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Mom Sent Me a Bill

Mom Sent Me a Bill

Short Story · Emotional Realism
By:  Luna MarisCompleted
Language: English
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10Chapters
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Feel-Good Story

Familial Bond

Bias

Family Emotions

Face Slapping

Biological Family

After I started college, Mom said she'd send me money in installments. "Lucia, you're an adult now. I want you to learn how to manage money, so I'll give you your living expenses in installments." I figured she meant monthly. Maybe weekly, worst case. Then move-in day came. Mom walked around the cafeteria, checked the prices, and sent $8 to my payment app. I stared at my phone. "Mom, did you send the wrong amount?" She smiled. "Silly girl. That's your lunch money for today. I checked already. Just get the cheapest grab-and-go meal. "From now on, ask me for money before each meal." I froze. So by installments, she didn't mean monthly. Or weekly. She meant one meal at a time. By day three, I stood at the breakfast counter, unable to afford a $1.50 egg. Mom still wouldn't send me anything. "I just bought Ryan a house outright yesterday. I don't have extra cash right now. Skipping one meal won't kill you." The cafeteria worker looked at me with shock and pity. Her expression crushed what was left of my pride. That day, clutching the egg the worker had given me, I started looking for a job online. But once I stopped needing Mom, she panicked.

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10 Chapters
Chapter 1
On day four of freshman orientation, I stared at my message forever, typing and deleting it over and over before finally hitting send.[Mom, orientation's almost over. If I skip breakfast, I won't have enough energy for everything today. Can you just send me $3?]She replied almost instantly.Then I read it.[$3? An egg is only $1.50. Why do you need that much? Are you trying to scam me?]My stomach twisted.Sweat slid down my temple.I was starving.Still, I kept my reply calm.[One egg isn't enough. I want a plain bagel too.]This time, she left me on read.My roommates had already eaten and were getting ready to head to the field for orientation.I pressed a hand to my growling stomach and glanced at my roommate's desk.A box of fresh pastries sat there, looking way too good.Chloe Quinn had the bed next to mine. Total rich girl.On move-in day, her parents took one look at our six-person dorm and frowned.They were worried she wouldn't sleep well—and that her attitu
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Chapter 2
I braced for Chloe to laugh too.Instead, something warm landed in my palm.I looked down.She'd put a pastry in my hand.Chloe didn't say anything. She swapped orientation shirts with me, then walked out.I ate the pastry on the way to the field.Then Ryan texted me.[Lucia, I heard you asked Mom for money this morning. You upset her so much she couldn't even eat. And honestly, you need to hear this.][She's already stressed about the house renovation. Stop asking her for money all the time. I'll send you a little. Just leave her alone for now.]I stared at the messages, totally numb.After a while, I rubbed my sore eyes and accepted the $20.'Yeah. That should get me through the rest of orientation.'Still, I hadn't expected Mom to care that little.Halfway through orientation, my freshman adviser, Demi Taylor, suddenly pulled me aside.Her face was serious."Have you been scamming your family for money?"I stared at Ms. Taylor. "What? No."Her face got even more ser
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Chapter 3
Before I could react, she took my phone and pulled up my payment app."Twenty bucks isn't enough. If you need help again, come to me first."My phone dinged with a notification:[You received $200.]I panicked. "No, I can't take your money."She shook her head, still serious. "Relax. It's a loan."I hadn't cried after going hungry for three days.I hadn't cried when Penny tore into me.But the second Ms. Taylor showed me kindness—after knowing me for only three days—I broke down.Thanks to Ms. Taylor, I finally ate decent meals and made it through orientation.The job hunt worked out too.I landed a gig handing out flyers outside a mall for twenty bucks an hour.A few shifts, and I'd be able to pay Ms. Taylor back within a week.Then, the day I got my first paycheck, Mom called."Lucia, did you get a job behind my back?"***I couldn't believe it.Besides my roommates, nobody knew about my job.Then it hit me.Yesterday was Saturday. I'd gotten up early and tried t
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Chapter 4
That was when I finally got it.Some moms really didn't love their own kids.'Fine. If I owe her, I'll pay her back. Then I'm free, right?'Within a week, I applied for financial aid and started studying like crazy between work shifts.Pure stubbornness kept me outside that mall all day.I needed money.A lot of it.What I didn't realize was that working myself into the ground wasn't going to make me rich.On my fourteenth day, my blood sugar crashed.My vision went blurry.Through the haze, I saw a white-haired woman talking to me.Before I could answer, everything went black.When I woke up, I was in the hospital.A stranger had brought me in.And just like that, my life started to change.The first person I saw was the elderly woman sitting beside my bed.Yesterday, I'd helped her with a cart full of recyclables at an intersection.Now she was holding my hand, tears in her eyes."Annie, you're awake. I've been right here. Don't be scared. Don't be scared."***I
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Chapter 5
