One Shot of Chance

Chapter 7 - Clyde Smith

Rowie winced. Janice could not help but pity her daughter because of the wounds. The cut on her right cheek was not that big but the wounds on her back were a different case. It would probably mark for weeks. Janice wished it would not leave a permanent scar.

She continued applying medicine to Rowie's wound. "I am so sorry about your father," Janice almost whispered. Raven was fast asleep on her mom's lap. Good thing she stopped sobbing.

"You do not have to say sorry, Janice. It is not even your fault." She winced again.

"I know. But, your father—"

"It was his fault, not yours. If there is one person who needs to say that, it is going to be him."

Janice gave her daughter a weak smile. She was so blessed to have a daughter like her. But too bad she had to marry a cruel and violent man. She did not regret it, though. Now that she had Raven, and now Rowie, she could not wish for more. It felt like every pain just vanished because of her daughters.

"I promise you," Janice said, "I will find a job suitable for me to help you, okay? You do not have to work overtime tonight." She placed the first aid kit away and faced Rowie.

"No, Janice. I am fine. I will work overtime tomorrow too, if I have to. I can manage."

"But, Rowie—"

"Janice, I love what I am doing. Just let me do this for the three of us. When Dad comes, I have something to give him so that he won't hurt us again."

"I am sorry for being so useless."

Rowie gave her an assuring smile. "You are not, Janice. Just smile and stay the same. That is all I ever wanted."

Janice bit her lower lip to prevent her tears, but she failed. Tears flowed on her cheek casually that made Rowie cry as well.

Rowie was hurting. It hurt her to see her stepmom and little sister cry. All she ever wished was to make both of them happy. She wanted to make them live comfortably because that would be her deceased mom's wish as well.

She failed to do that. She failed as a daughter and as a sister. That was why, that day, she promised herself to be a better person; a better daughter, and a better older sister. She would work hard for the three of them so that no one could hurt them anymore.

SATURDAY MORNING, ROWIE woke up earlier than usual. Even after staying at night doing printing stuff, she still managed to wake up earlier than her stepmom.

She prepared a table for three. While cooking, she cleaned the house which was not that big for them. It was only enough for the three of them.

They slept on the floor together. They would place a thin blanket to shield them from the cold wooden floor. Their clothes were stuffed inside a small drawer, some were cleanly folded to one side. There was only a single electric fan that they could use every summer.

Their kitchen did not have many utensils. They only had a pair of spoons and forks for the three of them, and three plates and mugs. They had a single gas stove where they cooked their rice and dishes. Other than that, they had none.

She woke up her stepmom and stepsister after the food was cooked.

"You could have woken me up so that I could help you." Janice pouted. Rowie assisted her in her wheelchair before heading to the kitchen.

"Janice, I can manage. It is already done, though. I can't change anything anymore." Rowie smirked, fixing the plates in front of the two.

Raven was still half asleep. She was staring blankly at the food while drinking her coffee. Rowie brushed her hair a little.

"Really. Okay, I get it. Let us eat!" she beamed and then started eating. Raven laughed at her mom and started teasing her.

They would laugh as if nothing happened yesterday. Good thing James did not show up that morning. It was as peaceful as their normal days.

"By the way, I am off to work. Manager Gloria requested me to help the new part-timer this morning."

Janice nodded. "Okay, then. Wait for me and I will call for a tricycle driver for you." She prepared to leave but Rowie immediately stopped her.

"No need, Janice. I will walk. I am going to buy Raven a new set of books too, on my way."

"Really? Will you be okay?"

"I will."

Rowie kissed her mom on the cheek and teased Raven a little by messing up her hair. Raven could not help but scold her sister, who she just laughed off.

Like what she said, she bought a new set of books for Raven which was normally a child's book. But according to her little sister, she was not a kid anymore, that's why she picked up books like Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and Seven Habits of a Highly Effective Teen by Stephen Covey. It was worth it, though. She could read it as well.

