My heart sank. ‘Do you know where they went?’ I asked desperately.
She looked at me with pity. ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t know.’
I felt like I had let Ben down. I sat down on the steps of the house and cried.
I had promised Ben that we would be together, and now it seemed like that promise had been shattered.
Days turned into weeks, and I clung to the hope that I would find my brothers again. Lucas was still in town, and I visited him whenever I could.
But the fear of losing him too was constantly on my mind.
A few months later, I got a job as a cleaner in a small shop on the outskirts of town. The work was routine: washing floors and cleaning shelves, but it was stable.
I saved every penny I earned. I lived frugally, spending only on the bare necessities.
One day, while I was sweeping the floor, the shop owner, Mr Jenkins, noticed my diligence. ‘Tori, you’re a hard worker,’ he said. ‘Have you thought about going back to school?’
I nodded. ‘Yes, sir. I want to go to college, but money is tight.’
Mr Jenkins smiled kindly. ‘Keep saving, and you’ll make it. I believe in you.’
His words gave me hope. I continued to work hard and eventually saved enough money to enrol in community college. But juggling work and school was not easy. My days began with cleaning the shop, and my evenings were filled with classes and homework.
There were times when I felt overwhelmed, but I kept fighting. I remembered the promise I had made to myself and my brothers. I had to achieve something. I couldn’t let them down.
Years passed, and I finally graduated from university with a degree in business administration. With my new qualification, I got a job as a sales assistant in a large clothing store.
Starting at the bottom wasn’t easy, but I was no stranger to hard work. I came in early, stayed late, and always gave it my all.
Over time, my manager, Miss Carter, noticed my dedication.
‘Tori, you’re doing a great job,’ she said one day as we were restocking the shelves together. ‘I’m promoting you to supervisor.’
‘Thank you, Miss Carter!’ I said, excited and grateful. ‘I promise I’ll do my best.’
When I became a manager, I faced new challenges and responsibilities. I worked hard, learned from my mistakes, and asked for advice. My efforts paid off, and after a few years, I became the store manager.
But it seemed that fate had decided to test me once again. Just as I was settling into my new flat, there was a knock at the door.
I opened the door and saw my parents, Charles and Linda, standing there with suitcases in their hands, smiling as if nothing had happened.
‘Hello, dear!’ my mother said cheerfully.
I stood there, frozen in bewilderment. How could they have the nerve to show up here after all these years?
‘Can we come in?’ my father asked, still smiling.
Still in shock, I stepped aside to let them in. They sat in the kitchen, and a heavy silence hung between us. I made coffee, a thousand questions swirling in my head.
As they sipped their drinks, my mother finally spoke. ‘We were hoping you would let us stay here for a while, until we get back on our feet.’
I stared at her, stunned. ‘You want to live with me?’
‘Yes,’ they both replied, almost in unison.
‘Why? How did you even find me?’ I asked, trying my best to keep my voice steady.
‘Oh, dear, what does it matter? We’re family, and family should help each other, right?’
I couldn’t hold back my anger any longer.
‘Really?’ I snapped. ‘Since you arrived, you haven’t asked about my brothers once. You just showed up here, expecting me to help you after you abandoned us? Where were your ideas about family helping each other when we were struggling on the streets?’
They looked stunned, but I didn’t give them a chance to respond. I got up and went upstairs to get the old ten-pound note my father had given me years ago. Returning to the kitchen, I held it out to them.
‘I hope this helps you as much as it helped me back then. Now get out of my house and never come back.’
Their smiles faded as the reality of my words sank in. Without another word, they gathered their things and left.
When the door closed behind them, I felt a strange sense of completion. They were gone, and I was finally free.
My past no longer held me back. I was ready for what came next.
What would you have done?
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalised for creative purposes.