Troubled

2: Problems.

"No, not a chance," my mother argued as she started to shake her head in disagreement. "I am supposed to be the one to take care of you, not the other way around. I can handle everything."

"I want to help," I said in a sincere nature.

"Oh, Megan," she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around my body and pressed her forehead against my shoulder. "I don't want to bother you. All of this is my fault."

"You would never bother me," I promised to her as I traced patterns on her back with my fingertips. I spoke into her ear in a soft whisper to try to make her feel better about what was going on. "Everything is going to be okay."

But to be honest, I was not so sure that everything would be okay.

-

Megan Crawford.
Sunday, June 28th 2015.
14:33.

"I wish there was something I could do."

I was on the phone with Chloe, my older sister. She was in New York, in her small apartment. She went to the University of Columbia because she was such a wonderful student and had earned a scholarship.

Chloe and I were speaking about the conversation I had had with my mother the day before. I had just told Chloe that I would find work in a bookstore and would try to make money to pay the rent. She was concerned for us, but I assured her that we would be just fine.

I was on a park bench as I watched my little sister, Catherine, run around on the playground. There was wind in her hair and a wide smile on her lips. Both of my sisters and my mother were blonde and had blue eyes, but I resembled my father instead, with my brunette hair and hazel eyes.

"There is nothing to worry about," I said to her, but then again, there was no way that I could know that for sure. I wanted to be certain that we would not be evicted and we would keep our home. But I did not know how much money I would make in my job, and maybe, it would not be enough to pay the rent.

"Okay, Meg," Chloe said, even though her tone was still unsure. I could hear her sigh on the other line and I could not help but sigh too. "But please, if you need any more money I can just send some to you."

"Chloe, we will be fine," I told her.

In that moment, I saw my small sister walking towards me, with a smile on her face and sparkling blue eyes. I grinned back at her as she was about to reach me. I did not want Catherine to hear my conversation with Chloe, and that is why I spoke into the phone to say goodbye to my older sister. "I have to go now."

"I love you, sister," she said through the phone. Afterwards, she told me something that made me feel better about my problems. "I will see you in a few weeks."

Chloe would come back home to Blackford in three weeks to see the family and spend some time with us. I had not seen her for a few months and I was so excited for her to tell me about her experiences in college.

I was very close to my older sister as well as my younger one. Even though our father had left and we did not see each other all the time, we were a family and we cared and watched out for each other so much.

"I love you too," I said and ended our phone call, just as Catherine sat down on the bench beside me with an exhale. She seemed exhausted after she had run around the playground. I placed my hand on her blonde hair and she looked up at me with a wide gaze.

"What are we doing now?" she wondered, her eyes already excited about our next adventure. I gave her an apologetic look and shook my head.

"I am taking you home with Mom," I admitted to my little sister as I stood from the bench and took her hand in mine. She frowned up at me and was about to open her mouth to say something else, but I spoke up first, "I have things to do."