ห้องสมุด
ค้นหา
หน้าหลัก / Cutting Ties After the Last Dollar / Chapter 2

แชร์

Chapter 2

ผู้เขียน: Southern Mist
It was 97 degrees in July.

Dressed in a bulky bear mascot costume, I stood outside the entrance of a newly opened shopping mall, waving customers inside.

It was one of the highest-paying gigs posted in the local part-time job group.

I bounced around in the oversized bear suit, dancing and posing for photos. Inside the costume, the heat was suffocating.

My forehead was drenched in sweat. With every move I made, drops trickled into my eyes, burning terribly as I blinked through the pain.

My lips were dry and cracked. What I wouldn’t give for a sip of cold water.

“Mommy, the blueberry ice cream is yucky.”

It was Millie’s voice.

Turning toward the sound, I saw Ethan and Cassie emerging from the mall laden with shopping bags.

Millie walked between them, holding an ice cream cone with a frown.

Cassie took the ice cream from Millie and dumped it in a trash can.

“If you don’t like it, we’ll just throw it away. I’ll make you a milkshake once we get home.”

Millie glanced around and spotted me dressed as a mascot at the mall entrance.

“Yay! That’s a cute teddy bear!”

Lifting the hem of her little dress, she scampered over and looked at me with wide, blinking eyes.

“Mommy! Daddy! I want a picture with the teddy!”

“Sure thing. I’ll hold you up, Millie.”

Ethan walked over and scooped Millie up, so her face snuggled right against the giant plush head.

Cassie walked over and draped an arm across my shoulders.

A staff member snapped a photo of us together.

Only I knew the photo captured the four of us as a family.

In fact, I had taken photos with Ethan and Cassie when I was little, too.

Back then, Ethan and Cassie took me to an amusement park, holding my hand tightly between them.

Ethan ecstatically lifted me high over his head and set me on top of a giant apple statue.

I clung to the giant apple, terrified I’d fall.

Cassie looked up at me with a smile and said, “There’s nothing to be afraid of, Meadow. I’m right here. I’ll catch you for sure.”

Then, a park employee took a photo of us.

Just like today, it was Ethan and Cassie on either side while I was in the middle.

The only difference was, back then I wore a new dress Cassie bought me, and Millie was not in the picture.

“Alright. We got the picture. Now, let’s head home. It’s scorching out here.”

Ethan put Millie down and picked up the shopping bags again.

Taking Millie by the hand, Cassie walked toward the parking lot.

The trio drifted further away until they disappeared around a corner.

I danced at the mall entrance all day long, and at the end of the day, I collected a hundred bucks from the manager.

With cash in hand, I bought a bottle of cold water and gulped the whole thing down.

Back home, Ethan was playing board games with Millie while Cassie was busy in the kitchen.

Retreating to my bedroom, I put the remaining cash into the tin box.

I logged today’s earnings in my notebook: July 10 – Earned $98.

“Meadow, get in here and give me a hand!”

At the sound of Cassie’s voice, I put away the tin box and went to the kitchen.

“Look at you, running around all day doing God knows what.

“Don’t get comfortable just because high school’s over. Your father and I are only covering half of your college fees.”

Cassie was filleting fish at the kitchen counter, grumbling under her breath.

“I wasn’t out hanging around. I was working. Didn’t you say that I’m behind on the payments?”

Cassie glanced up at me, her gaze filled with strange, unreadable emotions.

“At least you’re finally acting responsibly. Go on. Shuck those. Millie wants baked cod with corn for dinner tonight.

“Get those shucked, and I won’t charge you for tonight’s food.”

I quietly pulled up a small stool and started peeling back the husks.

Minutes later, Millie came running in.

“What are you doing, Meadow? Let me in on the fun, too.”

Millie reached for an ear of corn.

Cassie was quick to stop her.

“Oh, no, sweetheart. What are you doing? You’ll scratch your hands on the husks.

“Hurry along and play with Daddy. Meadow and I can handle this.”

Without a peep, I carried on shucking corn.

By the time I’d finished the whole pile, the coarse corn silk had worked its way beneath my fingernails.

All ten of my fingertips were raw, itchy, and stinging.

อ่านหนังสือเล่มนี้ต่อได้ฟรี
สแกนรหัสเพื่อดาวน์โหลดแอป
บทที่แล้ว บทต่อไป

บทล่าสุด

  • Cutting Ties After the Last Dollar   Chapter 9

    Natalie’s research was funded by one of national largest federal research grants, and I was the youngest undergraduate in the lab. Every week, we had three lab meetings and two journal club presentations.While everyone else whined about the workload, I’d already read nearly everything I could find in our field.Natalie called on me during one lab meeting. “Meadow did excellent work on the report. The data is solid, and the analysis is thorough. I have nothing to pick at. “I’d like everyone to take a page from Meadow’s book.” The rest of the lab turned to look at me, the admiration clear in their eyes. They knew I was always the last one to leave the lab. I finished my first term with top marks. As winter break started, I signed up for campus housing.The campus was practically deserted during the winter holidays. Most of the local students had already gone home for the holidays, and the international students headed home as soon as they wrapped up their research.I s

