Chapter 3
I felt suffocated in this house, but that woman looked even more miserable than me.
I kept trying to suck up to her, and she stayed ice-cold, completely ignoring my attempts to get on her good side.
Whenever this happened, Dad would publicly take her side, telling me not to bother “Aunt Quinn.”
But privately, Dad would slip me money to make up for it.
I was totally satisfied. Who needs love when you’ve got cash!
I’d been living there for less than a month and had already saved up five thousand bucks.
When summer ended, I had to go back to school.
I was in seventh grade-still five years until college.
I could handle it!
On my first day back, I walked out of school and saw Mom waiting for me.
She’d gotten skinnier and looked exhausted.
I walked up to her and said flatly: “What are you doing here?”
She didn’t say anything, just looked at me with red rimmed eyes
Her hand started to reach out but stopped, like she didn’t dare touch me
I simply grabbed her hand and put it on my face. “If you want to touch, then touch”
Mom’s hands were rough from years of housework, nothing like Quinn’s smooth ones, but they felt solid and real.
“You’ve lost weight… Is Lincoln mistreating you? Not taking care of you property?
“Do you… want to come back and live with me?”
I looked at the hope in Mom’s eyes and slowly shook my head.
I said quietly: “My living expenses, school fees, tutoring costs-they’d crush you.”
“You haven’t worked since you got married. What would you use to support both of us?”
“That house you’re living in now? Sure, you got it in the divorce, but it’s Lincoln’s work unit housing. He could take it back anytime.”
“No money, no house-how would we survive?”
I wasn’t being heartless. This was just brutal reality.
After their divorce, Mom had no clue how much money Dad had, and their only house belonged to his work unit.
Even with me staying with Dad this time around, Mom still couldn’t squeeze any money out of him.
Mom’s eyes dimmed, and she said sadly: “You’re right… What could I use to support you… I’m useless…”
I pulled out all the money I’d saved-bills and coins totaling $5,121-and put it in Mom’s hands.
Mom tried to push it away, but I was firm: “Mom, take the money. Figure out some small business you can do to make money. Only when you can stand on your own and earn an income can I come back to live with you.”
Tears started streaming down Mom’s face. She quickly turned away.
I didn’t say anything, just waited for her to pull herself together.
When Mom had calmed down, she faced me again, but only took two thousand dollars and handed the rest back: “This is enough. Just wait for me, honey. I’ll work hard to make money so I can bring you home soon.”
“I believe in you.” I knew Mom was stubborn-when she said two thousand was enough, that’s all she’d take.
My confidence made her eyes light up instantly.
