To The City

Chapter 2- To The City 

“Hey, you ungrateful child, I heard you accused my daughter again. How dare you?! You are already mooching off our family and you still have the audacity to say that to Paula? Remember that you do not belong here, you should be even grateful that we are not kicking you out yet .” Elizabeth, my stepmother, started to point her finger at me, pushing me by the side of my head as soon as I stepped inside the house. And here, I just stood helpless and unmoving, while my lovely sister was sitting on the couch, doing her nails.

Quietly, when she was done picking on me, I went to my room and unbuttoned my collared shirt, leaving my sleeveless spaghetti strap on my body while I carefully placed my corporate sandals on the rack. I sat at the study table and started browsing on the internet, searching for hiring companies and a cheap apartment. I could feel that sooner or later, they would kick me out and I would have nowhere else to go. I cannot live either with Tanya, my best friend since college, because her sister is also living with her while she is studying in the city, instead of going back home to their parents in the province countryside, it is best and more cost-effective to live with Tanya who works in the same city as her school. 

“Does your company have any job openings?” I texted Tanya when I could not find any position relevant to my experience and degree in marketing.

My fingers tapped on the table while the other was on the mouse, scrolling, browsing for apartment listings. Probably, my savings could last me for three months with a cheap apartment. But what happens after three months if I also leave my dad’s company?

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard my phone beep.

“Unluckily, we don’t have yet. I will message you first thing if there is an opening.” Tanya replied.

“Why? Did something happen?” she texted again.

“Just the usual, I am so tired of this household already. Just looking if I can go somewhere else now.” I texted back.

“Aww. I am so sorry to hear that, I would love to offer you my place but you know, my sister. But you can stay here during their summer break though, she will be going back in the province by then.”

“Really? That is in three months.” I replied to her offer.

“Yup! You can stay here during the summer while looking for another apartment”

“I could probably find another work too in the city, even if it is not aligned with my degree and work experience.” 

I looked at the door when I heard a knock. I went to open it and it was Paula.

“What are you doing here?” I uttered blankly.

“Dad called and he wanted me to tell you to pack your things. He said you will be going to the city tomorrow.” 

“Why? For what?” I asked but she just shrugged her shoulders and left. I did not bother confronting her anymore for what she did earlier that day for I knew that I could not fight with her.

I know that Dad is working late again, given the status of our business, so I called him and after a few rings, he picked up.

“Dad, what am I gonna do in the city? And pack my things? The city is just a two hour drive.” I am confused. I believe I do not have any business related meetings in the city this week.

“Claire, you wanted to help our family business, right? Now, be useful and just follow what I said. Pack your things and we will be meeting important people tomorrow, 9 AM sharp and we will head out.” 

I have some more questions for him but he already ended the call. I stared at my phone before my eyes landed on my closet. I have a bad feeling about this. Are they throwing me out? But what do they mean in the city? I do not know if we have relatives in the city. Do we? 

Since the objective of tomorrow’s plan was not clear to me, and I was getting a bad feeling about it, so I did not pack my things and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower before sleeping. They are keeping me in the dark, and it is not sitting well in the pit of my stomach.

A loud banging on my door woke me up, and I knew then that it was already my Dad when I looked at the clock at my bedside table. It is already 8:30 in the morning.

“Claire!” Dad yelled at the other side of the door and I hurriedly entered the bathroom after responding, “I will be out in a few minutes.”

I bathed myself and dressed professionally, taking my handbag and pushing my iPad inside it as well as my phone before walking out of my room.

“Where is your luggage?” Paula looked behind me, her left eyebrow raised. 

Right, today is Saturday and it is her day off. 

I ignored her and ran outside when I heard the car’s loud honking, signaling that Dad was already in the car with the driver.

As soon as I entered the backseat, Dad was already frowning, “Where is your luggage? Did I not ask you to pack your things?!” his voice raised again.

“I… uh, did not pack my things last night, Dad. I did not know why. I am not going anywhere far anyway.” I replied meekly.

“Useless, useless! You do not listen to what I say! When will you start being beneficial in this family? All you do is give us a headache! You insolent, child!”

The car drove out of the perimeter and we hit the road. And along the way, Dad spoke, “Drop her off at the bus stop,” he said and I did not protest, knowing he was already mad at me. I thought I would be riding with him to the city though.

“I will see you at Vermont Corporations. Wait for me in the lobby.” he just instructed before the car drove away and I was left in the shed, waiting for a bus to arrive. 

Vermont Corporations, I heard about it once being discussed by the financial department before in a conference meeting. The corp. was one of our investors and benefactors, and that is all I know since I work in the marketing department. I am not a finance person, why should Dad bring me if he has a meeting with them? I would not be knowledgeable enough about the financial status of our company. I sighed. The December breeze from last month still lingers in the air, and I held my bag tighter when a cold wisp of it passed by.