Strange as IT Seems

Chapter 33: Proper Introductions

Mia can barely contain her excitement as she heads back to the house in Hawkins. It takes all her self-control not to speed back and break as many traffic laws to do so. She had to call her grandparents and her mom to tell her that she got her first "official" job and she would rather do the celebrating in the privacy of a house than pull over to a payphone and practically shout to the heavens about this good news. Of course, she would tell the family she was living with now, but this is something that her mother and grandparents had wanted for a long time. Her head was in the clouds, the smile had not left her face.

Pulling into the driveway, Mia cannot get into the house fast enough.

Georgie, who had been watching cartoons, heard the car and hops on the couch to get to the window, gazing out and watching as his cousin pumps her fist in the air.

"Mia's back," the kid announces.

Bill comes over and peers through, seeing the spring in his cousin's step and the smile.

"Looks like she got the j-job," Bill says.

...

"Honey, that's so great. I'm so proud of you," Caroline says. The woman had barely managed to answer the phone in her hotel room in time. She had just come back from another difficult interview and heard the ringing. She dropped her purse and other bags to get there, hoping it might be a call from one of the interviews. Even though it was Mia, the sound of her daughter's voice was enough to make her day and made the mother feel better. The delight and joy the teenager expressed over the phone made her feel so proud. Tears are welling up in her eyes... her baby girl was growing up so fast. It was a bittersweet moment, Caroline wishing she could be there to celebrate with her.

"Mom, I know what you're going to say about being seen and putting my name out there, but this is tutoring. I'm meeting with one girl who is being homeschooled, and her father is the chief of police... he also already knows about Joel."

Caroline can breathe a small sigh of relief with this news. It could not be a safer job and it was in an area that Mia took a lot of interest in. The times that mother and daughter were together, Mia had loved helping with children and teaching them new things. This was also evident with what Sharon had told her as well that her daughter enjoyed helping Georgie with his reading. It was the best job for their situation.

"I'm so happy for you," the woman continues, leaning back.

"It's so great mom, I'm hoping to meet the student tonight and get everything else ironed out, including my pay. I can finally save money for college."

"I know honey, I know. This is something you deserve."

Mia swallows and wipes a few tears.

"Finally..." is all she can say.

The two Rogers women go on to talk but Caroline avoids the subject of her job, not wanting to ruin her daughter's moment. For now, Mia is happy and safe; that's all that's important right now. She wants to be with her little girl as soon as possible and give her the best life, but that time seemed still a way away. It made the mother feel guilty and worried, a burden she bore alone from the choice that she'd made. If she could go back, she would have left Joel when she was pregnant and disappeared; this way she could still have the beautiful child that she loved and he would have never laid a hand on her.

When the two hang up, Caroline gazes out her hotel window. How is it her daughter can become employed but not her? She'll just have to keep looking.

...

By late afternoon, Mia is getting ready to head back out to the cabin. Aunt Sharon and Uncle Zack had congratulated their niece and told her to be proud of herself. Georgie seemed happy too, even if he didn't understand what a job was.