"I was so happy that I was able to get a job. It wasn"t anything fancy and I wasn"t getting paid a lot but my "first" shift earned me enough to save me from my earlier mistake. I was given 70 cents for the hour I sang in front of the grocery store. It was warm, my throat hurt afterwards because I kept singing nonstop but I was so happy. The owner was happy too. So many people rushed over and bought double the amount of food. The owner even came out and gave me a small bag of produce as thanks with my pay.".....
April ran to the butcher"s shop grining from ear to ear. She couldn"t believe the turn of events of her day. If it wasn"t for that old lady she would have never survived the day. "h.e.l.l!" She thought. She knew that the old lady was her lucky charm! She even got a permanent job with the store. She would work everyday for one hour around the dinner time rush. Her pay was 30 cents and a bag of free produce.
She opened the door to the butcher and walked up to the counter with a radiant smile. The butcher was momentariy shocked, he hadn"t seen her so happy before. "Two pounds of liver please!" She ordered with a rough voice. "S-sure." The butcher said as he looked April over one more time before he got her the meat. "Thank you." She said cheerfully as she collected her change.The butcher couldn"t take his eyes of her dazzling smile and watched her until he couldn"t see her anymore.
.....
"That night I was so happy that I made an extravagant meal. I shouldn"t have, I realized it the moment I saw everyone"s questioning faces. I was lucky though everyone was really hungry and my father was already drunk. He couldn"t tell the difference. As long as he had his booze in his hands he was happy and left us alone." Loralei explained with a bittersweet smile. "But?" Ariana asked.
"But my mom pulled me aside and asked me how I got so much food. I couldn"t hide it from her and she even got my brothers involved. I was allowed to go out every day, one hour before I needed to get dinner started. I felt so happy. I felt like a normal girl getting a job and even keeping whatever money I made. They all agreed that it was not needed." Loralei explained.
"So were you able to move out after saving up some money?" Ariana asked. "No. I never got a chance to use my savings. My father found my stash of funds and went out bar hopping." Loralei said in a sad tone. "What they h.e.l.l?!" Ariana shouted. "It didn"t matter. I wouldn"t have moved out anyways. Just before my savings were stolen we got hit with terrible news...."
.....
"Mom?" April called out as she walked into the living room, lit with a single lamp. "April? Sweety, what are you doing up so late?" April"s mother said as she tried to hide a bottle of liquor behind her back. "Mom..." April said pitifully. "I"m okay, I"m fine, I just.... sniff.... I don"t want to lose my baby boy." April"s mother cried.
April couldn"t say a single word. She just closed the distance between them and embraced her mother in the poorly lit room. Earlier that day their family got word that John had been drafted into the army. That he would only have a few days to get his things together before being shipped out to the training camp. Everyone was taking the news badly. Especially Mrs. Stand, she could handle her alcoholic husband, she barely survived when Rose disappeared and was only one nerve away from a mental break down after Lily ran away.
With her first son being called to war she didn"t know what she was going to do. April tightened her embrace and stayed with her mother until she had to go into work. April watched her mother"s back until she disappeared into the night. She had a horrible feeling but couldn"t find her voice to call her mother back.
April went back to bed and woke up a few hours later. She quickly jumped into her usual routine and made breakast then packed lunches. Once the men were fed and left, with the exception of her father who would sit himself in front of the television, she would start to do all the house work. When two o"colock hit she would leave her dad a snack in the fridge and be one her way.
At least with house work she was able to distract her mind a bit. With her job she would be able to express her feelings. As she walked an idea hit her. It was pay day, after she collected her pay and bought the ingredients she needed for dinner, she would collect all her savings and pay for tickets for everyone to go see John. They would have a chance to say good bye before he was sent away.
A warm feeling spread across her chest and she quickly found her second wind. April raced down to the gracery store unable to wait a second longer.
By the time April finished her shift the shop owner walked up to her looking completely uncomfortable. "April, I don"t need you after today." He said as he pa.s.sed a white envelop to her. "What?! Why?! Am I not doing a good enough job?" April said in a panic. The shop owner averted his gaze and just grabbed April"s hand. "Please don"t make a scene. Just take the money and go." He said and pressed the envelope further into her hand.
"But," April started to say when a high pitched shriek came into ear shot. "Is that the sl*t! Jacob! Is that the sl*t you"re cheating with?!" A plump woman yelled as she stormed up to the two. April was speachless and looked at the shop owner who was still holding her hand. "You homewrecker!" The woman screamed as she pushed her husband out of the way and slapped April so hard that it sent her falling to the ground.
"You and your unborn chid should just die together and go to h.e.l.l!" She yelled as she started to kick April in the abdomen. "Darling pease stop!" The owner yelled as he tried to pull his wife away.