A Sinful Encounter

Chapter 3: Seventy-Five Dollars

[Kaelea]

I read my unsent message on the screen of my phone for what felt like a hundred times over. My thumb hovers over the send button while nibbling my lower lips as I contemplate my options. I wanted to accept the offer. To have this one time, only and then right after forget that this all had happened.

Ten grand. The amount is too huge to decline, even if it was cut off twenty-five percent for Shereen’s cousin’s friend.

It would still be huge enough to give me a head start to save the money I’ll earn from tending the bar and cashiering.

“Kai?”

I quickly swipes the screen back to the home page anxiously soon as a knock softly pounded against my door followed by my brother’s voice.

“Come in.”

The knob rattled for a moment and then twisted. Brian’s head poked inside, and his eyes sweep around my room before his gaze landed on my figure laying on the bed.

“Hey, um.” He opens the door wider and lets himself in. I sat up, looking at my brother’s contemplating countenance as though he wanted to say something but he was having second thoughts.

I know exactly the feeling. I kind of have the same look as him whenever I need something,

“Anything you need?” Though I seemed to have already an idea of what he was about to say and my gut still coiled in anticipation, waiting for his response.

“Do you have extra cash?”

Just like I thought. I inhibited my face from any sullen emotion showing up and smiled at my brother, asking. “What do you need it for?”

Money. Of course, he's going to need money and I had no freaking idea how much he needs and how much I can afford to give him without making myself more than the pauper that I already am.

“We have a project, and I need to buy some materials needed. I didn't really want to bother you with this, but my allowance for this week wasn’t enough.”

I honestly felt bad for having my own brother feel like tiptoeing on a block of thin ice whenever asking money from me. This shouldn’t have been a problem between us. About telling each other what we need. However, Brian is not deft. He knows about our situation and by far, he’s doing everything that he can to lessen my burden financially. He's been working at the gasoline station by night as an extra for his pocket allowance but it is not enough to provide all his needs.

“It’s okay, Brian. How much is it?” I kept the smile on my face as she slide off my bed and padded my way towards the side table where I had put my purse. I took out my wallet and was about to open it but halted when Brian tells me the amount needed for his project.

“A hundred dollars.”

“A hundred dollars?” It felt like I had been choked with my own saliva and could pass out immediately.

Hundred dollars? Do I have enough? I know the answer, but still, I reluctantly open my wallet, swallowing hard as I counted the amount available. I wanted to cry, really, wanted to bawl my eyes out and kneel before my brother, apologizing for being this broke. But I know I can’t do that. I am the backbone of this family, and I had to maintain an unbreakable façade even though I am already shattered on the inside.

Instead, I took a deep breath, steeling my spine, and pulled out the last of my bills and handed it to Brian.

“Can you just deduce the materials down to seventy-five?”

My brother stared at the money momentarily, then back to my face, and to my wallet, which I had been holding open. Noticing where his gaze was, I immediately hide it away from him and broadens my smile, painfully pushing the money to him. Looks like I’m going to skip lunch for today and tomorrow, and the day follows that. My eyes fleeted to the wall clock above my bed, seeing that I still had fifteen minutes before eight. Just enough for a little stroll down to the next three blocks around the corner. No, not stroll. I may have to jog.

“I can take the twenty. I'll just make the most of it in whatever way I can.” Brian picked out the smaller bill, leaving the fifty wedged between my finger. I watched him fold the money securely into his pocket with a timid grateful smile on his face.

It hurts me seeing him like this, but I am more than glad that my brother had been very understanding about our situation, unlike some other pricks his age that only think for themselves. I put back the bill into my wallet and took Brian’s hand. Held him tight and then hugged him, whispering. “I’m sorry.”

He’s damn tall for a seventeen-year-old boy and I looked like a midget next to him.

“Don’t be, Kai. I understand. Sorry that you have to carry all this. I promise I’ll finish my senior years and help you.”

He was about to return the hug, but there was a loud crashing sound erupted downstairs, breaking the grim atmosphere with panic.

“Mom!”

“Mom!”

