Khalil

Chapter 2

Mimi sighs fixing her glasses holding the mail that came in that morning. It was nothing but more bills, and a big red envelope. One thing about the color red it was never a good sign at least that's what Mimi believed.

She peeps at her grandson one last time, before getting the room. Her room lay just a few steps down, by the bathroom in the hallway. She enters her bedroom,
turning on a lamp before crawling in her bed.

The soft fabric cradled her aching legs in warmth. "Now let's see what I got here," Mimi says as she picks up the big envelope. Tearing the opening, she removes the contents that resided on the inside.

On the front was a picture of her house, with the caption at the bottom saying:

"This is a call for repossession we have received an email from debt collectors stating that you owe the state more than thirty thousand dollars. If YOU DO NOT PAY BY THE 25TH ON JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR YOU WILL LOSE YOUR HOUSE!"

Mimi's hands were shaking, as her tears stain the paper. "Oh good gracious! What I gonna do?"

....

The next day Milo woke up to the sound of her grandmother's voice. She was talking on the phone, getting up out of his bed he peeked through the halls. Before walking out to the staircase, he sat on top, listening to the conversation. Mimi whoever she was on the phone with had her agitated.

To the point where Milo heard her cuss a few times, and she rarely ever said curse words. "You not understand what the hell I saying? I telling you I had more time than just a damn three months to get money in. I have been paying on house for more than twenty-five years and now you say you repossess me if you no get full payment."

Wait repossess? The house is getting repossessed. Milo thinks feeling the fear build up in his heart. Could these people take their house? No that couldn't be! He stands up trying to tiptoe down the stairs. Trying to make as little sound as possible. He didn't want Mimi to hear him eavesdropping little did he know she already knew.

The phone slams on the coffee table making it shake a little. Mimi didn't want Milo to hear the poor baby didn't need to hear that. On the other hand, Milo wanted to hear, and as he watches his grandmother pour her a cup of coffee as if she wasn't just frantic a moment ago he couldn't help but question what he had heard.

"The house...is it being repossessed?"

...
"Has anyone thought about how you're going to prepare for your project? Has anyone picked a topic?" Mr. Fisher asks the entire class, and all Milo could think about was the conversation earlier with his Mimi.

How she brushed off his question as if he had not heard her conversation. How she was smiling telling him not to worry about anything? However in his eyes and looking at hers he knew she was stressed. Milo could only treasure that she can take his check however she refused telling him he needed the money more than she does.

"Milo?"

Milo's eyes snap up at the sound of his name being called. Mr. Fisher peers at him over his glasses. Milo pauses on biting his fingernails. "Sir?" He says quietly. He always hated being called on by teachers.

Like twenty-one other kids in this classroom, but he chooses me?

"Can you answer the question on the board for me?" Mr. Fisher asks Milo putting out his left hand which held a red marker. Milo tried to calm his nerves. It was just one simple question. Then he could get to his seat and others could pretend he's invisible again.

The question on the board read, What is Family? Milo raises an eyebrow this question was so simple a two-year-old can answer it. Why is it that his teacher wants him to answer something so simple?