Chapter 1 ~ The Johnsons

~~~~~

Being the first child of a Chicago farmer isn’t exactly a walk in the park.

Picture this: Heartaches, body pains, barely enough food to go round, the constant struggles to stay sane, and the daily grind of farm life. It’s like living in a soap opera, but with more mud and fewer dramatic pauses.

I’m Mary Johnson, the proud firstborn of Mr. and Mrs. Becky Johnson.

My parents are the epitome of hardworking citizens: devoted Christians who places a value on big and small things.

We live in what you might call a "charming" little cottage that’s really more of a glorified shed, and a tiny patch of farmland not too far from the bright lights of Illinois.

We weren’t rolling in dough, but hey, we had just enough to keep the pantry stocked. Well, that was the case until my siblings came into the picture.

Lisa and Lora weren’t twins, but they sure look and act like it. They’ve won the admiration of everyone around them because of how brave and intelligent they were.

Honestly, though, once they showed up, it felt like the chaos level in our house—our little house, went from mild to 'hold on to your hats.'

Don’t get me wrong—I love them more than I love my morning coffee, if I ever had any. I’d do just about anything to make them happy.

But is it too much to ask to have a little bit of peace and maybe a chance to live for myself? Not that it’s ever going to happen, but hey, a girl can dream, right?

--------------

Now eighteen, I was supposed to enroll in a local college, on the outskirts of our town, and boy, how excited I was that day. It has always been my dream to go to college, but since we weren’t that financially stable, I never voiced it out until dad said I should go.

Mom and Dad were ready to sponsor me. I didn’t know how they were going to do it, so all I had to do was prepare myself, even if it was late.

That was my plan until I found out that my going would hold Lisa and Lora back from school because we had not paid their fees, since Grade 2, and I later discovered that all the money dad had then was saved for my college entrance.

To be honest, that didn’t sit well with me; I mean, Lisa was barely twelve and Lora was just ten years old. Every morning, I loved to watch the joy on their faces when they made a run for the school bus, and when they returned, or the fight between themselves when they argued about a single spelling.

These little things made me happy, and I know they were too, both were eager to learn new things, and they were happy to be taught, just as I was and still am.

But now, what would happen to that eager thirst for knowledge and those big, happy smiles they wore heading to and from school? I tried not to dwell on the fact that our society practically worships education—like, if you don’t have it, you’re a total nobody.

“This is messed up. I can’t just let this slide,” I thought to myself, pacing around in my so-called room, which had enough holes to air out all the world’s problems.     

The next morning, we sat down to eat the—not—much of a breakfast, just vegetables and water; I noticed that Lisa and Lora didn’t have their usual happy expression, “I guess they heard.” I murmur to myself, as I try to eat something.

I didn’t have the appetite, but leaving the food meant wasting it, and in my home that was forbidden, so I just took my spoon and forced a lot down my throat, which brought tears to my eyes.

“Wow, calm down, Mary; no one is taking your food away.” Mom queried.

“Yeah,” I replied hastily, just wanting to finish it, and hurried to my room.

“Mary,” Dad called out to me.

“Yes, papa?” I raised my head to face him.

“Here, take this.” He said and handed over to me an envelope, which I took. I looked inside, and it was full of money. Even if a spirit had told me that my parents had such an amount of money saved up, I would not believe it. I looked at my pa in awe. “This is a huge sum of money.” I blurted out, there was no need to count it.

“Of course, it is.” Mom replied, “Your father and I had been saving it up for your college.”

“Oh.” I should be happy, but I am not. Saving it up? This means they had to work ten times harder than before, looking at both of them now, they looked old and haggard for their age. I looked at my father with a sad expression. “But papa...”

“It’s okay.” Father said, cutting me off, “Your mother is right. We have been saving up ever since you said, you dreamed of going to college. I already called the school. Even if it’s late, they are ready to give you one more chance; so you have...”

As my father continued, I partially focused on him. As I observed my sisters at the opposite end, Lora stared blankly at her food, attempting to suppress her tears.

Lisa, being the older one, was trying to act tough as she spoke to me, “Wow, big sis, you are going to college? I’m happy for you. We are going to miss you.” When she smiled, I knew she meant it.

I couldn’t hold it in anymore and just teared up, I sob like a child. While dad just watched me confusedly; mom hurried to my side. “What is going on with you?” she asked worriedly. “Why are you crying like a child?”  

I shouldn't be crying, I should be jumping with excitement right now, but...

~~To Be Continued ~~