Chapter two

The next day, right before her mother could leave for work, Lily took out her envelope from her safe box and waited for her mother to come out from the bathroom to show it to her. “Look mama, this arrived yesterday and you were so tired that I couldn’t tell you about it.”

“What is it dear?” Abigail asked, taking the envelope from her with a small smile.

“It’s my acceptance letter. I have been accepted in City University of New York, mama I’m so happy,” she smiled brightly. She was so taken by her happiness that she didn’t notice how her mother’s fingers shook from opening the envelope after she heard her. Realizing that something is wrong when her mother remained motionless for some time, she stopped her happy chanter, “mama, are you alright?” She closed their distance and held her arm, getting her mother to look at her with tear filled eyes, “mama, what’s wrong, why are you crying?” Her voice cracked.

“Dear, I’m so sorry but,” Abigail wiped her daughter’s tears with her thumb, “I can’t send you to college.”

“Mama,” Lily was shocked, “wha-wha-what happened mama? You told me you would and that you are already saving some money.”

“Yes dear, I really was saving the money and I really want to send you to college but...”

“What mama, tell me, I’m no longer a little girl, I can handle it. Why can’t you send me to college mama?”

“Dear, do you remember that time I got sick and my left breast kept aching me?”

“Yes mama.”

“I went to the hospital, I ran a test,” she released her and went to the wardrobe, she opened it and hidden under a heap of her clothes was an envelope. She brought it and opened it, “that was when I found out I have breast cancer,” she turned to her and showed her the test result.

“Mama! Why didn’t you tell me this?” Lilly asked as her eyes welled up while looking at the result in her mother’s hand, “this happened two years ago mama, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m sorry dear but you were so young, I can’t tell you such a thing.”

“I was sixteen mama!”

“I know dear, but what could you have done? I couldn’t even do anything myself and I can’t start troubling you with my problems.”

“I’m your daughter mama, I should know your problems. We only have each other mama, you should tell me things!” She forcefully wiped away her tears.

“I’m sorry dear, I’m so sorry. I just didn’t want you to lose focus on your studies.”

“What’s the essence mama? What’s the essence of going to school when you are sick? I should be the one working and taking care of you.”

“No my dear, it was your father’s wish that you complete your education, at least high school.”

“But mama...”

“Lilly dear, you love school, very much. I can never bear to see you leaving school to work.”

“But mama, I can work after school. I did it before.”

“And you were almost raped. Dear, I will never let you go through that again.”

“But mama, it was because I was returning late...”

“It’s because you were working late. I will never let you do that again, no,” Abigail shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks.

“But what am I going to do now mama, you are sick, I can’t let you do all the work alone.”

“Yes you will. Listen my dear, I’m fine now. It’s true I took all my savings for your college to buy medicine for the past two years but I’m better now, I don’t need the medications anymore. Just give me some time, I will save enough money and I will send you to school, it’s a promise I made to you and your father, I must fulfill it.”

“But mama...”

“Hush now, you won’t be starting school till next year right?”

“Yes mama.”

“Don’t worry, I have a year to save up some money for you, I can do that. Besides, if it gets too difficult, I will meet Mrs. Lockwood to loan me some money.”

“No mama, don’t do that,” Lilly took her hand in hers, “you won’t be able to pay it off.”

“Don’t worry my dear, I will. I will just ask her to pay me my salaries for six month or so. It won’t be hard.”

“But mama...”

“No, it’s decided. I don’t want to hear about this anymore. Lillian, you will go to college, it’s a promise,” she smiled and kissed her forehead, “I need to prepare for work now before I run late.”

“Yes mama. I will go clean up the house,” Lilly turned to leave the room and turned to look at her mother again, “mama, I promise you, one day all these will be stories. I will save us and I will give you the best of life.”

Abigail smiled, “I know you will my dear, that’s why I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you mama,” she smiled and left the room.

***

Two days later, Lilly finally made up her mind and decided to tell her mother of her decision on what she has been thinking since the past two days. She didn’t know if she was going to agree to it but they don’t have many options and agreeing to hers was the best and she was determined to make her see that. She sat in the living room, waiting for her to come home while running through her mind how to begin the conversation.

“Why are you still up Lilly?” Abigail was shocked to see her still awake when she got home.

“I was waiting for you,” Lillian replied with a smile and went to her to take her bags.

“I have told you to stop that,” Abigail cautioned before walking passed her to the kitchen to drop the left over foods she came home with, not minding that she had wanted to take them from her.

“I know mama but I wanted to tell you something.”

“What is that dear?”

Lillian licked her lips, reading off the list she had made in her mind, she said, “Since you won’t let me find work somewhere else, I have decided to follow you to work.”

Abigail turned to her immediately, “what do you mean?”

“You are sick mama, and I have a year before going to school. Rather than stay at home and watch you do all the work, why not follow you to work. I will work as a maid too in the mansion, I will receive salaries. We can make savings together, like that, you won’t have to ask to be paid for the months you haven’t worked. We will sum up our savings together then next year, I will start school. Please don’t say no mama, I want to help you, I have not been resting easy knowing you are sick and still working yourself to death. Please mama, I want to save up money for my school too, please.”

Abigail looked away from her as the tears fell from her eyes, “I don’t want you to work for the Lockwood’s. I don’t want you to be a maid.”

“It’s only for a year mama, only for a year. And if you don’t let me, I will go look for work elsewhere, I mean it mama. So don’t you think it will be better if we work together, that way you can keep an eye on me and nothing bad will happen to me?”

Abigail heaved a sigh, realizing she was right and the fact that it was a good option and would also reduce the weight on her shoulder. “Only for a year?”

“Only for a year.”

Abigail let out a deep breath, “fine, tomorrow I will tell Mrs. Lockwood and know what she will say about it.”

Lilly was ecstatic, she didn’t know she would agree so easily. She quickly rushed to her and hugged her from behind, “thank you mama, thank you so much.”

“It’s alright, we just have to hope that Mrs. Lockwood agrees.”

“She will agree mama, she will agree,” Lilly said hopefully, happy she didn’t have to read the long note she had made in her mind to convince her with.

Abigail sighed, she hoped so too.