And before we go any deeper into this story, I’m curious, where are you watching from? Leave a comment below. The next morning, I woke to sunlight filtering through the thin white curtains, bathing the upstairs living room in a soft golden hue. I headed down to the kitchen where the faint smell of freshly brewed coffee hung in the air. The old pine table in the corner looked the same as always, a few small scratches left by years of use, and a round burn mark from the time Samantha sat down a hot teacup without a coaster.
I sat down, trying to keep my tone cheerful as I told my mother about my new job in Portland, the clean energy project team I was about to join, and the storage system improvements I had been working on since my university lab days. But she only murmured, “Mhm.” A few times, her eyes fixed on her phone, fingers moving non-stop, as if replying to someone far more important.
Every time I paused, hoping she might look up and ask something more, all I got in return was the sound of her sipping coffee and that same indifferent gaze. My father walked into the kitchen a few minutes later, holding a newspaper, though I knew he only carried it for show, the way he often did when he wanted to start a serious conversation.
And sure enough, barely two sips of coffee later, he set the paper down, looked straight at me, and spoke in a calm but calculating tone. You know, Samantha’s new project needs funding to get off the ground. She’s already found a few investors, but she’s still missing a large sum to finish the prototype. I think instead of letting that award money just sit there, you should give all of it to your sister.
Consider it an investment in the family’s future. I froze for a moment, holding back a bitter laugh. My mother quickly chimed in, this time finally looking up from her phone, her voice softer, but still carrying that familiar undertone of pressure. You have a stable job now, and $250,000 is just the beginning for you, but for your sister, if she had that amount, it would save her project and protect our family’s reputation.
