Chapter 6 Hope
My heart was beating so fast. I was so scared. I didn’t know if he was going to yell at me, or, worse, fire my mom because I was in the library, a part of the house that I knew was probably off limits. I couldn’t find my voice. I opened my mouth several times trying to explain myself, but nothing intelligent seemed to come out.
As soon as he walked out of the library, I ran. I couldn’t quite remember what direction I’d come in, but I ran nonetheless. I came to a part of the house that looked familiar. I glanced over and saw the kitchen where I’d placed the food that my mother had prepared and made a beeline for the front door. I was scared and embarrassed. I just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
I jumped into my car, started the engine, and sped out of the driveway, almost hitting the gate on my way out. My heart was beating out of my chest. My chest was starting to tighten. I tried to breathe, but couldn’t seem to get enough air. I didn’t know how I was going to explain this to my mother.
When I got home, I found my mother sitting at the kitchen table with opened mail scattered around her. She had tears in her eyes and her head hung low.
“Mom? What’s going on? Are you okay?” My mother almost never cried. My heart started to beat fast again for the second time in less than an hour.
“No,” answered my mother, sounding defeated. “I am drowning in bills and I have no idea how I am going to pay them.” She collapsed into a coughing fit, struggling to catch her breath.
“Mom, it’s okay,” I reassured her, rubbing her back while she continued to cough. I hated seeing her so upset. “We’re going to be okay.”
My mom shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks.
“I just don’t know how, Hope. The money that I’m making working is just not enough. And now, with me being so sick and having doctor’s bills on top of it, I just don’t see how we’re going to make it.”
My mother broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. I felt so bad for her. It was a huge load to carry alone and I knew it. And to be sick on top of it. I felt helpless as I watched my mother fall apart.
Stopping abruptly and uncovering her tear-stained face, she asked, “Why are you back so early? I know that you can work pretty fast, but there’s no way that you did that whole big house already.”
I really didn’t want to give her more bad news, especially considering she was already stressed and upset. But, I knew that I was going to have to tell her sooner rather than later, so I figured I might as well do it like a band aid and just rip right into it.
“Okay, don’t be mad…”
“Oh, no,” my mother groaned. I thought that she was going to collapse right there at the table.
“I was in the library…”
“Why were you in the library?” my mother interrupted wildly. “You are NEVER supposed to step foot on that side of the house! I told you that.”
“I know! I’m sorry! I was just trying to get a look at the house. It’s huge! But, anyway, I think I startled him or something and he came into the library with a bat like I was a burglar or something. I guess I just got really scared, so I left.”
“Hope!” my mother shouted. “I’m sitting here stressed about paying the bills and this could potentially really set me back. Mr. King pays me the most out of all of my clients, so I really can’t afford to lose him. Especially right now.”
Those had been my thoughts the whole drive back from Mr. King’s mansion. I was letting my mom down. I was adding to her stress. I had to fix this.
“I’m sure that everything will be okay.” I said, trying to convince myself as much as my mother.
“You have to go back and clean that house. There is really no other way around it.”
Going back into that house was one of the last things that I wanted to do. But, I couldn’t bear to let my mom down again. I couldn’t stand the thought that I could possibly be the reason that she would shed more tears. I was willing to do anything, even voluntarily go back into that house.
“Of course, Mom. I’ll go back and do an amazing job. And I know what else I’ll do. I’ll bake him an apple pie. There’s no way that he can still be mad if I bring him one of those.”
“He was mad?” asked my mother, fear beginning to creep into her voice.
“Well, not mad. But, I don’t think that he was happy that I was in that part of the house.”
My mother fell silent and her gaze drifted off. She was lost in her thoughts and I could tell.
“Thank you, Hope,” she said, mustering strength to let a plastic smile play about her lips.
“You’re welcome, Mom,” I said, squeezing her shoulders and then walking toward my bedroom.
I closed the door to my bedroom once I got there and sunk to the floor against it. I could still hear the faint sound of my mother crying. I thought that my heart was going to break.