila used the trellis to climb up to the second floor. Pushing her fingers under the small edge of the window, she raised it up to a room that might've been dark since the main light was off, but the nightlight was so bright it didn't really seem dark at all. Stella's head lifted from the mountain of blankets and Mila put her finger to her lips. "Shhh, it's just me."

"Sissy?" Stella blinked, rubbing her eyes sleepily, her hand catching on the oxygen tube in her nose.

"Careful," Mila said, climbing through the window and closing it behind her. She set her duffle bag down quietly and tiptoed over to Stella's bed, sitting on the edge and disentangling her sister's hand from the oxygen tube. "There you go," she said, pulling Stella into a gentle hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Itchy," Stella pouted, rubbing at her skin.

"Let me see," Mila said pulling Stella's sleeve back, seeing a rash on her skin. Mila frowned, tracing her finger over the rash. Terry told her Stella started getting the rashes now so it wasn't a surprise to see, but still upsetting. It was an indication the lymphoma was spreading if it was now affecting her skin when it hadn't before.

"Terry put cream on it before bed," Stella explained. "It helped a little but it's still itchy."

"Maybe at your next doctor appointment they can give you something better," Mila said, pulling the sleeve down and brushing back Stella's curls. "Try not to scratch it, okay? I know it's hard but it'll feel even worse if you scratch it too much."

"I know," Stella yawned, rubbing at her eyes again. "Terry told me."

"That's good," Mila said. "You should listen to him. He knows what he's talking about."

"Are you mad at him again?" Stella asked, frowning. "Is that why you didn't come for pizza?"

"No, of course not," Mila said, setting her hand on Stella's. Mila decided a long time ago that Stella did not need to be in the middle of her and Terry's fighting. They were the only people she had left and Terry was her legal guardian. Mila refused to put more stress on the eight-year-old. "No, I just... I had something I had to do."

"Oh," Stella nodded, grabbing her teddy bear and holding it to her chest. "Maybe you can come next time, then."

"I promise," Mila said.

"You look so beautiful today," Stella smiled, setting her hands on Mila's face. "I hope if I get big, I'm just like you."

Mila's heart broke a little at Stella's use of the word 'if'. She was too young to worry about whether or not she'd get to be big.

"Don't say that, Estella," Mila said, shaking her head. "When you get big, you should just be you, not anyone else."

"Well, I hope I'm at least as pretty as you," Stella grinned.

"You're already way prettier," Mila said, nuzzling Stella's nose.

Stella giggled and threw her arms around Mila's neck. "Are you going to leave now?" Stella asked, looking up at her.

Mila's heart pounded painfully and she took a deep breath to keep the tears away. The last thing Stella needed was to see Mila cry. She didn't usually have such a problem not crying but it was weighing on her. Every doctor visit, they left with less hope. Despite all the hours Mila spent working, it never seemed to be enough to cover Stella's bills, even with Terry's contribution as well. She couldn't handle watching another person die.

"Well, that's up to you," Mila said with a small shrug. "I kind of wanted to stay the night."

I'll take as much time with you as I can possibly get, she thought.

"Like a sleepover?" Stella asked, her eyes going wide.

"Yeah," Mila smiled, poking her on the nose. "Like a secret sleepover. Girls only."

"Okay," Stella grinned, laying back on her bed.

"Okay," Mila agreed, bending down to remove her shoes. As soon as she was done, she climbed into bed next to Stella, pulling her into a hug and cradling her little sister's head in her chest.

"Will you be gone before I wake up?" Stella asked.

"Of course not. I'll be here when you wake up. I love you for always," Mila said, kissing the top of Stella's head. 'I love you for always' was something their mom used to say all the time, before the dementia took over and left her unsure who her children even were. They still said it, in memory of her and the person she was before the disease took over, the person they sometimes got glimpses of even afterwards, before death claimed her.

"I love you for always, sissy," Stella yawned, snuggling into Mila's chest while Mila's eyes focused on the oxygen tank keeping her sister breathing. It wasn't until she heard the soft snores of Estella sleeping that she let the a few quiet tears escape. God, if you're listening, please don't take my Estella away from me. You already got my mom, you already got my best friend, don't take away my little sister too.