We both exclaimed in unison, bolting out of my room and barraging our way down the stairs into the kitchen where the crashing sound came from. The first thing I notice was the cereal grains littered all around the floor, then my gaze sweep and found Mom desperately crawling her way back to her tilted wheelchair upside down.

“What the hell mom!”

Without waiting for any second to pass, I leaped on my feet and down to my knees in front of her, hoisting her up from the floor, and turning to Brian for assistance. “Brian, the wheelchair! Damn!”

I might be a small woman, but this happens a lot more often lately that I could carry her with a bit less difficulty.

“Are you hurt? Do you feel pain anywhere?” I quickly examine her for any injuries right after putting her back into the wheelchair. Checking her head, her arms, and face for any signs of bleeding and then heaves out a deep sigh of relief when I, fortunately, see none. “Oh thank God. Mom, what the hell were you thinking? Didn’t we already talk about this?”

I wanted to be gentle in dealing with her, however, I couldn’t help but felt exasperated at times like this. We had been over this already, yet, Mom is just too stubborn to listen to me.

“I’m fine, Kaelea, stop nursing me. I am not an invalid person. I just want to get the f*****g cereal from the counter.”

I immediately frowned, not liking what she said.

“Yes, I know you are not. But you could have called us. What if you hit your head or something?” I stood up and took the dustpan and a broom to start cleaning up the mess she made.

Yes, I know she only wanted to get the cereal, and now look what happened? She spilled all of its content over the floor, and to our unfortunate unlucky luck, it was the last box we had. Now, it’s all gone. It’s been three weeks since I’ve gone to the groceries and I don’t know where I am going to get the money to fill our empty cupboards. My gaze fell at the counter side, another three envelopes were set there, and even without opening them, I knew what kind of letters they contained.

“f**k this life.” Mom hissed.

Ever since she got out of the hospital, she grew more resentful with each passing day. I understand her, not being able to do the things like they were before. Now she’s bound to the wheelchair for probably the rest of her life. After Dad’s passing, she lost her spirit as well. We all do, yet we still thrive.

I just ignored my mother’s sneering and turned to face my brother instead.

“Go now Brian, you’re going to be late for school.”

He simply nodded and went to kiss me on the cheeks before leaving.

I shifted my gaze down at my mother with a grim expression, stressed out by her hardheadedness. But, then I could not stay upset with her no matter what she’ll do. “Mom, please…”

“Why don’t you just leave too? I’ll stay in my room and pray for my own demise so that you and your brother don't have to go through this.” I didn’t even get the chance to finish what I wanted to say and she cut me off immediately. I could only watch her despondently steering her wheelchair away and disappearing into her room.

We don’t have food left, and I have yet to buy her prescription.

Money. I damn need money to resolve all that.

I raked her fingers into my hair in frustration and let out a silent scream. I just wanted to melt into the floor and stay right there, but I know nothing will happen and my life would still be the same if I don’t go to work.

“s**t!” Crisp cuss instantly slipped through my lips soon as my gaze fell into my wristwatch, seeing I only have little time left. Abandoning the broom and dustpan, I bolted upstairs, snatching my phone and pursed. Then hurried outside the house, but before that, I took a quick stop in front of my mother’s room, listening to her muffled cries on the other side. It crushed me into pieces yet I have no choice but to leave and go to work.

I was paving the street when I came to check my phone. Shereen had already dropped me a message regarding the offer and my steps immediately faltered while I stared at the screen. I mulled about it for a moment, thinking what harm could have been done if I try just this once?

Just this once. For the sake of my family. For Mom and Brian.

“f**k my dignity.”

With that I quickly pushed the call button, my heart pummeling in my chest and the cold dread dropped at the pit of my stomach as I waited for my friend to pick up her phone. It took only three rings before Shereen’s voice echoed through the speaker.

“Hey, love. So?” She chirped, and I took a steady deep breath, looking up into the sky, still hoping that a stash of cash would magically drop from the sky.

Nevertheless, there was none aside from burgeoning gloomy clouds.

“Kai?”

“I’ll take the offer,” I said just as a single tear rolled down my cheeks.

Dear great heavens, help me.