Page 9 of Light in Your Eyes
Archer yawns. "Did you get in?" he asks, still sounding sleepy.
"Absolutely," I pretend to brag, gripping the door handle.
I want to escape this conversation as soon as possible. My brother is too young to have this burden. He's been such a good boy. He always helps me and Nana without causing the troubles that most boys his age would. Sometimes, he didn't spend some of the money I gave him—which is way lesser than his friends would have—just so we could buy more groceries. I'm really grateful to have him and Nana in my life.
"Which college—" Before Archer can finish his question about the college I'm going to, I push through the door.
The summer morning breeze greets me as soon as I step out of the house. I inhale the fresh air, letting out a sigh as I walk on the sidewalk.
I lied to Nana and Archer.
I'm not going to college. I can't. And now I'm not going to the restaurant to do my part-time job. Someone is going to interview me for a new one, and I hope that luck is onmy side today.
I need more money. Urgently. I haven't even paid a quarter of Nana's hospital bills. The medical expenses for Nana's eye condition exceeded way more than what the insurance company could give us, but Nana doesn't know about that. She has stopped the treatment, but she has no idea that we’re indebted.
Nana has suffered enough from losing her vision and learning that she can no longer take care of me and Archer. I don't have the heart to tell her that her disease caused more problems than she thought.
She has done so much for me and Archer since our parents were gone, and now it's my turn to make sacrifices for her. Postponing my college application for a year or two is nothing compared to what she did for us.
***
I swallow, watching as the middle-aged woman behind the desk in front of me studies me from head to toe.
I did my best to look presentable today. Although I'm wearing a pair of jeans and sneakers, I hope that the blazer makes me somehow look professional. I ran out of ideas on how to style my auburn hair, so I just tied it in a ponytail like usual.
The woman, who just introduced herself as Lauren, squints at me. "Interesting," she mumbles.
I raise my eyebrows, wondering what's on her mind. She shifts her attention to her computer, adjusts her glasses, and lets out a sigh that makes me think she's been doing this interview for a million years.
"I don't know why this person wants to hire you." She scrolls through the screen of her computer.
I don't think that she's a mean person for saying that. She seems genuinely, extremely curious.
My heart almost leaps with excitement because, based on what she said, a potential client is interested in hiring me.
She leans back against her chair and faces me again. "What made you apply to our home care services?"
I'm looking for money. Lots of them. My current part-time job doesn't help that much.
I feel like I almost blurted that out.
"I've always been passionate about helping people." I smile.
She returns her eyes to her computer. "It states here that you applied for a job in companion care, homemaking care, hospice care support, live-in care, respite care..."
Correct. I literally applied for all of them. I'm that desperate for money.
"That's right," I say, a bit too enthusiastically. "I can take care of people with illnesses. I can also make sure that my client has someone to talk to. I can do the housekeeping, assist with laundry, prepare meals, or do other chores."
Lauren's eyes are still glued to the screen. "But based on what I found here, you have no similar experience in your previous jobs."
My heart sinks at that, but I won't give up just yet. "I'm a very hardworking person and a fast learner."
While I'm trying to see what information on my resume she's reading, I glimpse my photo on the screen and instantly regret why I chose that picture.
I was smiling too much in that photo. I thought that a cheerful picture might be good for this application, but then some clients might think that I just look plain stupid.
"It says here that you're used to taking care of your grandmother. And it's also stated here that she's blind?"
