Fortunately, Vera had always been a responsible child–she never gave her mother much trouble and had just been epted <i>to </i>the best high school in town. Given their family’s situation, the school even agreed to waive her tuition fees.
Naturally, Ca and Vera were overjoyed. They made ns: as soon as Ca got her paycheck, she’d take Vera into the city to buy her a new dress. After all, ever since her husband lost his job, neither of them had set foot in the city, and Vera’s clothes were all out of
style–hand–me–downs from three years ago.
Teenagers grow quickly, and Vera’s sleeves and pant legs were noticeably short. Thankfully, she wore her school uniform most days, so no one really noticed.
Their conversation was cut short when her father stumbled in, reeking of alcohol, a half–empty bottle swinging in his hand. The mood in the room shifted instantly. Ca and Vera fell silent, slipping into the kitchen to bring out the dinner they’d already prepared.
“Go pay back the neighbor for the boozeter,” her father demanded, his voice harsh and entitled. He banged on the table and kicked the chair next to him, making Vera jump.
“Where’s my ss? Go get my ss!”
Vera pressed her lips together, said nothing, and went back into the kitchen. When she returned, she was holding his whiskey ss.
The family sat down at the dinner table. The tension in the air was suffocating. Her father kept pouring himself drink after drink, and the lightness from earlier was gone–reced by a heavy, anxious silence.
Ca seemed to be gathering her courage for a long time before she finally exhaled shakily, set down her fork, and looked at her husband.
“What are you looking at?” he snapped, mming his ss down on the table.
<b>1/3 </b>
10:03
“Vera got into the best high school in town,” Ca began, her voice barely above a whisper, tinged with quiet pleading. “We’ll need money for her expenses–tuition, books, everything. Could you please cut back on the drinking? And the gambling?”
But even her meekness seemed to provoke him. He hurled his te to the floor, shattering it, and erupted in anger.
“School? What for? Look at this house–are you blind to how bad things are? What’s the point of a girl going to school anyway? She should get a job at the factory, like the neighbor’s daughter! Cary’s girl’s been working for months–she brings home real money every month! What <i>good </i>is it raising you, Vera? All you do is take and take.”
His eyes were bloodshot, his finger jabbing at Vera’s face as he unleashed his tirade.
“I’ll tell you what, the Lane boy seems decent. You two should start seeing each other. When you’re old enough, get married. His dad came by the other day, asked about an arrangement–he said they’d give us ten grand as a dowry if you marry in. School isn’t going to teach you anything useful–just more ways to take money from us! And who knows if you’ll ever bring in that kind of money yourself?”
“Dad, I’m only fifteen!” Vera’s voice trembled with disbelief. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Fifteen? In the old days, girls your age already had two kids!” he barked, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world.
“And you!” he turned <i>on </i>Ca now, sneering. “Think you’re so high and mighty now that you bring home a paycheck? Who knows what’s really going on between you and your boss at the factory? Maybe I’m raising someone else’s kid and don’t even know it!”
He spat on the floor, his face twisted and red from rage and drink. Mother and daughter stared at him in shock–they’d never expected him to say something so vile. Ca shot to her feet, tears streaming down her face.
“You think I’m the unfaithful one? I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of! But
<b>10:03 </b>
what about you? Did you forget what you did? Sneaking around with that woman at the factory, making me lose the baby? Did you forget? I work myself to the bone–for who? For this family! Who pays your debts? Who puts food on this table? Every penny I make goes straight to covering for your drinking and your gambling!”
Years of pent–up hurt broke loose in Ca’s voice, and Vera sat frozen, blindsided by this avnche of revtions. She had <i>no </i>idea what to do, no words to stop the disaster unfolding at her family’s dinner table.
Chapter <b>388 </b>
<b>Chapter </b><b>388 </b>