Jurnee

As it neared midnight the sixteen year old girl had finished cleaning the diner she worked at. She grabbed her belongings, locked up, and started her trek home.

She had her arms wrapped around her body as the winter wind nipped at her. She was tired as she had a long day of school only to go straight to work. It wasn't always like this but it was her new norm. She took all the extra shifts she could take even if it meant walking the dangerous streets at night.

She was originally scared to death but after her first two weeks she felt comfortable or at least enough to calm her paranoia.

At least the stars are out she thought. She loved the stars for they reminded her of her mother. Her mother is or was just like them, bright and beautiful.

Her mother wasn't an easy topic for her as she missed her dearly. Her mother was the reason why she got a job, why she had to get a job. Her mother's death that occurred a couple of months ago had altered her life greatly.

Her mother had been her family's rock. Most of the money that was around was from her mother. All the bills and school lunches were payed by her. Now the family of six was now five.

As the oldest she had to help her father make ends meet. There was only so much her father could do and they already barely see him as it is. Her eleven year old sister watched the two elementary schoolers after school, while she worked from three in the afternoon to twelve in the morning. She was in her junior year drowning in even more responsibility.

She did homework during her breaks and when she had a moment to spare but there would still be work needing to be completed once she reached home around one in the morning. She would get no more than three hours of sleep, waking up at six o'clock to start the new day.

But weekends were better for her. She'd spend the morning with her siblings and leave at nine o'clock for a two hour bus ride to get to a gated community. An elder lady who was very wealthy had hired her. The woman had an ad out for a helper but the women basically payed her for spending time in the garden with her. They'd plant flowers, water them, and she learned about floriculture finding a love for it. At six in the evening she'd return home.

This had been her norm for the past two months and there had been multiple times where she'd question if she had the strength to keep going. There was plenty of times where'd she would just cry from stress wanting to just leave everything behind and just disappear. She also would think about how hard it would be when she became a senior or even worse when she'd start college, but she kept persevering.

Her father would get home at ten at night and would be leaving for work when she was getting home or he had left a few moments before. Her sister would be up from having to wake their father and get his breakfast and lunch ready making sure he had what he needed. Her sister would stay up to wait for her to come in before heading back to bed.

Her sister didn't get to go out with her friends like other middle schoolers do. She had a second grader and a kindergartener to take care of. For this she always felt bad so on her days off she'd offer her sister the chance to go out but her sister opted to stay with her siblings and enjoy the day together.

Her days off were the best. She'd spend time with her siblings teaching them what she learned about flowers. They'd bake, making cupcakes and cookies, catching up on what was missed. She loved those days but they made her realized how much has changed.

As the she walked up her driveway she realized that everyone else is working hard like she was but she was still doubtful. She just wanted them all to be happy. But as always as she entered the dimly lit house she saw her eleven year old sister smiling at her and it made this harsh adventure worth it.

"Jurnee! You're home from work" Elly beamed at the sixteen year old girl.

"Yeah I am" she smiled back.

"How was your journey?" Elly asked staring at the tired girl. All Jurnee could do was look at her sister with admiration and love.

"Tiring" she replied.

But I'd do it with a smile for you all.