- 3.
My room was the same as last time, the old
maid’s quarters.
I glared at that tiny room and grabbed my
mom’s arm. “Let’s take a tour.”
“Tour” was my word for it, but I dragged her
upstairs toward Harlow’s room.
Harlow’s room had a private bathroom and a
huge walk–in closet. I smirked and opened the
door to the guest room next door.
Elizabeth looked embarrassed. “Olivia, sweetie,
Harlow has trouble sleeping. She’s easily
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disturbed. That’s why we don’t let anyone stay
in here. For fear they would wake her up.”
I stared her down until she looked away. “It’s
fine. It’s way better than where I used to live.
What did I do to deserve this?”
I patted her arm. “I’m here to study, not to
enjoy myself. I won’t be here long. You don’t
have to feel bad.”
“Harlow might be your favorite, but she’s not
your biological daughter, is she?”
That got to her. She almost cried and changed
the subject. “Olivia, what was your old home.
like? Tell me.”
“My grandpa found me in a dumpster. His
whole family died in a car wreck, leaving him all
alone.”
“He was going to buy poison, but he heard me.
<
crying and pulled me out of the trash.”
“Grandpa said meeting me was fate. That my
cries made him not want to die.”
“We were poor. Grandpa survived by collecting
scrap metal. I helped him collect bottles since I
was two years old.”
“We didn’t have running water. We had a well.
We saved on electricity. Candles were
cheaper.”
I forced down the pain and spoke calmly.
“Grandpa died in January. He left me three
hundred bucks. Just enough to survive until the
finals.”
“If you hadn’t shown up, I don’t know how I’d
have paid for high school.”
I smiled at my mom. “Aren’t I the luckiest
person in the world?”
Elizabeth lost it, hugging me tight. “I’m so
sorry! I’m so sorry! You suffered so much.”
I found it irritating, all that fake emotion. “I’m
not blaming you. But instead of crying, could I
get something to eat?
“I only eat two meals a day. I’m kinda hungry.”
She wiped her tears and ran into the kitchen.
Funny. She didn’t know how to cook for shit,
but she pushed the maid aside to make me
something herself, to show off.
I rolled my eyes and pushed her out of the way,
boiling a pot of water for ramen.
Even the ramen was top–shelf.
I made two huge bowls, giving one to her.
I shoveled the noodles into my mouth, and she
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finally caved. “Olivia, you’re a girl. Sit up
straight. Pay attention to your appearance, even
when eating.”
I ignored her and nodded. “I’ll try.”
“Grandpa was poor. We couldn’t afford stuff
like this. We only ate well on holidays.”
Elizabeth was a mess, tears flowing.
