The Bridesmaid

26|The Last Resort

The next morning, Natalia woke up when her phone began to ring. Except, it wasn't the familiar tone of her iPhone, but the house phone.

No one ever calls on the landline, Natalia thought to herself as she walked to her living room to pick it up.

"Can I speak with Ms. Natalia Grey," asked a female voice on the other end.

"This is she," Natalia said.

"I'm calling to inform you that your tuition for the next session is due in a week," the woman said.

"That's strange. I have a full ride. I don't pay the tuition," Natalia said.

"Well, it says here that the money ran out," the woman said, "You owe us $46,000 in order to enroll in the next session. That's not including-"

"-books. I know, that's the only thing I pay for out of pocket. But there has to be a mistake," Natalia explained as she rubbed her eyes, "I get a full ride as long as I keep up with the requirements."

"Right," the woman agreed, "but it says here that your GPA fell last session, and you're no longer qualified for the full ride."

"I needed a 3.8 for it, and I've had a 4.0 this whole time," Natalia count back.

"I'm afraid you fell to a 3.75 last session," the woman sympathetically said.

"That's hardly anything," Natalia said, "You're really going to cut me off because I missed it by 0.05?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Grey. There's nothing I can do. You have until next Monday to pay the $46,000," the woman said before hanging up.

Natalia cursed as she slammed the phone down.

What am I supposed to do? I don't have that kind of money just laying around.

Natalia sat down and went through her budgeting plan. She had her car payment, rent, food, books, and utility bills to pay.

Two years after Natalia moved, she used the money she had saved up from various internships and jobs to buy her car. She had been so proud of herself, especially because she had gotten her dream car all by herself: a Range Rover. It was definitely expensive, but Natalia knew she could afford it because of her scholarship. It was her first real form of independence because she had gotten it completely on her own.

As for her apartment, she had been living in the same one for over three years. After getting her car, the following year, Natalia had splurged on a new apartment in a nicer part of town.

Natalia knew that, if the occasion ever arose, Kris and Jessie would be more than willing to help her. Especially because they had mentioned it so many times before. But she couldn't help but to feel bad asking for money. The money they earned was theirs.

As she thought it through, Natalia knew there was only one real option: to call her horrid mother and ask for help.

So Natalia sucked up her pride, and did exactly that.

"Natalia. What a pleasant surprise," Catherine Grey said as she answered her phone.

"I need your help," Natalia grumbled out as she got straight to the point.

"The great Natalia needs my help," Catherine mused, "Wow! You must really need something if you called me."

"I need money," Natalia said, "I can't pay my tuition for the next session and it's my last one before I graduate. If you have any love for me at all, you would help me."

"Natalia, you know I love you," Catherine said, "Of course, I'll help you, but there's a catch."

"That's not out of love, mother. If it were, you would simply give me the money, and move on."