Final Expense

By Darrell Coleman

It is not uncommon for thirteen-year-old girls to have regular babysitting jobs for neighbors. It is not uncommon that these business relationships become more like family connections. When Jared and Lisa Thompson's thirteen-year-old babysitter, Nichole, concludes that Jared may be in trouble, this very smart little girl sets out to help Uncle Jared any way she can.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644924938

Book preview

Part I

Sleep

Nichole

March

Sometimes I watch Mama sleep. After work, she often sits on our worn leather couch, closes her weary aging eyes, and falls asleep. Mama works grueling hours as a pediatric trauma nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital, far from our home in Ashburton Hills—an affluent, predominantly black neighborhood of Victorian mansions and row houses in Northwest Baltimore.

When my father died two years ago, he left our family with a pile of hidden debts. Through grief, pain, and anger, Mama sorted through the piles and pushed her way through paying most of them off. However, financially speaking, she always seems to be a step behind.

Today, her breathing seems shallow, as if she cannot inhale deeply enough to lull herself into a true sleep. Mama always seems worried and a little sad. No matter how hard I work at school, on the track, or at home, I never feel I can ease her pain. My brother, Lamar, ran off to UCLA as soon as he graduated from high school, leaving Mama and me to sort out the mess Daddy left behind.

I feel helpless. I cannot get my mother out of her money situation. I am too young to work a regular job, but I do babysit for the Thompsons, our next-door neighbors.

Jared and Lisa Thompson’s four-bedroom row home shares its walls with ours. I swear, from my bedroom, every creak, every bang, and every raised voice on their side is audible on our side. When I babysit Jared Jr., the Thompsons are always on their best behavior. However, the noises behind the wall, when I’m not in their home, tell the real story.

Lisa yells, "Have you seen our accounts lately? Have you really, really looked at them? Your business, wait, our business…what’s happening to it?"

Indecipherable mumbling from Jared.

"I’m sick of this, Jared. I’m sick of picking up your pieces. Look at this loan denial! It might as well say loser in big bold letters. We can’t go on like this. Late notices, failing business ventures, no, I can’t go on like this!"

I think everyone thinks well of the Thompsons.

Jared owns a food brokerage business in the Caribbean islands, and Lisa works as an accountant for Gross Mendelsohn, a large accounting firm in Baltimore City near the Inner Harbor. Their son, Junior, is a quiet and curious kindergartner.

Their busy lives and long hours make an allowance for me and one less bill for Mama. They pay so well that I can keep twenty dollars for pocket money each week and deposit the rest in my savings account. Yep, I have a savings account! I used to try to get Mama to take some of the money to help out with bills, but she wouldn’t. She always said, One day, you’ll thank me for helping you develop the habit of saving so early. I’m already thankful for that.

Lisa, says Jared, his voice now clearly understandable, we’ve had problems before. Not every business is successful. You know this. It’s a crap shoot.

A crap shoot? A crap shoot? Lisa’s voice turns loud and shrill.

I put my ear against the wall straining to catch every word.

Real men don’t see their businesses as a crap shoot. Real men take care of their business.

Jared responded, Real men don’t let their wives talk down to them.

Then I guess you aren’t a real man.

Footsteps, footsteps, and a door slamming