3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lilah

I read the letter from the bank one more time in despair. What am I supposed to do about this? In the end I scrunch it up into a tiny little ball. When it's all wrinkled and tiny it doesn't feel overwhelming. I'm several months behind in my mortgage and the bank is threatening to take action.

Losing my shop also means losing my home and my brother Connor and I would be left homeless in the middle of winter. I toss both the envelope and it's contents into the trash bin as I hear my brother come into our apartment. I have a turkey sandwich waiting for him.

It was the only Thanksgiving-ey thing I could make for us without spending too much money. He looks to be in a sour mood as he takes off his coat and throws it on the living room couch.

"Is it so hard to hang it in the closet, Connor?"

He doesn't answer me, just reaches into his pocket and tosses a thick envelope on the table in front of me.

"What is that?"

"I know you're late on the mortgage. There's a months worth there. I'll get more when I can."

I look at the envelope in horror. Where would a sixteen year old get that kind of money? I nudge the flap of the envelope open with my index finger and see a big wad of money. I take my hand away like I've been burned.

"Connor, where did you get that money?"

"I told you, I have a job."

"You won't tell me what this job is or who gave it to you."

"That doesn't matter."

"It matters to me. Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"I know I'm a burden, and things have been tough lately in the shop. I'll get more money soon, I promise."

"Connor, it's not your responsibility to pay the bills. It's mine. "

"I'm old enough to carry my weight."

My whole body tenses up as I get ready for another fight with my little brother. He's grown up a lot in the past few years our parents have been gone and doesn't back down as easily as he used to.

"Connor, school is more important. If you do well you'll be able to get a good paying job later on. Think about your future."

"Lilah, you can't expect me to watch you break your back working day and night and do nothing to help you. What kind of a person do you think I am?"

"What kind of job pays this much money?" I say, waving the envelope in front of his face.

"Will you stop worrying?"

"If you're in trouble…"

He comes close to me and give me a kiss on my cheek.

"Is there anything to eat?"

"I made turkey sandwiches."

He goes into the kitchen and puts the sandwiches on two plates. He brings them over to the dining room and goes back for some drinks. I realize we're not going to be fighting anymore. It figures. Around age fifteen he realized that I hate all types of conflict and would prefer not to engage.

We eat and he tells me about his friends, Brad and Owen that get into tons of problems at school. I realize he's probably hanging out with the wrong crowd at school, but I don't know how to put a stop to that. Even if I could, he's never had these kinds of friendships before. He used to be a loner.

He's grown up so fast. The truth is I don't mind him helping, but couldn't it be a normal job like bagging groceries at the supermarket? Why does it have to be a secret? We chit chat for a bit and then we go to bed. Tomorrow my shop is closed and I want to go visit Mrs. Mitchell at Spring Brooks.

I get up early and drive to the long term facility. I've got a small Christmas wreath for Gene's mother, but as soon as I arrive I see the long faces of the staff. Something is wrong.

"Hi Stacy, is there something going on?"

"Hi Lilah. Mrs. Mitchell is not doing well and we can't reach her son. Do you have his contact information?"

"I only have his phone number. He hasn't texted the last few weeks, which worries me. I'll reach out to him and see if he answers. Is it okay for me to visit?"

"Yes, you can go on in."

I hurry to the room and when I get there realize there are a lot of new machines in place now. Poor Mrs. Mitchell. I've been visiting her since Gene left two years ago. She's been unresponsive for the past year, but I never miss a visit.

It makes me feel good to do a good deed, plus it makes me feel a bond with Gene. He's a complicated man to say the least. They ran him out of Woodland Falls when he lost his seat as mayor of the town and there were a lot of bad things said about him back then.

I've only known a kind and gentle soul that came in once or twice a week to get flowers from someone. When he had to leave town I found out the flowers were for his ailing mother. He asked me to deliver them myself while he was gone and I've been doing just that.

Seeing Mrs. Mitchell in such a state breaks my heart and I know that I need to do whatever I can to get Gene back here as soon as possible. I take out my phone and send one single sentence that I hope conveys the urgency of the matter.

I stay with her for about an hour, talking to her and reassuring her I'll do my best to get her son to visit her. The nurses always tell me she's more calm after I come visit, so I try to stay for as long as I can. Sometimes I bring books to read but today I'm too anxious to do that.

Going back home is bittersweet. Yes, I've got the day off, but that just means me having to deal with all the debt I have and how I'll have to use Connor's blood money to make a payment to the bank. Fine, I'm being a little melodramatic but how else could a sixteen year old kid make three or four thousand dollars doing a part time job?

I'm pacing in my living room when my phone rings. I hurry to pick it up and notice it is Gene Mitchell calling. Butterflies come alive in my stomach, but I don't hesitate to answer.

"Gene."

"What's wrong, Lilah?"

"Spring Brooks has been trying to contact you. Your mother is declining fast."

"Have you seen her?"

"Yes, I was there this morning…there are a lot more machines in her room now and she's very pale. I think you should come back as soon as possible."

"I'll do that. And Lilah?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you so much for being there for us."

The line goes dead and I realize my heart is beating faster. I look out the window to see the snow falling. This will be a hard Christmas if Mirna Mitchell dies and I'm angry that this bad news is the reason I'm going to see Gene again, but I can't wait.