Chapter 37: A Hard-Earned Reward
Melanie held the brand-new phone in her hands, filled with a sense of achievement. She had worked long hours, pulling extra shifts at the convenience store to save enough money to buy it. It had taken her weeks, but she finally bought her very first phone.
She looked at the sleek device, its shiny screen reflecting her excited face. She had never owned, let alone held, anything this nice before, and it filled her with a surge of pride. This was the result of her hard work, her perseverance.
However, the joy she felt was slightly dampened by the reality of her situation. Much of her earnings had gone towards buying meals for herself and her mother, Shiela. She barely made enough to cover their living expenses, and this purchase had cost nearly all her savings.
Things at home had only gotten worse. Shiela’s constant complaints and demands were taking a toll on Melanie. She felt drained, physically and emotionally. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to care for her mother, and she was nearing her breaking point.
Shiela’s sense of entitlement was becoming unbearable. Despite Melanie’s efforts to save money by preparing homemade meals, Shiela was constantly dissatisfied, insisting on more expensive food options and often comparing Melanie’s cooking unfavorably to local restaurants. Ever since her attempted confrontation with David at the pub, Shiela had become even more difficult to please. She constantly complained about the cleanliness of their home, despite Melanie’s best efforts to keep everything tidy. The constant criticism was wearing Melanie down, adding to the strain of their already tense relationship.
With every disparaging comment and unreasonable demand, Melanie felt herself growing more and more distant from her mother. The rift between them seemed to widen with each passing day, and Melanie was at a loss on how to mend it.
Last evening, after coming home from a particularly long shift at the convenience store, Melanie found Shiela in a fit of rage. Apparently, the lunch Melanie had prepared wasn’t up to Shiela’s liking, which had set her off. Too tired to confront her mother another time, Melanie resigned to quietly clean up the mess, doing her best to subdue the tears welling up in her eyes.
As Melanie studied and admired her new phone, she smiled.
This is my first step towards independence. Maybe, if I work hard enough, I can move out like David did.
It was a thought that filled her with determination.
Melanie had long felt loyal and responsible for the care of her mother, but her recent discovery of Shiela’s secret stash of money had her considering what it would be like to leave the home and let Shiela take care of herself.
Melanie had stumbled upon a bank statement while cleaning, revealing a balance that made her heart stop. It turned out Shiela had inherited a substantial amount from Melanie’s grandparents. It became clear to Melanie that her mother’s constant complaints and demands were an attempt to hoard her own wealth, likely to fund shopping sprees and exorbitant outings. This revelation only added to the growing resentment Melanie felt towards Shiela.
With a deep sigh, Melanie tried to shake off the anger and disappointment that filled her. She couldn’t help but feel repulsed by her mother’s actions. Shiela had been gallivanting around the city, shamelessly manipulating men into buying her expensive gifts and meals while hoarding her wealth and making her own daughter feel responsible for providing for the family. It was a disgusting display of selfishness and greed that made Melanie’s stomach churn.
Melanie cherished a growing hope within her that David would visit soon. Now that she had finally managed to buy her own phone, they could exchange contact information and keep in touch. But exchanging numbers was just a small part of her longing.
She yearned to see her brother, to feel the comfort of his presence, to listen to his voice spinning tales of his life, and to share the simple joy of a sibling’s hug. She missed the deep connection they shared, the bond of being not just siblings but also best friends.
It was a void in her life that couldn’t be filled by anyone else, a unique space reserved for David alone. Every day without him was a reminder of the distance that had grown between them.
She could almost envision their reunion, David’s surprised yet pleased look when he sees the shiny new phone she had worked so hard to buy. She could imagine his laughter as he adds his number into her contacts, likely with a ridiculous nickname attached. She could feel the warmth of his praise, acknowledging her hard work and determination.
Melanie didn’t know when she would see him again. But the mere thought of their reunion was enough to keep her going, enough to help her persevere until she could follow in his footsteps and make a life of her own.
Copyright © 2024 by A. J. Knight
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email Hello@tmDavidHall.com with the subject line “Attention: Permissions Coordinator.”
Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination.