The Sky Waited for Answers by Orin Flux 5
Chapter 5
The next semester, the money stopped completely.
Dad didn’t send anything. Didn’t call either.
I called him. Three times. No answer.
The fourth time, Melinda picked up.
“Renee, sweetie, your dad’s busy right now.”
“Where’s my allowance?”
She laughed. “Renee, honey, let me be straight with you. Your dad thinks you’re a sophomore now–time you learned to stand on your oWN. From now on, no more allowance. You’ll have to figure it out yourself.”
“What?”
“Look at other kids, sweetheart. They work part–time, earn their own way. That’s real character building. I just worry that if you keep relying on handouts, how will you manage in the real world?”
“That money is what Dad owes me!”
“What kind of talk is that?” Her voice went cold. “What do you mean he owes you? Your father raised you, put you through school–and you say he owes you?”
“What about Mom’s money? What about my house?”
“Those are investments. You’ll get them back eventually.”
“When?”
“Investments take time. Why are you in such a rush?”
“What am I supposed to eat right now?”
“Aren’t you working part–time? Earn it yourself.”
She hung up.
I sat on my dorm bed, staring at my phone.
My roommates came back one by one, carrying new clothes from home, new phones, bags full of snacks.
They asked, why are you so skinny?
I said, nothing. Just worked too hard over break.
First month of the semester, I scraped by on what I’d saved over winter.
Second month, the money ran out.
I picked up more shifts. But I still had classes.
I started skipping. Electives first, then major requirements.
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Stanmam Cut Mar Thunday chala A_1__10: L=1
My advisor called me in.
“Renee Calloway, what’s going on with you? You’ve missed way too many classes.”
Professor, 1. something came up at home.”
“What happened?”
I opened my mouth. Didn’t know what to say.
I couldn’t exactly tell her my dad cut me off and I had to work to eat, could I?
She sighed.
“If you’re struggling financially, you can apply for aid. Don’t let it ruin your education.”
I nodded.
I’d already looked into financial aid. You needed proof of financial hardship. Dad’s signature.
I couldn’t bring myself to ask,
And even if I did, there was no guarantee I’d get it.
Days blurred together,
I got thinner, More exhausted.
Sometimes I’d wake up in the middle of the night with my stomach cramping so bad I couldn’t sleep. I’d just curl up in bed and wait for it to
pass,
My roommates told me to see a doctor.
I said it was nothing. Just hadn’t eaten enough.
They thought I was joking.
That night, after the dining hall closed, I stood outside the gate, staring at my phone balance.
Three dollars and seventy cents,
That was all I had left.
I dug through my bag and found that pack of stale saltines.
Crouched under the streetlight, chewing slowly,
The crackers were soft. They stuck in my throat.
I thought about Mom.
Before she died, she said:
“Renee, I’m leaving you something. Enough to get you through college. Enough for your wedding.”
She said: “your grandpa’s getting old. Don’t make him worry,”
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Stepmom Cut My Funds? Should’ve Asked My Big Shot Grandpa First
47.2%
Chapter 5
Three and a half years.
I hadn’t called Grandpa once,
I was afraid he’d worry,
But now… I really couldn’t hold on anymore.
I pulled out my phone and found Grandpa’s number,
My finger shook as I pressed it.
One ring. Two rings. Three…
“Hello?” Grandpa’s voice. Older than I remembered,
“Grandpa…”
The second I spoke, tears started falling.
I cried so hard I couldn’t get the words out. Just crouched there under the streetlight, gripping my phone, tears streaming down.
“Renee? Renee, is that you?”
“Grandpa…”
“Renee, what’s wrong? Don’t cry, sweetheart. Talk to me. What happened?”
I tried to speak. Only sobs came out.
“Renee, where are you? Tell Grandpa where you are.”
“I’m… I’m at school…”
“What happened at school? Did something happen? Renee, don’t cry. Tell Grandpa.”
I choked out the words between sobs. “Grandpa, I’m hungry… I don’t have any money… Dad, he…”
Silence on the other end.
After a long pause, Grandpa’s voice came back–different now. Low. Calm.
“Renee, listen to me. Don’t worry about anything else tonight. Go to the front gate. I’m sending someone with money for you.”
“Then you get yourself a proper meal and go back to your dorm and sleep. Everything else–Grandpa will handle it.”
“Grandpa…”
“Do as I say.”
He hung up.
I don’t know how long I stayed crouched under that streetlight.
Forty minutes later, someone found me.
Chapter 5
A muddle aged man in a black coat seppus expresion
Irondded
He handed me on envelope.
“Mr. Hanley asked me to bring this to you. Use it for now. If you need anything else, call this mumber.”
He gave me a business card.
I opened the envelope. A stack of cash inside, and a bank card.
“There’s fifty thousand on the card. PIN is your birthday,”
1 froze.
“Mr. Hartley said you’ve been through enough,”
He nodded and walked away.
I stood there holding that envelope, tears falling again.
That night, I had a real meal.
Back in my dorm, lying in bed, I remembered what Grandpa said.
“Everything else–Grandpa will handle it.”
I didn’t know what he was going to do.
But I knew Grandpa never made empty promises.
♡ (1)
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
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