I never expected it to be a telemarketer! Great twist.

Great wording here: "The sound of her phone's ring had always been an invitation. These prank calls were twisting it into a jeer."

My favorite sentence is this one: "Natalie felt a crashing wave of guilt, as if she had done something unconscionable in growing up -- in consuming those precious years, as if it were a zero-sum equation." So perfect.

This section of reflection is also especially powerful: " She had been someone else, before her parents had died and Nana had had to take in Natalie and her brother. The wide, safe world had narrowed, thundered and struck, and the child Natalie had changed to survive. But Richie, only Richie, had come through both worlds with her."

I love her dragging Nick out to the store, her chatting with Sydney. You've got a nice balance of action and introspection to keep the story moving and this is just hilarious: "Even Roger had noticed that she needed to get out more. And he was psychotic."

This was just really excellent. You give very good Nat.