Severing Ties (Book 2. Ties)

22. Lovely Heart

The weeks flew by because I was busy. I went to school, ate, and then made my way to work. After 3:30 in the afternoon, my life dealt with cheer and only cheer.

Since we had many more students than anticipated, Eliana wanted to pay me. I told her that I did not want the money, and it was not like I needed it. So, I told her that instead of paying me, she should accumulate an amount of money every week, and at the end of the year she could donate it to a hospital to pay for a child's cancer treatment. When I told her about the idea, she began to cry. I was startled by her reaction because that had not been my intention.

Eliana grabbed a box of Kleenex from her desk and wiped away the wetness on her face. "I'm sorry. It's just that that's a wonderful idea, Mackenzie. My older sister passed away because she had leukemia when she was eight years old. I was three when she died."

My face paled. "I'm so sorry; I had not realized how close to home this was," I told her truthfully. My hand grabbed a pencil off of my desk and started twirling it between my fingers.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry that my sister died, but I'm not sorry you brought up this idea... You have a lovely heart, Mackenzie." We were sitting in the office we shared, staring at each other from across the small space that was between our wooden desks.

My eyes averted to the floor. "No, I don't."

The sound of the rolling chair moving across the plastic, white tile indicated she was walking around her desk and mine. Seconds later, there was a hand on my shoulder. "Yes you do, sweet girl," she told me with sincerity. For a moment I had returned to my vulnerability; I hated listening to compliments because a big part of me never believed them. My eyes squeezed tight for a second, in response to her caring touch against my shoulder. Her touch was like a brand on my skin, reflecting all the wrongs I had done.

I looked back at her blue eyes and said, "well thank you for believing that, Eliana."

"I only say it as it is," she said. The truth was that she only said those words aloud because there were parts of me she had no clue about. If she knew my past and the things I had done, she would be thinking differently about me.

The corners of my mouth lifted, only to appease her sentiment. "I'm going to head home now; I have to start an essay."

Eliana nodded her head in approval. "Of course. Good luck, and see you Monday."

I waved goodbye and took the subway home that Friday. When I made it home, it was three minutes before 10:00 p.m.

The doors slid open with a ding to enter my home. I was surprised to see that the kitchen light was on, so I walked towards the light. When I walked through the threshold of the kitchen, my mom was drinking a glass of water, standing in her white, silky, night dress and robe. Her green eyes averted to where I stood. "You're home," she stated.

"And you're awake." I stated and chuckled in response. My legs moved me closer to where she was standing. The closer I got, the more in detail I could see her, so my eyebrows scrunched together. "Why do you look so flushed, Mom?"

Without hesitation she answered. "I did not have a chance to go to the gym today, so I was doing some abdominal workouts in my room, since I couldn't fall asleep." Her shoulders shrugged, and she turned to put the glass in the sink.

That's odd. "In pajamas?"

My mother laughed. "No. I barely changed, and now I'm going to bed, as should you." She gave me a pointed look.

I sighed. "I have to shower first; I smell like sweat, and it's not all mine."

Mom laughed thoroughly at my explanation. "You do smell a bit, mon coeur. Goodnight," she said and kissed the top of my head before leaving for her room.