“I’ve forgotten nothing.”
“You’ve been going to visit your sister in the hospital quite a lot lately, taking bags full of stuff every day,” Andrew remarked to his wife, Annabelle, as she returned from the hospital yet again and they sat down for dinner.
“Why does that bother you so much?” Anna asked in surprise.
“It’s not that it bothers me. I understand she’s your sister. But Cathy isn’t in a critical condition, and other people can visit her too. Her husband, daughter, son, and daughter-in-law… Why are you rushing over there every day? Is there a charming doctor you fancy?”
“What nonsense are you talking about, Andrew!” Annabelle chided her husband. “What a ridiculous thought. Besides, Cathy’s doctor is a woman, so your theory falls flat…”
“No, really, Anna, explain it to me. Why is there a need to run to the hospital after work every day? You’re up at six a.m. making all sorts of juices and broths… Then, after work, you rush home, pack a bag, and head to the hospital? It’s self-inflicted, truly. You’re tired, not getting enough sleep. Look at the bags under your eyes…”
“Alright, I’ll tell you; you won’t let it go otherwise,” Anna sighed as she cleared the table. “I’ll make some tea, and we can talk.”
“Great,” her husband said, eager to understand, “because I really don’t get it…”
***
A seventeen-year-old Annabelle Westfield moved to the city after finishing school to get into university or college. Born and raised in a small village with no prospects for further education or a career, Anna was determined to get a degree and become a lawyer.
The university exams didn’t go well, but she managed to get a place in a legal college, which delighted her immensely. The idea of returning to the village, with no opportunities, was not something she wanted. Working as a shop assistant like her mother didn’t appeal, nor did living in a village.
Annabelle was set on establishing herself in the city. She wanted to study, find work, and create a personal life. Visiting her parents would be occasional, but she’d support them once she was stable. She had ambitious plans without a doubt.
In school, Anna had dated Victor Green, a classmate, yet he wasn’t interested in city life and had no intention of leaving the village. After school, he started working on the farm where his parents worked, then planned to join the army and afterward continue farm life… That was the life he wanted.
Anna was horrified at the thought, so she easily parted ways with Victor, understanding he wasn’t the one for her. Victor wasn’t heartbroken; a few months later, upon turning eighteen, he married Mary, who had been yearning for him, and he finally reciprocated her feelings.
Once in college, Anna was granted a place in the dormitory and began adapting to her new life. She aimed to excel in her studies for a higher scholarship. Her parents sent her a monthly money order, so she didn’t starve, though she wasn’t extravagant.
That autumn day remains vivid for Annabelle… She was on a bus, returning from the library, preparing for a civil law seminar. The library kept her until nightfall when the bus was packed as people returned from work.
Anna squeezed into the crowded bus, preferring not to wait endlessly for the next one, which wouldn’t necessarily be less full. Once she got off, feeling like a sardine in a can, she realized in horror her bag was slashed. Cold sweat broke out as she discovered her wallet was gone…
Petty theft wasn’t uncommon, the likes of which occurred often in packed transports due to the crowds and inadvertence of passengers. Finding the perpetrator was almost impossible.
The most terrible part was receiving her scholarship that day and the previous day’s money from her parents, all still in her wallet, not yet secured under her mattress as usual. And now, the wallet was stolen, leaving her pennyless…
The situation was exacerbated by her recent call to her parents when her mother mentioned Dad’s pay was delayed, asking Annabelle to stretch her funds, uncertain when they could next send more.
Saying Annabelle was stunned is an understatement. Tears streamed as she blamed herself for not securing the funds and for not being vigilant on the bus, despite hearing about such incidents. Her classmate had recently faced a similar fate on a trolleybus. Now, Annabelle had fallen victim too…
Going to the police was futile. What could she report? No faces remembered from the bus ride. Finding the thief was harder than finding a needle in a haystack. Her cheap wallet was likely discarded by now, probably in a bin, the cash long gone… All her money… How would she survive? What would she eat? Her remaining supplies—a pack of margarine, two onions, some tea, buckwheat, and pasta—wouldn’t last a month.
“Why the tears?” asked her roommate, Julia, upon seeing Annabelle.
Anna recounted her ordeal.
“Yeah…” Julia responded. “Bad luck. But it’s your fault. Who carries all their money? You should’ve held your bag tight, or better yet, kept cash in your underwear or bra. These days, you must stay alert… You’re such a scatterbrain, Anna. You may be top of your class, but otherwise, you act, forgive me, like a silly goose…”
Annabelle understood all too well, and Julia’s words didn’t ease her sorrow. She wasn’t offended being called a silly goose by her roommate. She felt just that… But time couldn’t be reversed, nothing amended. The money was irretrievable, but life had to proceed.
She dismissed the idea of calling her parents to confess her foolishness, considering their current financial struggles. Dad’s wages were withheld, leaving them reliant on her mother’s shop earnings. Feeding themselves was already challenging with a younger daughter, Catherine, to care for.
Getting a job seemed the only solution, though immediate pay was unlikely. Initial work might be a month or at least two weeks before any advances… Though newcomers seldom received upfront pay… What could she do in such a dire situation?
“Want me to introduce you to a sugar daddy?” Julia suddenly suggested.
“A what?” Annabelle asked, confused.
“Oh, have you been living under a rock? A wealthy guy who could take care of your expenses in exchange for… well, you get the idea. Or do I need to explain further?”
“No explanation needed. I get it.”
“Good. You’ve got the looks; many would be interested. You’d live in luxury.”
Julia’s proposition appalled Annabelle. The mere thought of being some older man’s mistress, selling herself for money, was distasteful… She knew her roommate indulged in such arrangements and hence didn’t face financial woes, but Annabelle found the concept deeply abhorrent…
“So, shall I introduce you?” Julia pressed.
“No,” Annabelle shook her head before asking, “Julia, could you lend me some cash? Just until the next scholarship. I have nothing left.”
“Sorry, I can’t lend any. Split it all between clothes and makeup, with a bit for food. But my introduction offer remains if needed. Think about it. If you’re starving, moral qualms seem less significant, you know.”
Annabelle said nothing in response, turning to face the wall, tears silently streaming once more, eventually drifting to sleep without realizing…
