Victoria

Chapter Eight: Bad Decisions all Around

Day 2,200 in second guessing myself....

"Did you know, George Washington never had wooden teeth, but he used his workers teeth- in other words, slaves- as dentures?" There's one thing a seven year old can never give up, their sponge mind. For the past week, Liza has been filled with so many facts about the American history that fascinated her, and spilled it all on the table as she ate her cereal.

I sat in front of her, picking up on those facts like a sponge while eating my cereal as well. "I'm glad they're teaching you something in school."

Liza eyed me closely, her head tilted to each side as she tried to form the question that's been on her mind all morning. "What happened to your red work shirt?"

"I don't need to wear it anymore." I beamed at the thought of wearing regular professional work clothing. I was tired of that red shirt and going down into the basement with a bunch of red shirt wearing people who were either hungover or mentally tired if the job.

"Did you lose your job? Do we have to take out loans?"

"No, Liza. I have a new and better job, and I don't need you to worry about me taking out loans or anything else regarding money. I'm supposed to be worrying about that, not you."

Liza nods her head in understanding before going back to her cereal. Mom soon walked in dressed in her regular professional work clothing of a nail stylist, she owns her own shop in town and gains a lot of business; being the fact that it's only one nail shop every eight miles, and she's the best of the best. "Where's the red shirt?" She questioned after giving me one glance.

"Mommy has a new job." My dear daughter chirped with a wide bright smile upon her face.

"New job? Where? Since when?"

I stood to my feet, clasping into the empty bowls and heading to the sink she was leaning close by. "They gave me a promotion." I said in a hush tone.

"They, who?" She matches my low voice and faced forward out the small window looking into the sun room.

"The company board, gave it to me personally."

Giving me that disappointing sigh that any mother would give to their children when they made a huge mistake, mom poured herself a sugary coffee to keep herself from saying anything rude. "To keep quiet? Or they just feel guilty?"

"You may think that's what it seems-"

"There's no thinking, a blind man can see this is what's happening. I thought I taught you better, if something isn't right, you don't follow through."

"I'm taking the opportunity, I handled it. I'm trying to move forward and make sure Liza is living the best life, I can't live here for long and I can't work in that basement anymore."

Her lips went thin, she knew I were right; a opportunity like this only happens once and a person must grasp it before it goes away. "You can't give her the best life if you're in jail." She walked out of the kitchen, more like stormed out.

"Are you in trouble?" I almost forgotten Liza was still sitting at the dining table, staring at us to figure out what was happening.

"Something like that. Go get your backpack, meet me at the front door."

****

Victoria Sims., security expertise... the black bold label was in the middle of the door, the maintenance guy just placed it on there when I walked out of the elevators. The office was small on the seventeenth floor, with a view of the parking lot. I had privacy, a desk, and a place to put more pictures and other things to keep me entertained during the long eight hours. However, standing in the middle of the room, I couldn't help but feel wrong.