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“Everything’s going to be fine,” one of the older guys assures me as I walk by. It seems like the woman’s here for me, so at least the boxing club is safe.
Several of the guys get back to practicing with the heavy bags or ring training. They know that the club is safe, they can feel it in their bones. Several others give me reassuring head nods.
Do I look that terrified?
I go into the jail sized office that my father has. The room is horrendously small and there’s a window the size of a book at the far end of the room. My father has painted all the windows inside this building. We don’t live in the best neighborhood, so he wants this area separate from outside. Concentration is key, members should only focus on why they’re here.
I take the desk chair my dad is standing next to. Blocking the already blacked-out window.
The fancy woman moves a step closer to me and offers her hand. “My name is Ms. X.” I take it. “Taylor, have you ever heard of Santorin University?” She asks as she sits down, crossing one leg over the other and looking more exquisite than she already does. She’s a bit younger than my mom but she is one of the most classically beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Flowing brown hair, glistening blue eyes, all on a thin frame wearing a pinstripe suit that doesn’t have a wrinkle or a piece of lint on it.
“Yeah?” I say with a smile but it comes out a little bit sarcastically. Like who hasn’t heard of Santorin University? Everybody has, it’s the freaking Ivy of all Ivy League schools.
I watch her with rapt attention. You could hear a pin drop as the woman classically grabs her leather bag off the floor andtakes out a folder with paperwork, and several clothing items. I glance over to my father, his eyes are slightly wide, looking at the shit in her hands. He’s shocked but is also very wary. He’s having trouble masking his expressions, which is unheard of with him.
Ms. X gives me a very sweet and comforting smile. “Ms. Quinn, you have won a scholarship to Santorin University for your senior year of college.” She starts talking, conversing to both my father and me. Sadly, the only thing I hear is ‘what the hell,’ screaming in my head. This has to be a joke? Right?
Santorin University is one of those colleges that only the elite of the elite get into. There is no application process, nothing. If you’re going to be a student at the school, you’re going to get an invitation, that’s the only way.
Don’t get me wrong, my mouth is still slightly open in shock. I’m not academically inclined. I went to community college for the first two years, then switched over to the State College for my junior year. I didn’t get straight As. I’m not some major sports god. Most people can see, as this woman can probably tell now, that my parents are not loaded.
This honestly makes no sense whatsoever. I don’t pay that much attention, with my mind racing as I watch my dad shake Ms. X’s hand. She gives me a smile and a nod as she leaves through the door that I just entered through. All the guys are watching, wondering why she was here. She’s a beautiful enigma.
My father moves closer to me rubbing my shoulders up and down as I stand up. “Eyes open.”
I nod. “Always.”
He’s just as perturbed by this whole situation as I am. I know he loves me and he wants everything for me, but come on, we’re not stupid. There’s no reason I would get into this school, everything sounds fishy. So yeah, I’m definitely going to keep my eyes open, always.
We spend the next hour in complete silence cleaning up and getting the gym ready for whoever wants to grace their presence here tomorrow morning. Some people actually use this place just for exercise, but since our clientele is older, it doesn’t last that long.
“Ready?” My father asks me getting all the paperwork and the clothing items Ms. X had left, gathering them in his arms. I nod, drying off my hands after washing them. I always disinfect, there’s so much bodily fluids on everything in this gym, it’s downright gross. But it’s home and I love this place.
Both my father and I head out of the doors, then turn a sharp right to another door facing the street that leads up to our apartment. No words are said as we trudge up heading straight for the kitchen area where my mom has dinner ready and waiting.
Sometimes we’re able to sneak up for dinner earlier, but the place was packed tonight.
My mother quickly glances between my father and me, her expression seems as worried and vaguely confident as my dad’s does. I love them so much because they try to make the situation happy no matter how daunting it is.
We eat in silence. There’s no reason to talk, my dad was in his office for a while. I know he called mom and explained everything to her.
“I can’t wait anymore,” she says as both my dad and I, cover our stuffed with spaghetti mouths, laugh. She rips open the paperwork and starts going through it. Her mouth forming a big ‘O’ through the entire reading process.
My mom looks up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “You leave on Friday morning, that’s two days away.” I nod, my father had mentioned it to me before. I could wait and go Sunday, but this way I’ll get settled and can explore.
My father smiles as he grabs each one of our hands. In our small apartment, there’s a tiny kitchen table that fits three people perfectly.
“Taylor deserves this. This is her time to shine, and for some reason the best school in the country wants our daughter, then so be it.” He squeezes her hands for emphasis. “We can’t let our past dictate our future anymore, not everything that happens is going to be bad.” He lets go of my mom’s hand and covers mine with his. “Enjoy this moment in life, we might not know the answer right now, but as your parents we know that this is your moment to shine.”
I start to cry as the three of us head up to my room, seeing what’s worthwhile to pack. I’m grateful for my mom. If I was on my own at State, which I’m supposed to be going back to, my laundry would be piling up. Because of her, everything is clean except for these raggedy gym clothes I’ve been wearing all day.
My father comes back with an envelope in hand. They think they keep stuff from me, but I know exactly where their stash is and how much they have in it. Very rarely, but when I do have extra, I try to add a twenty every now and then.
I shake my head no, as my mom puts her arm around me squeezing me to her side. “It’s five hundred dollars, you’ll be a few hours away from us, and who knows what could happen. This money will help us to sleep better at night. Please just do this for us so that we know you’re safe.”
I nod, blinking rapidly, trying to lose the tears that are threatening to break free.
I will always be grateful for these two. For everything that they’ve ever done for me. I just pray to God that one day I can rightfully repay them.
