Sarah's Impact

“I’m coming to see you.”

Part of me worried I’d never get to say those words. I fiddled with the hole in the sleeve of my grey blazer. For months, I’d been trying to save enough money, but it wasn’t easy on a receptionist’s salary.

“Wow you’re… I can’t believe it! How?” The rasp of my sister’s voice filtered through the phone speaker.

I stared at the email that had just popped up in my inbox. “That competition I entered months ago just emailed me saying I’ve won twenty thousand dollars!”

“And how does that convert to pounds?”

My chair creaked as I leaned back. “I’m not quite sure but I know it’s still a lot!”

Sarah chuckled. “Damn, you can get a first-class ticket then!”

“Yeah but –.” My voice cut off as the manager walked out of his office. After pretending to nod seriously in response to the important work call I was having, I resumed talking when her left. “- I’d rather get a seat in coach and spend the rest of the money on something more meaningful.”

Her sigh was quiet, but I heard it. “I wish I could do something meaningful.”

I glanced at the black notebook I’d carried around with me for the past five months. “I know, but I don’t think you realise the impact you’ve already made.”

She scoffed. “Please! I didn’t even get to finish my teaching degree.”

There was no point getting into this argument now. I pulled up the window on my laptop with flight prices to Australia. “How’s Sunday?”

“You do realise it’s a day’s journey? There’s no way your boss will let you have Monday off.”

I shrugged. “I’ll just call in sick, it’s fine.”

This time, when my sister spoke, I could hear the smile in her voice, “I’ll see you Sunday.”

***

Twenty minutes into my debate about whether it was rude to ask him if I could get out to pee for the second time in an hour, the man sitting next to me pulled out a postcard and started writing.

“You know you’re meant to send those when you’re on holiday, right?” Even though I could barely hear myself from the pressure in my ears, I’m sure my voice was a bit loud

He grinned. “I know. I’ve already sent my daughter five postcards, but I saw this one just before I got to the airport and I couldn’t resist.”

The image was of a futuristic looking building with twisty staircases. “Does she want to be an architect?”

When he laughed, I swore his thick Australian accent still came through. “Definitely not! She couldn’t design a toothpick, let alone a building.” The man gestured to the image, “It’s nicknamed the inside-out building, which is also the name of my daughters’ charity.”

I looked up at him. “What charity is it?”

“It’s to help ensure children from low-income backgrounds get equal education to other children.” As he spoke, he ran his finger reverently down the side of the postcard. “She offers support and advice, and is also trying to build up a group of tutors to provide them with extra teaching

My eyes widened. “That’s amazing! My sister always wanted to be a teacher. She would’ve loved to join.”

His smile fell. “Oh I’m sorry, is she…”

I went to stop him. “No, no she’s not dead she just – “ I looked down at my hands “She’s not able to pursue teaching now.”

His sympathy was clear on his face, “That’s a big shame. My daughters been trying to find volunteers, but her time has been consumed with asking companies for funding.”

I glanced out the window at the land below. The splashes of green forests captured my attention as they cut through the endless grey of rocks and barren landscapes, providing a source of energy and life.

An idea formed in my head. A sharp spike of adrenaline accompanied it as my excitement grew.

“Any chance I could meet your daughter?”

***

The sound of my footsteps echoed off the white walls of the corridor as I strode towards room three hundred and thirty-three. The corridor seemed to stretch in length as my nerves built.

Nervously, I tugged on my pale blue top as I approached her door. Before I could knock, it opened.

Sarah’s boyfriend smiled at me. “You’re here! We were worried your flight got delayed.”

I shifted the bag hanging off my shoulder. “Sorry I had to make a quick stop on the way here. Is Sarah awake?”

“She’s too excited to sleep.” He opened the door wider to let me in.

My eyes instantly landed on my sister, sat upright in the bed. Her emerald eyes shone with joy as she opened her arms.

“Sarah!” I wrapped my arms around her, making sure to not squeeze too tightly.

“Ah! I can’t believe you’re here!” There was still some strength in her grip as she hugged me back.

“I can’t believe it either.”

Sarah pulled away, squinting at her clock. “Was there a problem with your flight? You were meant to be here two hours ago.”

I reached into my bag, “The reason I was late was because I was asking someone to fill in the last page of this.”

Placing the black notebook on her lap, I waited as she opened it to the first page.

“Sarah’s Impact: Book 1” She read the bold letter on the first page then looked at me in confusion.

I gestured to the book. “Just keep reading.”

Sarah turned to the next page and then the next. I watched as her confusion turned into a smile, as she read our Grandma’s words on how much Sarah had helped her after her hip operation. I watched her gasp and glance at her boyfriend, as she read his words on how she’d changed him for the better. I watched as she laughed at the words I’d written from the perspective of the dog next door, who she helped get free from our cat flap. And I watched as she cried at our Dad’s words on how she’d been a lifeline for him after our Mum had died.

Sarah looked up at me, her eyes glistening. “How did you – I mean what – what is this?”

Carefully, I went to sit beside her. “I spent months asking everyone we know if you’d changed their lives in anyway. Turns out, you’ve helped a lot of people. You think you haven’t had the chance to do anything meaningful, but I have proof here that you have. And there’s more.”

I opened the book to the last page and waited whilst she read it.

“The Inside Out Foundation?”

I pointed at the writing. “It’s a charity that helps nurture and teach kids from low income or disadvantaged backgrounds to help level the playing field.”

Sarah nodded in understanding. “Helping them unlock their full potential and prove they’re just as good as anyone else. Inside Out.”

Of course she would get the meaning of the name straight away. It was why Sarah would’ve been an incredible teacher.

“They desperately needed more funding to train new volunteer tutors. I’m going to give it to them.”

Her eyes sparked with understanding. “The money you won! No, I can’t ask you to do that!” She tried to give the book back to me as if it contained the eighteen thousand dollars I had donated.

I put my hand over hers. “Do you know how I won that money?” I waited until she shook her head. “I wrote all about you and your life and how I was so desperate to see you. It’s because of you I got that money and it’s because of you that I want to donate it to the charity.”

I opened the book to the front page, “That’s why I made this book. You have improved the lives of so many people, and now, with this money, you’re going to help the lives of many more. So much so, that I’m going to need another notebook.”

Tears streamed down her face, plopping onto the book and smudging the ink of the number 1, “I don’t know what to say.”

I chuckled. “You don’t have to say anything. Just promise me that you’ll help me and give me advice.”

“With what?”

I stood up. “With the UK branch of the foundation that I’m going to set up and run in the UK.”

***

The grass tickled my bare legs under the skirt of the vibrant green dress I wore, with the black notebook sitting on top of my lap.

“Because of the tutoring I received from the Inside Out Foundation, I managed to get my grades high enough to be accepted into the college my father went to.” I read from the book. “It was my greatest dream that I never thought I would achieve.”

I finished the book and placed in on the grass in front of me. “That’s another book finished, another hundred kids whose lives have changed for the better.”

Smiling, I traced the carved out ‘S’ in the white stone, feeling the cold indents press into my fingertips. “None for which would’ve been possible if not for you.”

Turning my face to the sun, I leaned back and let its rays fill me with warmth. As I closed my eyes, a swift breeze blew through the trees, turning the pages of the book in my lap to the first page.

‘Sarah’s Impact: Book 5’.

**********************************************************************

To volunteer as a tutor in the UK, go to: https://actiontutoring.org.uk

To volunteer as a tutor in the US, go to: https://hearttutoring.org/volunteers/become-a-volunteer/

To volunteer as a tutor in Australia, go to: https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/get-involved/volunteer