“Your mom always wanted this for you,” he said, handing me the photo.
“And she would be so proud of you.”
For a moment, I couldn’t speak. The weight of everything, the loss of my mom, the grief for my dad, and the years of enduring Kelly’s belittling, overwhelmed me. But alongside the sadness, I felt something else: hope.
Mr.
Robertson continued, “Obviously, your classes don’t start until September, but I’d like to offer you a summer internship in my office after your graduation. It’s just admin work, but it’ll give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the campus, earn some money, and get a head start.”
“She can’t go!” Kelly snapped, shrilly. “She has to work at the café all summer.
We’re much too busy! Besides, I burned her acceptance letter already!”
Something inside me surged. For one second, after seeing my future burning in that fireplace, I had given up.
Mr. Robertson had come just at the right time, like a message from my mom—an angel.
So, I turned to her, wiping my tears. “No, Kelly,” I said, breathless but resolute.
“I’m not a child. You can’t control me anymore. I let you, but I shouldn’t have, not since I turned 18.
Even if Mr. Robertson hadn’t arrived, I would’ve called the school to explain. I AM going to college, no matter what you do.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but Mr.
Robertson stepped in, reaching inside his pink suitcase again and producing an envelope. “Ma’am, I have a copy of her acceptance. Pamela deserves this opportunity.
She earned it,” he said. “If you interfere, I’ll be forced to take further action.”
“But she owes me,” Kelly insisted, her features twisting.
“No, I don’t,” I retorted, feeling the truth of those words fully. I don’t think I could’ve uttered them earlier or without Mr.
Robertson by my side.
Kelly glared at us, but the fight quickly went out of her. She turned on her heel and stormed away from the open front door into her bedroom.
I focused back on Mr. Robertson, who handed me his business card.
“Call me later so we can finalize the details, so you’ll be ready after you finish high school,” he said. “Your mother would be so proud of you. Never forget that.”
I nodded, smiling brightly at my savior, who returned my grin.
As he walked away, I stood on the porch, holding tightly to the photo, his card, and the copy of my acceptance letter.
The three items that proved I was not only free but also not so alone.
That night, I packed a bag. Then, working up the courage, I called my friend Sarah, who told me to come live with her and her parents. Before, she’d been just a school companion, but from that moment on, she became family.
I moved out of Kelly’s house the next day with my cat, leaving behind my stepmother’s toxic grip for good.
Over the next few weeks, I finished high school happily, knowing that a brighter future awaited me.
By early June, I started my internship and loved every minute, although it was mostly menial work.
Despite my pay, I had to take out some student loans. However, Mr. Robertson helped me apply for scholarships whenever he found any.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t live in the dorms with Buster, but I found pet-friendly student housing nearby.
The rest is history.
It’s been around 20 years, and I have a family now, a solid career, and more happiness than I could hope for. Buster died a few years ago. He was my soul cat, but we now have 3 more kitties to adore.
Sarah is still very much in my life, too.
I don’t know what happened to Kelly.
I didn’t bother to keep in touch with her. But I learned something from her that I’ve never forgotten. There will always be people who try to put you down, extinguish your light, and force you to become someone you’re not.
You can’t give up when that happens.
Instead, you need to rise. Fight for your dreams and shine brightly, because you are capable of so much more than they can imagine.
Do you have any opinions on this?
