Working for Love

Bills (1)

"It's not that bad sweetheart," Mom said, waving her hand.

I raised my eyebrows incredulously at her. "Not that bad? You have endocarditis, Mom. Your heart is infected, and you have to stay in a hospital for the next week, but none of us can afford the hospital bills. It's bad."

She sighed. "It could be worse, Andi. We'll figure something out between the six of us."

I rubbed my forehead. "How? Carl doesn't have a job, Langdon is working at Taco Bell, Delilah, Emmalynn, and you don't work, and I'm barely scraping by enough for the two of us to live off of. I don't have the extra money for this, not even in my savings account. Nobody in this family makes enough for additional fees like this." Tears pricked the corner of my chestnut brown eyes. Mom was always like this. She was so confident that everything was going to work out, leaving me to worry about the things she didn't.

Everything had been fine up until I turned twenty-six. I had a job that supported me while I was in college for my business management major since I had finally settled on what I wanted to do, I had my best friend living with me, I had a good relationship with all my siblings, everything was wonderful.

And then I turned twenty-six.

And then my dad died from a heart attack.

And then I was fired because I wasn't showing up for work.

And then my best friend moved to North Carolina with her boyfriend.

And then I began arguing with Delilah about what was best for our mom.

And then I quit college so I could get a job with more hours to support Mom and I.

All in the same year.

I'm twenty-seven now and this year isn't shaping up to be any better. I had no idea how to pay off Mom's bills and none of my siblings would be able to help. Carl is basically a bum, he stays home most of the time and only works when he has to pay his bills. Langdon is a manager at Taco Bell, but he has a wife and four kids of his own to provide for. Delilah is also married, but without kids, and her husband works as a low-ranking editor in a widely unknown publishing house, he won't be making much money for years. Emmalynn is married to an electrician with a very small business, and her three young children keep her from working full-time at Walmart, where she hasn't had a raise in years due to poor management.

I wasn't any better though. I was a stocker at Lowes, so I basically had to get up at three in the morning to unload and shelve all the incoming shipments before the store opened at six. Then I take the afternoon shift at Culvers. When I have extra time, I try to keep my mom company while she watches CNN or gardens. She goes out with her friends to parks and stuff a lot, mostly things that don't cost money because our budget couldn't afford a lot.

"Everything is going to be okay, honey," Mom said when she saw my unshed tears. "Don't worry. We'll figure something out."

I blinked several times, folding my lips together to hold back the sob that was slowly rising in my throat. "Okay." I stood from the chair I had been sitting in beside her bed. "I'm going to head home. Do you need anything?"

Perhaps detecting the waver in my voice, or seeing the worry still apparent in my eyes, she shook her head slightly. "No. Goodnight, sweetheart."

I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Mom. Love you."

"I love you too."

I picked up my purse and walked out, quietly closing the door behind me. My black skirt swayed around my knees as I slowly wandered around the hospital, looking for the exit. When I finally found it, I took my car keys into my hand and strode through the dark parking lot, appearing more confident than I felt. I felt a breeze brush my toes through my sandals. It was going to be fall soon—I would have to put these away eventually.