“Mum! Breakfast’s ready.” I lay Mum’s plate, piled up with pancakes, down on the table. “Coming!” She groaned as she lifted herself from the couch, her feet shuffling against the wooden floorboards. Plopping down in her seat, she stabbed her fork into her pancakes and packed her face with the food. Mum looked better today. 

“Are you going to come to see Emma with me today?”, Mum’s mouth was still stuffed with pancakes, muffling her words. 

“Can’t. It’s my shift at the restaurant tonight and I’ll hang out with Liam later. Don’t wait up for me, all right?” But that wasn't true. Mum nodded her head, turning her attention back to the pancakes. I made my way to the table, taking the seat facing Mum, and started digging into my own breakfast. I heard Mum’s cutlery clatter and looked up to see her shaking her head in her hands. Getting up, I rushed to her side. Kneeling on the floor, I patted her back, “Breath, Mum.” But she didn’t hear me.

“I’m so sorry, Elijah. If only I had a decent job, you wouldn’t have to work and you could focus on studying. I could have sent you to a school that actually provides an education instead of that horrid public ground. I could have paid for a better hospital so Emma could get proper treatment and I could even send you to college. But I don’t even have enough money for rent.” 

She chuckled lightly, “Money is the answer to everything but it’s the only thing I don’t have.” Her head dropped onto the table, harsh sobs escaping through her. This wasn’t the first time, but I still didn’t know how to comfort Mum. I couldn’t just tell her everything would be ok, I didn’t want to lie. So I just continued patting her back. Eventually, Mum came back from her endless torment cycle, “There I go again. Sorry about that. But thank you for helping me. With your part-time job, we’re able to get by and I’m grateful for that.” She sniffled, wiping her tears away. Glancing down at her watch, she got up. “Oh, you’re gonna be late! You should get going. I’ll say hi to Emma for you. Bye!” 

Handing me my backpack, she shoved me out the door before I could process anything. I heard Mum’s clothes wrinkling against the door, knowing she was on the floor trying not to break down again. I thought about going back in but decided against it, knowing that wouldn’t help my mum’s condition. Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I was ready, not really, to face the day. 

“Elijah!” I turned around to see Liam waving from his car window. I smiled, waving back. Stopping in front of me, Liam opened the door and scooched down, “Get in, we’ll drop you off.” “Thanks.” Relieved I didn’t have to take the bus, I hopped in the car, placing my backpack on my legs. “Hey, Mr. Ian. Good to see you.” I spoke, greeting Liam’s driver who nodded in return. 

“When’d you get back?” I asked Liam.

“Last week. The surgery went well.” 

“That’s good,” I said, nodding along.

Liam had gone to the UK to get surgery, he had spinal disc herniation. Liam came from a fairly privileged family. Able to afford things I could only dream of. From time to time, I couldn’t help wondering how our lives would be if Mum had a better job. How we would be able to afford things like Liam but despite pouring countless hours into her job, her pay wasn’t enough for all those privileges.

“Yeah, how’s Emma?” His tone was wary, I noticed. 

​

“She’s the same. The doctors aren’t doing anything. We’re basically paying so she can be hooked up to fancy machines and whatnot.” I laughed at the last part, out of pity for Emma.

​

“That’s messed up… ” 

“Right?” I sunk down into the seat, not wanting to continue the conversation, Liam seemed to understand. Emma was just a sensitive topic. As we got to the front gate, I unbuckled my belt, getting out of the car.

“Thanks for dropping me off. Have a good day.” 

“No problem. You too.” 

Liam’s car drove off to the school next door. It was everything mine wasn’t. Perks of going to private school, another privilege Liam had. 

I wasn’t sure why I bothered to attend classes. We had one teacher for all of our classes. Not to be offensive, but he didn’t even know what he was doing. Once, he had us write an essay on what injustice meant to us. One student asked for an example and he gave her detention.

I wrote about, “How corruption ruins the lives of those less privileged!” The story of my life.

Sometimes, the “teacher” didn’t even come to the class which was in my favor. I could use the time to study instead of listening to useless lectures. Unless I studied by myself, I wouldn’t be graduating anytime soon. I got on the 4:00 bus to get to the restaurant. As for public schools and hospitals, public transport wasn’t any better. Dirty, overly crowded, and dysfunctional. The restaurant was usually packed every day which kept me quite busy, which was fine. I had more than one job but I couldn’t tell Mum. It was the only way to make all the money I did but if she found out, she’d make me quit. Both of us knew it would mean less money but she wouldn’t care about that. 

By the time I got home, Mum was fast asleep on the couch of our small studio apartment. Back when Emma was diagnosed with lung cancer, I pulled as many part-times as I could, more than I had now. Knowing how bad our financial situation was, Mum wouldn’t be able to cope by herself. Despite how much I hated the way we lived, I couldn’t do anything about it except live with it. Despite public school not teaching me anything, the hospital doing nothing to help Emma’s condition, and Mum suffering because of not having enough money, I couldn’t do anything but stand on the side trying my best to help everyone and plead for it all to end.