“I am sorry.”

“That doesn’t help.”

“No.”Language Resources

She reached into her pocket.

“Take this.”

She handed me an envelope.

I didn’t open it.

“What is it?”

“Your first week’s salary.”

“I worked two hours.”Doors & Windows

“Mr. Bennett pays caregivers weekly in advance.”

My hands trembled.

“How much?”

“Five thousand dollars.”

I stared at her.

I thought I had misheard.

Five thousand?”

“Yes.”Bath & Body Products

I nearly dropped the envelope.

That was more money than I had earned in three months at my old cleaning job.

“Why?”

“Because no one stays.”

I thought of Brandon.

Medicine.

Food.

Heat.
Then I bought groceries.Business News

Real groceries.

Chicken.

Milk.

Fruit.

Bread.

Eggs.

Cereal Emma liked.Language Resources

Cookies.

Fresh vegetables.

Medicine.

Two new blankets.

A space heater.

Emma stared at the shopping bags as if I had brought home Christmas.

“Mommy, are we rich?”Food

I laughed and cried at the same time.

“No, baby.”

I kissed her forehead.

“We just got lucky.”

That night, after they slept, I sat at our tiny kitchen table and pulled an old cardboard box from the closet.

Ryan’s box.

I had carried it through six apartments and two marriages.Food & Grocery Retailers

Inside were photographs.

Letters.

School papers.

A baseball glove.

And one picture that made my heart stop.