Page 6 of The Wish List
I left him in his room, returning to the kitchen. I spied a small artificial tree in the corner with a few gifts under it. I went closer, inspecting it. Handmade ornaments and some bright-colored lights decorated the well-used tree. It was very festive. On examination, I noticed all the gifts were to Asher and signed “Love, Momma.”
I saw none for her. I wondered if that changed come Christmas morning.
Some other lights were strung up and decorations scattered around. The furniture was worn but comfortable-looking. Throw blankets and pillows made it a welcoming place.
I entered the kitchen, seeing Rosie sitting at the table, looking nervous. I sat beside her, reaching for her hand. “AJ obviously loves his room.”
“He plays in there a lot.”
I looked around, realizing, aside from the bathroom, the apartment had no other doors.
“Where is your room?” I asked.
“I sleep on the sofa.”
“On the sofa?” I asked, shocked. She had no room? No privacy?
She nodded. “I haven’t found a two-bedroom place I can afford. I like this neighborhood. It’s close to AJ’s school and easy transit. The sofa pulls out to a bed. I don’t mind it. It’s comfortable enough.” She shrugged. “It will do until I can afford something better.”
I had a feeling “until I can afford something better” was a mantra for her. I thought of her too-big coat, going without breakfast. Sleeping on the sofa. She went without so AJ didn’t have to. I wondered how many other sacrifices she made without even thinking.
“What do you do for a living?” I asked.
“I’m an accountant. I put myself through school.”
“While pregnant?”
“Partially.” She smiled ruefully. “It wasn’t as if I had a choice. I had to finish school to get a decent job. I had to work in order to go to school. Luckily, I qualified for some small scholarships, which helped.”
“And his father never helped?”
She laughed and got up, pouring us the coffee she had made. “He ran as far away as possible. Last I heard, he was in the Northwest Territories as a guide or something. He always liked nature and hiking.”
“Selfish bastard.”
“It never would have worked out. We were too different. He was taking business courses so he could run his own company offering outdoor nature adventures. We met at a course we were taking together. He seemed nice. Sadly, nice and wanting the same things from life didn’t mesh. He wanted adventures. To never settle down. I hated the sun and outside. I wanted to get my degree, settle down, and have a family. When I got pregnant, he walked fast.”
“And you became a mother.”
She smiled, her love for her son evident. “Asher’smother. Yes. He is worth everything.”
“So, an accountant?”
“Yes. I finally got on with a good place. I’m still at the bottom, but it’s steady and I plan to work my way up.” She took a sip of coffee. “And you? What do you do when not finding lost boys or feeding strange women?”
I chuckled. “I only do that once a year. Otherwise, I’m a philanthropist.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “What is that exactly?”
“I own several companies, which are profitable. We turn the profits into investments. Those funds are there to help people. We do grants, support charities, fund causes. Scholarships. Foundations. We even give money to individuals.”
“Wow. So you give away money for a living.”
“I tried the usual route. I came from money and made more easily. But I was tired of corporate greed. The first time I gave away a large chunk of money was the first time I felt good about myself. I realized I could do both. Make it and give it away. Help others. So I restructured my life.”
“That is amazing.”
I opened my mouth to reply but my phone buzzed, and I frowned as I read the message. “I have to go,” I said regretfully.