I had zero reason to say no.At this point, I had one goal: survive.And maybe, eventually, actually live.Logan offered me $2,000 a month.All I had to do was spend weekends at his house with his grandmother.Her name was Sylvia Carter."Just call her Grandma Sylvia. That's what Annie called her."Once I signed, Logan looked relieved.Grandma Sylvia lit up like a kid.Still, something bothered me."Grandma Sylvia doesn't seem completely okay. What if she realizes I'm not Annie? Will she..."Logan got what I meant."Will she hurt you?"No. Don't worry."She'd never hurt her own kid."For some reason, that made me jealous of Annie.She'd been way luckier than me.But after everything I'd been through, calling anyone family felt impossible.Grandma Sylvia included.Spending time with her was a job. Simple as that.It was way easier than handing out flyers and paid a whole lot more.Best of all, I didn't have to wonder where my next meal was coming from.Then somehow
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Chapter 6
The next second, I heard familiar gasps behind me.I turned.My five roommates were standing there.Chloe was right up front.For one second, I thought they'd come to watch me get humiliated.Then Chloe crossed her arms."So by 'installments,' you mean Lucia has to beg her mom for money before every meal and still work a part-time job just so she can eat?"And by 'stopping her from wasting money,' you mean making her pay $1,000 a month for 'budgeting' while that money goes toward renovating her brother's house?"She gave a cold laugh."Wow. Mom of the year. Any of you want her?"One of my roommates immediately shook her head."Hard pass. Not in a million years."Chloe walked over, pried my fingers out of Lily's hair, and grabbed it herself."Who the hell are you to judge my roommate?"Apologize."With everyone staring her down, Lily finally muttered an apology.But Chloe still didn't let go.She tipped her chin at me. "Well? You gonna forgive her?"I was still kind of
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Chapter 7
Mom showed up on campus the very next day.Right in front of Ms. Taylor, she demanded I drop out."She thinks she's grown now, so apparently I can't control her anymore!"She's barely been away from home, and she's already doing something this disgusting. If this gets worse, what would her father think of me?"So I want Lucia expelled. I'm taking her home and straightening her out myself."I stared at the woman beside me.For a second, she didn't even feel like my mom.Thankfully, Ms. Taylor wasn't buying it."Ma'am, calm down."First, the school has no right to interfere in a student's private life. Second, what proof do you have that Lucia did anything wrong?"I know Lucia. She's a good student. She works weekends, keeps up with class, and could even earn a scholarship this semester."Her roommates can back that up."But Mom wouldn't listen.She was dead set on dragging me home.So I gritted my teeth and pulled out the paper I'd stayed up all night writing.A formal no
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Chapter 8
My ears rang.Before Logan could answer, I looked Mom straight in the eye."I'll pay back everything I owe you after I graduate."But starting today, you don't have a daughter anymore."Go enjoy your life with your precious son and 'stepdaughter.'"She slapped me across the face.I watched her storm out and disappear down the hall.Grandma Sylvia gently touched my cheek."Does it hurt?"I smiled."No, Grandma Sylvia. It doesn't."Because for the first time, freedom finally felt close.***Mom stopped contacting me completely.So did Ryan and Penny.Honestly, I was fine with that.I finally had some peace, and I spent every weekend with Grandma Sylvia.By the end of the semester, my grades earned me a scholarship.Between that and what Logan paid me, I could save a thousand bucks a month.Then, during my second semester, something weird started happening.Every now and then, I'd get a notification from my payment app saying a few dollars had been deposited into my ac
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Chapter 9
I tilted my head like I was actually thinking about it.Then I shrugged."You're right. It isn't."'Not Worth a Penny' suits you way better."That sent her over the edge.Even through the restaurant window, I could see her screaming every insult she could think of.I didn't care.I'd kept every cent.That money was my safety net. My shot at a better life.I thought that would be the end of it.Then Ryan called again.He sounded panicked. Someone was crying in the background."Lucia, come home. Mom's sick!"My heart stuttered.For one second, all I could see was Mom when I was little, arms open, waiting to hug me.I asked Grandma Sylvia, "Should I go?"She blinked up at me."Go. I'll wait for you."So I went home.Chloe tracked my location the whole way.[Call me if anything happens. I'll call the cops immediately.]Turns out, she had every reason to worry.The second I walked in, I saw Mom laughing with my stepdad, Gregory Blake.She looked perfectly fine.My ba
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Chapter 10
July 2023: $7.70 sent to "Annie."September 2023: $11.50.October 2023: $9.10.On and on.I kept scrolling.Altogether, Grandma Sylvia had sent me $3,569."Every time she made money selling recyclables, she sent it straight to you."Logan's words hit me like a punch.I hadn't felt pain like this since Dad died.I pressed Grandma Sylvia's phone to my chest.We weren't related by blood.But now I finally understood just how much she loved me.Then somehow, a miracle happened.The doctor came out of the ICU."She's awake."Logan rushed me inside.Grandma Sylvia slowly opened her eyes.When she saw me, she gave me the faintest smile.Her lips moved."Lucia. Live a good life."Tears spilled down my cheeks.I held her hand the way she'd always held mine."I will, Grandma Sylvia. I promise."Suddenly, the heart monitor started screaming.Doctors rushed in, and Logan and I were pushed out.Twenty minutes later, the doctor came through the doors.One look at his face,
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