Page 46 of Until Her

My birthday is tomorrow, then I'm officially an adult. No one knows it’s my birthday at school, Exie, or Kalum. His parents and the staff know. Camila is already making her signature cake to celebrate the year I turn into an adult. For me, it feels like a death sentence. Where would I go and where would I work to support myself?

Kalum’s mother and father sit at the dining table giving each other knowing glances and my stomach turns in a knot. I sit on my hands to stop fidgeting and listen.

“Tomorrow is your birthday, and that means you are officially an adult. I have the papers that officially ends the guardianship agreement between us.” She slides a manila folder over to me. “I want you to enjoy your day. Henry will take you anywhere you wish to go. Kalum has plans with his friend to go on a trip with some friends.”

He knows it’s my birthday and he is leaving? My throat squeezes because I thought he cared. A part of me thought he really did and that we were at least friends. I have avoided him because of the other night and needed space to lick my wounds in peace. To dissect my feelings for Kalum.

Kalum’s father smiles at me warmly. He looks just like Kalum but with graying hair laced with the same authoritative air. His mother is poised, and you can tell she has a wit and airy disposition.

“We wanted to let you know that we don’t need you to be employed as our housekeeper anymore. Camila found someone to handle the tasks she is unable to complete due to her age,” Mr. St. Claire says.

There it is. What I have been dreading. I hoped they would have waited until I graduated but that is obviously not the case. Kalum’s mother gives me a small smile after her husband has spoken and pulls out a white envelope.

“I understand.” I croak.

“We have heard rumors that Kalum started, and he apologizes for divulging information around school that caused you hurt and it was in poor taste. As a family, we are incredibly sorry and I feel that I wasn’t thinking it through when I agreed to give the judge my word regarding a job after you turned eighteen.”

In other words, you look bad in front of the charity events you frequent with the other rich families. She slides the envelope. I place it on top of the folder, but I don’t open it.

“That is a check for a hundred thousand. It should give you a fresh start, money for school, and enough to cover your expenses. You can still have a great life, Aura. I’m sorry we can’t stay to celebrate your birthday, but we have an emergency with one of our projects in New York and will not be back in time.”

Basically, it means get out. A huge knot forms in the back of my throat and I try to swallow it the best I can. I have nowhere to go and the only friend I have made will live too far for us to hang out.

I raise my chin and look at both St. Claire’s and respectfully thank them for all they have done for me. “Thank you for everything, and I appreciate your generosity. You have been kind and have done more than I could have asked for. I hope everything works out and I wish you all well.”

Taking the folder in my hand, I walk as fast as I can to my room and slide down the door, sobbing in silence. I stay there for an hour and watch the time on my phone until it strikes midnight. I count how much money I have and begin to pack all my clothes in one suitcase. I have five thousand dollars to my name, and it means I need to find the cheapest place to sleep and then find a job after school.

There is no way I would take their money. I didn’t earn it and its pity money. Rich people have a way of throwing money at problems when they make mistakes, thinking it’s the right thing to do.

Kalum won’t be back until almost one a.m. because he has an away game. I make the decision to leave before he shows up. I can’t look at him right now and it was a mistake for letting him get too close to me. Not because I regret his kiss or his touch because I don’t. For Kalum, it was physical attraction with no room for emotion.

When my father met my mother, he would never do the things Kalum has done to me. My father knew how special my mother was and wouldn’t risk losing her for a second.

Men like my father simply don’t exist anymore. A love like theirs is written in classic literature. The written words are expressed to represent a feeling of an emotional connection that is all-consuming. It is a rare connection and I had hope I could have it. I thought I found it, but I was wrong.

Maybe their death clouded my reasoning when it came to Kalum. I wanted to feel loved so bad that I didn’t realize I was the only one with stars in her eyes falling in love and he was soaking it all up and putting me away in drawer like a toy you don’t want anyone to play with except you when it is convenient.

I let the Uber drop me off at the shopping center and it’s dark and late. I remember Henry passing by a hotel I could stay for the night but couldn’t get the app to calculate a ride. So the closest destination was the shopping center I’m familiar with. My head looks up when I hear a loud exhaust sound causing me to let go of my rolling suitcase and cover my ears.

It’s coming from Lane’s shop. There is a sports car that he keeps revving and flames shoot out of the exhaust. In front of the rolling garage. I walk, trying to avoid seeing him as I make my way to the hotel two miles down the road, cursing Uber for not allowing a ride to the hotel.

When I’m almost in the clear and I can see the sidewalk and the sign in the distance. It is a straight walk to the hotel, and I hope no one bothers me. I thought about calling Exie, but it was too late, and she wouldn’t be able to pick me up. I needed to wait until midnight so I could legally rent a room with no issues when they asked me for I.D. I’m officially alone and homeless.

The car turns and the headlights are blueish white and blinding as it pulls out on the empty wet road, and I see the taillights brighten but suddenly the car breaks hard coming to a complete stop. The car waits as I walk down the sidewalk with my rolling suitcase containing everything I own. I’m a bit nervous but a I don’t care. At this point, I’ve hit rock bottom.

When I pass the car, the passenger window rolls down. “Aura?”

Tears are running down my cheeks like a flooding river and I sniff. “Lane,” I croak.

He puts the car in neutral and pulls the brake and gets out. The relief that it’s him and not some creep courses through me.

I point to the hotel that is blurry from the tears that keep falling. “Could you take me to that hotel over there, please?” I ask.

“Come with me.” He opens the passenger door of the car. He retrieves my suitcase and places it in the back of the car. He slides in, reaches over, and buckles me in.

“Thank you,” I say just above a whisper.

We are both seated inside an all-night diner with a cup of coffee. Lane is seated across from me, and I tell him what happened and basically my story but leave out the intimate parts with Kalum.

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