The Boy, the Mother, and the Money.

Part I

There’s not much to say when you’re unexpectedly gifted $20,000 in cash, especially when the donor is a complete stranger.

Jacie felt undeserving of this tip. The kind woman who just dined in had left before he could thank her. Incapable of demonstrating his gratitude, Jacie could only stare at the number, recounting the number of zeros in his head almost five times over. One, two, three, four. It was real; there were that many.

Excitement never took over, nor relief or disparity. Just concern. He knew this money would bring him trouble one way or another. There’s no easy way out of his circumstance. But he knew it was a sign and felt the urge to move quickly.

After clearing the table and hanging his apron, Jacie proceeded to the boss’ office with sweat on his brow. Jacie knew his boss held an incredibly outdated cash-safe in his office. It’s as though the man was asking to get robbed at gunpoint.

Jacie knocked at the door, waiting for approval to enter.

“Come on in!” said Gerald with his baby-faced smile and southern accent. The man was big, bald, and sweaty, but his grey suit and charisma made him approachable.

With a nervous grin and wave, Jacie attempted to make small talk before leading up to his request. The two went back and forth about Gerald’s success and family life, failing to connect over any similar circumstances.

After a silent pause, Jacie seized the opportunity to ask, “If it’s not any trouble...do you think you could…cash in my tips early this week?”

Gerald paused as if he’s holding his breath, then quickly burst into a short but hearty laugh.

“Well, why would you wanna do that now eh?”

Jacie handed his boss the receipt, trying to conceal his sweating palms. The receipt was slightly smudged, but the zeros were clear as day. Gerald grabbed the receipt with dismay, reading its hardly legible text. The boss had actually choked this time, bursting into a short but hearty coughing fit.

After composing himself, Gerald surveyed the receipt closely, seemingly unsure of its authenticity. Then he laughed, realizing that there was no way he’d cash this in today.

“Looks like you got yourself a nice gift here my boy. I can’t help myself, I too would wanna cash this in today if I were you. Thing is, I can’t really bring myself to do that. Can’t you wait until the next payroll?”

The boy looked back at him with a nauseous stare.

“You see boss...My um... it’s my mother. She’s been real sick ever since last May...I think she’s been getting worse and we don’t got health benefits so... we’re in need of some help” said Jacie.

Gerald looked back at him with concern, feeling guilty for suggesting Jacie wait two weeks while his mother got worse. “I-I’ll see what I can do. Just give me a minute here will ya?” The boss motioned to the door, asking Jacie to wait outside his office.

At this point, Jacie’s nervousness had balled up in his throat. The uncertainty ate at him. He simply froze there, leaned up against the dinging walls. An infinite number of possible scenarios began racing through his head. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jacie was called back in.

The boss motioned Jacie to close the door behind him. The large man then proceeded to stand up and speak with his employee face-to-face.

“I know you’ve been here a long time, son. For that, I’ll make an exception. I’d like you to put out your hand please.” Gerald hands Jacie two solid stacks full of hundred dollar bills.

“Don’t worry, I already counted it. Take it to your mother. I hope you and her find this useful.” Jacie tried his hardest not to stare at the gleaming wad of crisp hundred-dollar bills.

Act like it’s not even there. Thank the man who gave it to you.

“Thank you so much, sir. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. My mother will be so glad.”

The two exchange a firm and warming handshake. Jacie made-way to the time stamp machine to finalize their transaction. With relief written on his face, Jacie briskly walked out the diner with $20,000 clutched in his coat pocket.

Part II

Jacie woke up with a bitter taste in his mouth. He decided the night before that today was the day he’d leave. Feeling anxious about something going wrong with his plan, he calls his mother’s name to see if she’s still home.

No response. Per usual.

Even in her condition, she still managed to limp her frail body out the house, for god knows what.

Jacie stepped around the house, ensuring that she was gone for the time being. He had developed a mental clock for when she left and came back. At this rate, he had about three hours to pack his belongings and leave before her arrival.

The boy quickly bagged the few belongings he owned, leaving trophies, participation medals, and any school items behind.

After years of never daring to enter his mother’s room, Jacie assumed that this would be his final opportunity to look inside.

Jacie walked down the long hall, stopping just inches before the door. It was the closest he’d ever been to this room. He hesitantly placed his hand on the knob and began turning slowly. The gentle push of the door wasn’t enough to keep the painfully loud creak from screeching through the hinges. Jacie quickly jolted his head back to make sure nobody heard.

Silence. Nothing but sharp creaks echoing down the hall.

The room smelled old and feverish. His mother preferred the room almost pitch dark, so the only light visible was whatever shone through the drapes. The bedding was matted and stainless, but the color and smell of aging remained on the pink covers.

“Be quick,” Jacie thought to himself.

