“Poppycock!” the old lady cried loudly, drawing the attention of Taylor. He smiled and carried on playing. “Poppycock,” she repeated, quieter this time. “You know what his game is. You have to tell the owner. You can’t keep losing out on shifts. You need the money.”
“I know, I know, but they’re away. They’re always away, and he’s their son, who are they going to believe, me or him?” She shook her head again. “It’s fine, I’ll think of something. I might struggle to pay you this week though.” She met the old ladies’ eyes. She’d always been told to be respectful of others, and she knew it wasn’t fair to keep short-changing the woman for babysitting, but what could she do?
Mrs. Harris reached out, placing a wrinkled hand on Sally’s cheek. “Sweetheart, I don’t care about the money, you know I don’t help for that reason. I care about you two. You pay me to makeyoufeel better, not because I need or even want it.” She smiled, stroking her thumb across Sally’s cheek, and seeing the tears well in Sally’s eyes. Sally nodded once and Mrs. Harris left, clicking the front door softly closed behind her, and giving Sally the privacy she needed to pull herself together.
Sally wiped her eyes dry and turned back to her son.
Through everything that they had been through together, she had never regretted having him. Not even once. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and no matter what she lost—or who—that would never change. She’d thought she couldn’t love anyone as much as she’d loved his father, but then Taylor had come along and the love she felt for him blew everything else out of the water. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her son. Nothing.
“Just getting changed out of this grubby uniform and grabbing a quick shower. I’ll be right back, baby and then I’ll fix us something to eat.”
Taylor nodded and flashed a smile to her, and then continued to play. Sally smiled at him and headed to her bedroom, collecting the post from the kitchen worktop as she passed. She untied her apron, dropping it into the washing basket, and then she sat on the edge of the bed and flipped through the four envelopes, knowing what was inside three of them without opening them.
Bills. Bills. Bills.A constant stream of bills. She left them on the bed unopened and turned her attention to the last one.
It was a hospital letter. Her fingers tore into the envelope, and she fumbled to get the folded white piece of paper out. Her eyes scanned over the words, over the numbers, her heart sinking and soaring at the same time like a bird in flight as realisation sunk in.
This was it.
This was what she had been waiting for. What they had both been waiting for. But she wasn’t ready; she hadn’t saved enough. Her insurance had covered the first operation and its proceeding treatment, but it wouldn’t cover it this time. Sally had been saving every cent she earned for months now. Working all the hours she could get, yet it still wasn’t enough.
Putting her head in her hands, she began to cry, softly at first, and then eventually getting louder and harder, until her cheeks were damp with tears that stung her eyes.
“Mama?”
She sat up and wiped at her cheeks. “I’ll be out in a minute, baby. I’m just getting ready to take a quick shower.”
Her thoughts strayed back to the woman from earlier today. She thought of the pie she’d given to that poor woman and Sally hoped that it had brightened her day, just a little at least. Though right now, she couldn’t help but regret paying for it, because she needed every cent she could get.
The woman’s words echoed in her head…It’s not so much of a sacrifice if we’re doing it out of the love for another.
With shaking hands, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialled the number she knew off by heart without hesitating. It rang five times before anyone answered it.
In the background was lots of noise. The late afternoon rush starting at the diner.
“Can I speak to Jackson please?” she asked Donna on the other end of the phone. Minutes went by, seeming like hours, as she waited for him to come to the phone. Almost like he was taunting her, dragging out the time. Perhaps he wouldn’t come to the phone. Perhaps he would tell Donna he was too busy, and leave Sally hanging.
Just as she was getting ready to hang up, his smooth like caramel voice came to the phone. “Hello, Sally. I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”
He knew.
He knew he would win.
Men like him always win.
Sally bit her tongue to stop herself from crying, and when she thought she could speak without saying something ungodly or without crying, she released it.
“Jackson, I was wondering if you still wanted to go on that date sometime,” she paused, waiting and feeling sick at having to do this. Feeling dirty, but Taylor was worth it. He was worth everything to her, even her soul, and if it meant that he would be okay, then it wasn’t much of a sacrifice at all.
He chuckled down the phone. “So, you changed your mind, eh?”
Sally rolled her eyes. “Yes. I need the shifts—I need the money. A letter came from the hospital, for Taylor.” She stopped speaking, knowing she didn’t need to explain anymore to him. He knew her story.
He chuckled again. “And what happens if I’m not interested anymore? What makes you think that you’re so hot you can dangle a carrot in front of men like that, huh?”
Sally gritted her teeth until her jaw ached. “That’s never been my intention, Jackson.”
“Hmmm,” he replied, toying with her. “I’ll pick you up at twelve tomorrow, we can go for lunch. I’ll make sure to have you back for your shift at four.” He paused before adding slyly. “I’m sure we can squeeze you in a shift.”