Wearing her favorite white plain shirt and a pair of jeans, she jogged on the way to the bookstore. After buying the books, she went straight to the convenience store where she worked every weekend. She immediately smiled after seeing Manager Gloria, a Japanese half-American widow, in her fifties but still looked gorgeous as usual.

Her white complexion was fairer than Rowie's. Well, Rowie was already tan due to playing outdoors, though. Her eyes would smile whenever she smiled as well. Unfortunately, she did not marry again after her late husband.

"Good morning, Gloria!" Rowie beamed after giving Gloria a peck on her cheek.

She was sitting in an empty chair near the cashier. Gloria was wearing a red floral dress with closed red shoes. The other part-timer was not yet there so she thought she was early.

"Good morning, Rowie. Goodness, gracious! Your cheek— is it your father again?" She could not help but notice.

She would often convince Rowie to report her father's abusive acts but she would always refuse. She did not want to disturb Gloria as well. She was fine as it was, except for the fact that her dad was hurting her stepmom.

"It is okay, Gloria. It was just a scratch. He did not mean it." How she wished.

"But still, I told you I would help you. I can't tolerate something so abusive, dear."

"I am fine, Gloria. As long as I give him what he wants, he will not hurt anyone of us. It is just that, I didn't have the money yesterday."

Gloria shot Rowie a pitying look, sighing after that. "I understand. It must be hard, but always remember that I am here to help you. You are already like a daughter to me."

"I know, Gloria. You are like a mother to me, too."

"I haven't talked to Janice since forever. I promise I will make time to visit her sometime. If possible, I can accompany her to my brother's hospital to check on her asthma."

"You know my mom, she won't agree. She will always be bothered about something if she can't pay it back." Rowie wore the store's vest. Her name tag was engraved on the left side of the vest.

"She doesn't have to."

Rowie sometimes wondered, why would Gloria run a small convenient store if she could go abroad and enjoy life. She had the money and everything. She did not question it because she knew that something was behind it. Asking Gloria about that would be rude, she thought.

Gloria and Janice met because of Rowie. They met each other at a competition where Rowie was a participant and Gloria was a judge. Then, they became best friends after that.

Gloria had already treated Rowie like a daughter she never had – the same goes with Raven. Rowie found comfort around Gloria. She always helped her when her dad was abusing her.

That was the start of everything. She opened up to her about how her dad treated them. Gloria talked to James about it but she couldn't speak to him properly. He was always drunk whenever they met. She also offered Rowie work when she refused to accept charity. At least she could pay the money back. Well, like mother, like daughter.

Half an hour while working, a young man around Rowie's age came. His hair was clean-cut with brown highlights. His eyebrows were thick, defining his serious and attractive eyes. He had a pointed nose and red lips, while his jaw was like the epitome of manliness. His face was serious except that he was smiling from ear-to-ear. Rowie shook her head before her eyes could land below the guy's face.

"You are here, Clyde. It is still thirty minutes early before your turn." Gloria turned to Clyde and gave him a hug which he gladly returned.

"I am just so excited, Aunty. This is the first time Mom let me work out of business."

He is Gloria's Nephew? Rowie asked herself. No wonder.

"Fine, then. Let me introduce you to your workmate." They walked towards Rowie who had just finished giving the previous customer her change. The girl customer couldn't hide her giggle while looking at Clyde, who didn't even notice it, or maybe he didn't care.

"Rowie," Gloria called. "This is Clyde, your new workmate. And Clyde, this is Rowie, the girl I always talk to you about."

Talked to him about me? What would that be? Good things, I hope.

"It is nice to meet you finally, Rowie. Aunty can't stop talking about you whenever she visits me. I am kind of jealous."

"Nice to meet you, too. You do not have to be jealous, though."

"Why not? Everything Aunty told me was true. You are really gorgeous!"

Rowie's face flushed red. She laughed nervously after what she heard and, as instinct, she scratched her nose.

"So, I am looking forward to working with you."

"Me, too."