"You earned this money. You have your own bills, your own life. You can’t just give it away to someone who's been horrible to you." "“My mother needed an experimental treatment, too.”" Amara’s voice was quiet. "two years ago, it cost $$70,000. We didn’t have it.
I was working at a diner, making minimum wage. I applied for loans. They all said no. I watched my mother die, knowing that if I just had the money, maybe she’d still be here." Tears were streaming down Claire’s face now. "“I can’t let that happen to someone else.”" Amara said.
"I can’t watch you go through what I went through, not when I have the money to help." "“But I was so cruel to you.”" "“I know.”" "I tried to get you fired." "“I know.”" "“Why would you do this?”" Amara looked at her. "Because when my mom was sick, when she was in the hospital, there was a nurse who stayed late one night. She wasn’t supposed to. Her shift was over, but she stayed and she held my mom's hand and she talked to her. And my mom felt less alone.
That nurse didn’t know us. She didn’t owe us anything, but she stayed anyway." She paused. "I asked her later why she did it. She said because someone did it for me once, when my dad was dying. And I’ve been passing it forward ever since." Claire was openly sobbing now.
"I don’t deserve this." "“Maybe not, but your mom does.”" Amara pressed the check into Claire’s hand. "“Take it. Use it. Save her.”" "I’ll pay you back. I swear.
Every penny." "If you want to, but that’s not why I’m doing this." Claire pulled her into a hug. Amara hugged her back, feeling the woman shake with sobs. "Thank you." Claire whispered. "Thank you." When they pulled apart, Claire wiped her face. "“I’m going to be better.
I promise.” To you, to everyone. I’m going to be the person you think I can be." "“I know you will.”" They walked back to the office together. Claire went straight to her office to call the hospital. Amara went to her desk. She opened her banking app again.
$1,000 left from the bonus. The rest of her medical bills were still unpaid. Her savings were gone again. But her mother’s photograph smiled at her from her phone's background. "“I did the right thing, didn’t I, Mama?”" She could almost hear the answer.