He surveyed the countertops. Some photos of Jacie as a young boy. Others of his father in his prime. The frames were so caked in dust, you could hardly tell it was either one of them.

Jacie turned to his mother’s nightstand, where a small black book sat atop. It caught him off guard at first since his mother was never the type of person who would appreciate reading.

He looked closer and realized it was a journal. A little black nightstand journal with a pen to go with it. Her narrowmindedness and cold-blooded demeanor couldn’t have possibly provoked her to practice something as personal as journaling. Jacie found it impossible to comprehend.

Regardless of whether or not she developed a newfound love for writing, all he knew is that she never changed how she treated her own son.

It took everything in him not to open up that journal. The curiosity was killing him.

But he couldn’t read it. Opening that journal meant showing remorse. Jacie had to remind himself of how she mistreated him. He didn’t care to learn about what went on his mother’s head.

Whatever she wrote in that journal had no sympathy or compassion for Jacie, and neither would he for her.

“Where ya headed?” said the familiar voice.

Jacie’s body froze. His stomach sank, and his limbs began to feel cold. She caught him red-handed and had him cornered.

“I saw your bags posted up by the door. Also, your room is completely empty. Hell, if I didn’t see my bedroom door open I’d think you gone and walked out on me.”

He tried to think of an excuse, but there was nothing.

“C’mon don’t get all shy now. Why the sudden change of heart?” she said menacingly.

Jacie stood there debilitated.

“Look, I’m gonna give it to you straight. There ain’t nothin for you out there. You got nowhere to go, and anywhere you land you just gon’ be alone anyways. You got nobody but me. Now I don’t know what’s changed your mind all of a sudden, thinking you can run off and shit. So tell me.”

“No,” said Jacie.

“No?” said Mabel.

“I can’t tell you.”

“And why is that?”

Jacie’s eyes turned red and glossy, and his nose began to flare.

“Because...If I do then... I’m gon’ feel bad” he said, broken and teary.

His mother approached him slowly, “Don’t worry, I won’t get mad this time. I promise.”

He knew exactly what she was doing. He’d heard the same promise many times before. But this time, things felt different. Jacie knew it would have to be the last.

He slowly turned around, firmly planting his heels into the carpet floor.

“I’m leaving because I know I’ll be safe,” said Jacie.

“And what makes you think that?” said Mabel.

“I’ve been saving up is all.”

Her deceptively calm stare grew more and more sour with every response. Mabel’s widening eyes felt like darts peering through his spirit.

“Look, I don’t know what kind of conspiracies you’ve been making up in your head about me. But I’m here to tell you that all that stuff you keep thinking, it’s made up.”

Mabel’s voice grew louder.

“Your own mother is sick and broke and you think you got every goddamn right to walk up out this house?! Look, I don’t know what kind of self-entitlement you think you got, but I’m telling you that you going to hell for it. I swear it. Leave me to die and you gon suffer in life just as you will in death.”

Jacie had enough. Maybe the money and the idea of running away did get to his head because for once, he felt sure of himself.

He looked his mother in the eyes, gave a brief compliant nod, and made way for the bedroom door.

As he made his way down the hall, he could hear her shouts echoing down the hall. “I’ll kill you, I swear to god I’ll kill you if you step out that door!” Her shuffled steps grew faster and faster, but she still couldn’t keep up.

Jacie quickly grabbed his belongings and made way for the door. There was no inclination to look at her one last time. Her screaming would be the last thing he’d hear from her.

Part III

After pacing a couple blocks toward the main street, Jacie found it safer to take a cab and flight rather than the statewide bus.

He waved for a taxi cab to pull up. Since his luggage was light, hauling everything into the backseat with him sounded better. After directing the cab driver to the nearest airport, he let the back of his head collapse onto the cushioned headrest.

Jacie’s body had grown tense like he was anticipating a swing punch any moment now.

She was too far at this point—no chance of her showing up unexpectedly.

Jacie started thinking about the journal. Pondering what other thoughts she may have had that weren’t directly shouted at him.

Then he started thinking about her. Feeling guilty for leaving her penniless, taking everything for himself. She didn’t deserve that money, but she desperately needed it.

He tried stretching out his back first, cracking it side to side than sitting as straight as he could. Jacie proceeded to lean slightly forward in his seat, stretching his neck backward and letting his jaw drop open. He comfortably docked the back of his head into the nape of his neck.

Jacie breathed deeply, tuning out the street bustle around him. The world started to feel peaceful and safe for once.

Just when the breathing high began to creep in, the world went mute.

The bright flash of shattered glass and the direct view of the car ceiling was all too fast for him to process the snapping of his neck.

The luggage and money sat beside Jacie’s body patiently, waiting to be taken by a cop or a fireman.