CHAPTER 4
The next morning, Madison texted her mother, Carol, and asked her to babysit.
Carol responded immediately with several happy faces and said she’d be right over since she happened to be in the neighborhood.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Madison sat at the kitchen table sipping coffee until her mother rang the doorbell.
“Hi, Mom.” Madison embraced her mother and pointed toward the coffee pot. “Help yourself. Betsy’s still asleep.” She hesitated, wondering how much to tell her mother, and decided on a simple, “I’ve got some business to take care of.”
Carol eyed Madison. “You’re being mysterious.”
“I’ll explain later. Thanks for coming over on such short notice.” Madison wasn’t in the mood to discuss her non-job, especially with Betsy’s Christmas gifts weighing heavily on her.
Madison hopped in her car and drove directly to Target. She had tossed and turned all night and knew she appeared bedraggled with uncombed hair and wrinkled clothes but didn’t care. Besides, who would be at Target on a workday morning?
Before she lost her confidence, Madison practically marched toward the back of the store. Surprised to see a sign indicating the layaway department had been moved to aisle two, she trudged to the opposite side of the store weaving around shoppers and bulging carts.
Knowing she had to take care of the layaway dilemma—and fast—Madison had rehearsed her sudden unemployed explanation in her head several times. Maybe a kind, understanding employee will be working. Better yet, an employee who has lost their job abruptly before the holidays.
Madison’s shoulders tensed the closer she got to the back of the store. When she spotted another long line snaking around the toy aisle leading to Customer Service, she groaned aloud. A few shoppers stared in her direction while others with bulging bags pushed their way in between customers in the lay-away line. It seemed as though everyone was in a hurry and most were in a bad mood.
Madison’s heart hammered the closer she got to the counter. She brightened when she spotted a bun-wearing, elderly woman at the counter. Good. Maybe she’ll be empathetic like sweet Mrs. Stapp. But the second Madison approached the counter, a young man told the older woman to go on break, punched in some numbers on the register, and said, “Next.”
Great. He doesn’t look nearly as caring and understanding. The younger employee appeared to be half listening to the customer in front of Madison. He even took a phone call, held clothing in the other hand, and shrugged impatiently. Madison considered leaving and returning when the elderly employee came back from break. She glanced at the customers behind her. The line was now even longer, so she decided to stay put.
“Next.” The employee waved Madison forward.
Her feet felt like concrete bricks.
The young man frowned and pointed. “You’re next.”
“Sorry.” Madison lowered her voice as she fished for the notice in her purse. She could feel the man’s impatience as she searched her bag.
He exhaled as she plunked it on the counter. All he said was, “Name?”
Madison leaned forward and lowered her voice. “You see I lost my job. Yesterday. The whole thing was very sudden. My boss’s wife-”
The employee waved his hand in front of her face. “We’re very busy today, ma’am. It’s the holidays. I don’t need your life story.”
“Sorry.” Madison felt her cheeks burn as tears snaked down her cheeks. “Um, I can pay ten dollars on my lay-away. There’s nothing on the account for me. It’s toys and a bike for my daughter’s Christmas.”
“Name?”
“Madison.”
“Madison, I need your last name to look up your account.” He plucked the overdue notice out of her hand. “Never mind I can look up your account from this.”
After what seemed like hours, he shook his head. “Sorry, you’ll need to put more than ten dollars down. I see you’ve paid half but Christmas is in two weeks. If you can’t pay your bill, we’ve got to put the toys back on the shelves so someone can enjoy them.”
Madison opened her worn wallet and gulped. “I can manage twenty dollars, I guess. I need to save enough for food and-”
“Sorry, ma’am. That’s still not enough. Maybe you’d like to put a couple of toys back.” He scanned the document. “Or the bike. It’s the most expensive item on your list.”
“Betsy asked Santa for each of these toys. It’s only four things. That’s not too much for a child to ask.” A sob escaped and Madison placed her head on the counter and bawled big, heaving sobs.
“Ma’am, please stop crying.” The employee’s voice softened slightly. “I’m following store policy. We work with customers whenever we can but I have to enforce the rules.” The clerk blew out his breath. “There’s a long line behind you. We need a payment to keep these items on layaway. I wish we didn’t but we’re a business, too.”
Madison blew her nose loudly. “How much do I owe?”
“Ninety-five dollars and thirty-five cents.” The employee squinted at the screen. “You’ve already paid forty-five dollars.” He drummed his fingers on the counter as he waited for her response.