Fighting for Rose

19❦

19

❦𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮❦

"Wow, this place is beautiful." I whisper out as I look at the landscape that eventually turns into forest.

"Not quite, darling. But I'm hoping by the end of today it will be." Monica says, sneaking up behind me with a wheelbarrow.

I found her ad in the newspaper this morning and called her. She's out of town a ways, but offered to pay for gas. She needs help cleaning her back yard of fallen branches and just generally cleaning up around the yard.

Monica was ecstatic when I (a girl) called, she went on and on about how boys are overrated and she's tired of them.

I think she just says that because she's sad, her husband died five years ago so she's been living out here alone since then.

I can tell it's been hard for her, but she's the type of person who would never admit it.

"You start gathering branches and put them in the burn pile, I'll start raking up leaves." She points to the burn pile before walking off with the wheelbarrow towards the huge pile of leaves, she must have got that done that before I got here.

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Nine hours later and the backyard looks incredible, we collected all the branches and leaves then burned them, mowed, weed waked, planted some flowers and even set up a bird bath and feeder so she can sit on her porch and watch the birds.

It's something her husband used to do each morning, she teared up a little when she shared that memory with me.

"You're such a sweet and hard working girl, Rose. Thank you so much for your help today." Monica says gratefully as she hands me over some money.

I glance down at the wad of cash and instantly know that it's too much.

"Monica, three hundred is way too much." I gasp. We agreed upon a hundred and fifty over the phone, and that was including the extra for gas.

"Take it, I have to pay you extra for being my therapist too." She smiles at me.

I try to argue, but she's stubborn and won't have any of it.

"Go, go home. It's getting late, I'm sure your parents will start to worry." She says shooing me off and into my car.

I smile and nod to her, thanking her again for the money and close the door to Jack.

Monica goes back around the house and my fake smile falls.

My parents, worried about me? Those words don't fit together in my world, my parents wouldn't care if I died.

My phone dings, I dig it out of my backpack, placing the money in the bag at the same time.

From: Bob

The kids wanted to know if you're still coming over for dinner?

Lilly learned a new recipe and wanted to make it for me. We agreed three days ago that I would come over tonight. But I guess she has been bugging Bob about it everyday, I get a text to prove it each night.

To: Bob

Tell them I'm on the way, be there in thirty minutes.

Bob understands my line of work, so when I show up covered in dirt and smelling like a fire he won't think anything of it. Just lead me to the bathroom to freshen up and dig the dirt from under my nails.

I buckle up and start Jack, but he hesitates before firing up.

That's definitely not a good sign.