The Difference Between You and Me

Chapter 9

Annie pulled into the parking lot at the mall but did not leave her car. She needed to think, to clear her head and this is the closest place where she could do that. The events of what just happened came rushing to her memory. She just got thrown out, she had nowhere else to go and was homeless. Annie began crying.

After about two hours of balling her eyes out, she heard her phone ring and picked it up from the passenger seat to see that it was Tara calling. Not wanting to speak to anyone, Annie denied the call and threw her phone back on the seat. She considered that maybe she could stay at Tara's house for a while. But Tara's mom would call the police and social services and that would just make things worse.

As if on cue, Annie looked out the window to see an old lady, looked to be in her late seventies at least, struggling with several grocery bags. She immediately hopped out of the car to help the lady, not caring that she had been crying for two whole hours and looked like a wreck.

"Need a hand?" she offered smiling.

"Sure" the lady answered in relief

Annie took the bags from her and asked where her car was. They both walked to the car in silence. After all the bags were packed in, Annie straightened herself and saw the lady staring at her with deep concern in her eyes.

"Thank you young lady. If you don't mind me asking, are you crying?" she sounded so frail, yet sweet and gentle

Annie instinctively wiped her eyes, forced a smile and proceeded to walked off. The old lady's feeble arm jolted up and grabbed Annie's, halting her in her tracks and she spun around.

"I know I'm a stranger but I'm also a mother, grandmother, aunt and friend," the lady said with a smile making her eyes twinkle.

"I'm fine, miss," Annie told her, shrugged out of her grasp and walked away

"Please?" the lady called out

Annie sighed and walked back to her. Telling a stranger her story was probably the most pointless thing she'd ever do in life but it might make her feel better and frankly, even if it was only temporary, she wanted to feel better. Somehow, though, she felt as if she could trust this old soul. She seemed genuine, remembering what Ammie had said 'old people are genuine', and bubbled over with care and concern.

"It's a long story so have a seat on the curb," she instructed and the lady obliged. So, in that moment she told her everything. From her being abused constantly by her stepmother, to her being homeless. When Annie finished, she looked over at the old lady and her eyes held so many emotions, but pity wasn't one of them.

"My name is Ruth Burrows and I live with my three grandchildren. Two of them is around your age, give or take a few years and I'd be delighted to have you stay at my house for as long as you want while you sort your life out. Before you say no, I will even help you to finish high school but I can't send you back to the one you've been attending, I don't have that kind of money."

Annie was in shock at what she had just heard, she couldn't even express her gratitude with words, she simply engulfed the lady in a tight hug as the tears streamed down her face.

"It's fine, don't cry anymore," Ruth said cupping Annie's face. "Where are your things?"

Annie took Ruth to where her car was parked and showed her all that she had jammed pack in there. Upon seeing this the tears that had welled up in Ruth's eyes were threatening to fall but she turned away so Annie wouldn't see. She figured the last thing this young lady wanted was for another person to feel sorry for her.

"Okay, I'm going back to my car. Just follow behind me and I'll take you home." Ruth spoke up quickly and walked off. Annie was confused at her sudden change in mood but nodded in response and got into her car.