  • Cutting Ties After the Last Dollar   Chapter 8

    Cassie held a paper bag while Ethan stood behind her. She looked like she had aged in mere months. There was more gray at her temples, and the lines around her eyes had grown deeper.Her lips quivered, and her eyes welled up when she spotted me. “Meadow…” Cassie strode over and pressed the paper bag into my arms. “I bought you a new dress. Try it on and see if it fits.“It must be tough studying here. You’ve lost a lot of weight. We’ll take you out for a nice meal, alright?” Ethan approached and raised his arm to pat me on the shoulder. “You disappeared on us without saying a word. Your mother and I have been asking around until your faculty advisor told us that you made it into the University of Harbor…” Not taking the paper bag, I stepped back several paces. “I’m good. I have enough clothes in my wardrobe. “Besides, I don’t want to pay for half the cost.” Cassie shed tears. “Forget about that. No more going fifty-fifty for us. I bought this just for you. It won’

  • Cutting Ties After the Last Dollar   Chapter 7

    Over the next few days, Ethel seemed to lose her sharp tongue. She often asked me to stay for a while, telling me stories of her younger days. One day, I came to her place as usual. When I let myself in, Ethel didn’t answer like she always did. With my internal alarm bells ringing, I pushed open her bedroom door and found her lying in bed, her face pale. I dialed the emergency line right away, and the paramedics arrived in no time. In the back of the ambulance, I gave Christine a call, and the latter told me she’d catch the next flight back. Once at the hospital, I sat outside the ICU, staring blankly through the glass at Ethel’s frail body, surrounded by tubes and monitors.The sharp click of high heels echoed down the hallway.Christine rushed in, a handbag slung over her shoulder, weary from her long flight. I watched Christine throw herself over Ethel’s bedside, breaking out in tears. A while later, Christine emerged and looked at me. “Thank you for caring for

  • Cutting Ties After the Last Dollar   Chapter 6

    The next day, I followed the address to an old residential building. I tapped lightly against a wrought-iron door. A grizzle-haired old lady opened the door, clutching a walking stick. She was skin and bones. She looked me up and down, her gaze icy and hard. “So you’re supposed to care for me?” “Hello there, I’m Meadow,” I greeted Ethel politely. Letting out a scoff, Ethel leaned on her walking stick, turned around, and walked inside. “You’re too young to understand about care. You’re probably here to slack off.” Without a word, I put down my bag and stayed close behind her. Tanya was right about Ethel’s quirky behavior. One minute, she’d say that the mashed potatoes were too lumpy. The next, she’d complain they’d turned out too thin.According to her, I took too much time mopping the floor. At that rate, I wouldn’t have time to rub her feet. When I helped her to the bathroom, I’d hold onto her so she wouldn’t fall, but apparently, my grip was too tight. I never

  • Cutting Ties After the Last Dollar   Chapter 5

    “We’re back, Meadow!“We got you a souvenir. Since you didn’t get to join us, I won’t make you pay for your share or this one.” With a gift box in hand, Cassie opened the door to my room. The room was empty. The ledger and money were placed right where no one could miss them. While mumbling to herself, Cassie pocketed the money into her purse. “At least you have some sense to pay up without me asking.” At six in the evening, Cassie had dinner ready, but no one came to the front door. “Isn’t Meadow home yet?” Ethan frowned. Cassie added a piece of fish to Millie's plate.“She’s probably busy with her lemonade cart. Give it a little more time.” Meanwhile, I was on a bus to college.The cabin was softly lit, and outside the window, the darkness rolled by in an endless blur. Every so often, the glow of a small town flashed past.Leaning against the window, I nibbled on a sandwich I’d picked up at the station.Across from me sat a young woman with glasses. She offered me

  • Cutting Ties After the Last Dollar   Chapter 4

    It was ten at night when I dragged my weary body to my room. Fishing out the tin box, I deposited the money I’d earned as usual. However, I opened the box to find only a few crumpled bills. The large notes were gone. With shaking hands, I counted the scattered change, which was just a little over four hundred bucks. That couldn’t be right. I had stashed the money safely. Just yesterday, it was just shy of a grand when I counted. Just as I was frantically tearing my room apart, my bedroom door creaked open.Millie said to me with a beaming face, “Meadow, I bought Mom a birthday present!” “A present? What kind of present? Where did you find the money?” My heart raced as the worst-case scenario came to mind. “I found some in this tin box. There was so much money in it!” Millie pointed at the box in my hand innocently. I snapped. It took nearly a month of labor to save the money, only for Millie to give it away as if it were hers to spend. “Millie, you’re eight now

บทอื่นๆ

บางทีคุณอาจจะชอบ

สำรวจและอ่านนวนิยายดีๆ ได้ฟรี
เข้าถึงนวนิยายดีๆ จำนวนมากได้ฟรีบนแอป GoodNovel ดาวน์โหลดหนังสือที่คุณชอบและอ่านได้ทุกที่ทุกเวลา
อ่านหนังสือฟรีบนแอป
สแกนรหัสเพื่ออ่านบนแอป
DMCA.com Protection Status