Ruthless (Black Mountain Academy) - Mila Crawford Page 0,7

I said, drying the last of the plates and putting them away in the cupboard.

“Come on, Maddy, this is a really good job. It’s also nice working for someone that knows me and that I’m comfortable around. You didn’t really want to stay, did you? Delaying school, working three jobs, killing myself to afford the rent in a two-bedroom apartment with lead in the water. Still it wasn’t enough to afford university tuition. This job is too good to be true, honey. We wouldn’t have been able to get out if it weren't for the generosity of this family. I’m grateful for it and you should be too.” A familiar stern look that I’d seen a million times before crossed my mother’s features.

I knew she was right, I should be happy that the burden of university expenses was lifted off my shoulders, but I also missed home. I missed the neighborhood, no matter how broken it’d been when we’d left.

“School starts soon, you’ll make new friends,” Mom rubbed my back, reading my mind.

“I know, Mom,” I said, trying to placate her or avoid the subject. It wasn’t just my friends. It was this house, these grounds, the people here--everything felt foreign and unfamiliar. It was all heavy and I was crumbling under the weight.

I needed to be alone. Just me and my thoughts, peace and quiet. My gaze trailed out the window and I noticed the pretty pool, outdoor lights reflecting off the water. I wasn’t much of a swimmer but it looked tranquil and inviting and the perfect spot to clear my head.

“Monica said we could use the pool, right?”

“Yes, she said to make ourselves at home.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. Rich people don’t necessarily mean what they say.” I thought back on my mother’s previous employers, how they’d treated her like vermin. It all started so nicely in the beginning, but after a while it became evident that my mother was nothing more than a punching bag, to be used and discarded at their whim. It always made me so mad; I would literally shake when they snapped their fingers, or called her girl. I never understood how she took it in stride and without feeling completely humiliated.

“Monica and I have been friends for a very long time. She’s kind. We can really be happy here, just give it a chance.” My mom placed her arm around my shoulder. “I’ve known her for practically my whole life. She didn’t grow up with money. She was my neighbor growing up. Our mothers were best friends. Monica isn’t like the others, I promise.”

I took in my mother’s story, the realization that my mother and Monica’s story ran so long and deep was a sobering one. I guess we’d all been so busy surviving back home that there wasn’t time for things like childhood stories.

“I had no idea you were so close. You’ve never mentioned her before now. Why haven’t I heard about her?”

My mother gazed long and hard at me, something lingering in her eyes. I wasn’t sure what that something was because she turned away from me then, hiding herself as if scared she was being too open about her past.

“When I left...I really just wanted to start over. There are things in my life that I just wanted gone.” Her fingers gently brushed the countertop. This topic was making her uneasy, I could tell by the fidgeting and her need to keep busy and avoid any other questions.

I placed my hand on hers, wanting her to know that it didn’t really matter. I never wanted to push her to tell me things she wasn’t ready for. My whole life, I always knew there was something my mother wanted to keep buried in her past. I never knew what it was, but in that moment, I knew that it was something she’d left behind for a reason.

“Mom, you don’t need to tell me anything.”

“I know, baby. I know. I will one day, I promise. I’m just not ready yet.” Her voice was soft, softer than I’d ever heard it before. My mother was a strong woman, she held herself together and never broke down. She was my rock, and seeing her so vulnerable right then made me feel like shit because I couldn’t do anything to help. “Go to the pool, honey. You should be enjoying everything this place has to offer.” She straightened her shoulders and offered me a smile. I kissed her cheek and walked over to the