I had no idea what would happen on my fifteenth birthday. I had to move in with my stepmother Linda because I didn’t have a bond with my birth mother and my dad had died six months before.
I’ve always thought Linda didn’t like me. For the sake of my dad, she pretended to put up with me, but every time she talked to me, there was anger underneath.
When my dad died, I knew Linda would try to kick me out of the house, but I thought she wouldn’t be so mean because I was only 15.
On my fifteenth birthday, Linda jumped into my room with a sneaky smile on her face. And in the other hand, she held a box that looked like a gift.
She said, “Happy birthday, Abigail,” in a whisper that made me shiver with cold.
No matter how bad things are between us, the fact that she remembered my birthday gave me a short sense of hope.
I had no idea what was going to happen.
Afraid to say “thank you,” I took a bite of the cupcake she was giving me. “What’s inside the box?”
“Open it up!” “I know you’ve been talking about becoming more independent lately,” she said.That’s why I gave you what you asked for.
What kind of freedom could she give a teen? I still couldn’t drive.
I tore the package open with shaking hands, and hope could be seen inside.
It wasn’t a sign of love or celebration; it was a lease for a small flat across town. The note said she had already paid the deposit and the first month’s rent.
My words were shaky: “I can’t live by myself.” “What about school?” This is too far away.”
Linda made fun of her and said, “Well, Abi, you wanted your freedom, doll.” “You can have it now. You can pick up things that have been marked at the end of the week. Paul, my helper, will bring you some boxes for your things.
“But Linda, this is my dad’s house,” I told her. “I do not wish to go anywhere.”
She said, “Too bad.” “You say that you want to become a doctor and not help out with the family business.” As I already said, my business is doing very well and my homes are going very quickly. I only asked that you clean up the houses for me while I was away. But you turned it down.”
It was true, but I had no choice. It wasn’t possible for me to clean during the school day like Linda had asked.
“You can get through this on your own. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” she told me as she left my room.
What she said hit me like a tonne of rocks with all its weight. In order to stay, I would have to quit school and work for the real estate company as Linda’s cleaner. I tried, but I couldn’t do it. My dad and I both wanted to be doctors, so we both loved school.
My dad always told me I had the heart to be a doctor. I missed him a lot.
But at such a young age, I had to deal with the unthinkable: being homeless and having my only family leave me.
I tried to make plans for the rest of the week. I knew I couldn’t quit school, but I also knew I couldn’t live in that flat. How would I pay my rent and buy food?
I saw my Aunt Maria at last. Even though she didn’t get along with my dad, she was the only person who could save me. She’s the sister of my dad.
As I stood on her porch, I told her everything that had happened to me. She opened her arms wide and let me into her home, giving me the safety and warmth I so desperately needed.
“You have a bright future ahead of you, Abi,” she would tell me while we were cooking. “Do not let anyone put out that fire.”
I lived with Aunt Maria while I was in school and while I was in medical school. And her cat Mimi. Since she was single, it was just the two of us. Because she always supported and encouraged me, I was able to balance school and a part-time job. This helped me continue my schooling.
After many years, fate threw me a surprise while I was working a normal ER shift. On a busy night, Linda was brought in bleeding from her head after an accident. A driver went too fast through a red light and hit Linda’s car.
She didn’t know who I was when she said, “People are so careless” after I stitched her up. “I’m glad I’m alive—if I could just get that driver…” she said in a broken voice.
“Do you also think it’s risky to kick out a 15-year-old girl?” I asked while looking at her wound very carefully.
She let out a gasp.
The only thing she could say was “Abigail?”
“Yes, it’s me, but now it’s Doctor Abigail Parker.” I told her to “hold motionless,” which made her flinch.
She said, “I’m truly sorry. You disappeared, and I had no idea where to start looking for you.”
Linda was getting older, but she was still cold and uncaring.
I said, “Don’t worry.” “I got to where I was going. As soon as I’m done stitching you up, you can leave.”
Even though I really wanted to yell and kick Linda, I couldn’t tell her how much she hurt me.
That was in the past. I swore I would be a doctor, and from now on Shirley would be my patient.
Once the stitches were done, I sent her on her way. To be honest, it made me feel better to see her and let her know I was okay, but it also made me feel better when she left.
No matter what, Linda seemed to be getting her fair share of karma. Maybe this bad luck was just the start of fate’s punishment for her bad behaviour.
