The Alpha's Rose

ROSE

I am beyond angry at what Rachel just did to me. Instead of heading to the CFO and COO offices on the other floors, I return to the basement to see Rolando to give him my official complaint for HR. As I exit the elevator, I can hear Rolando and Monica talking. As I get closer, I realize it is about me. Crap.

“Rolando, I wasn’t trying to snoop. It was on the locker room floor. I picked it up just to see what it was. Honest. How will she afford this? Maddie needs the school, but Rose is killing herself already to pay the tuition. What do we do?”

“You’ll do nothing,” I answer her question as I enter the room and take the tuition notice from her. Both sets of eyes snap over to me and widen in surprise at getting caught. “I’ll figure something out, I always do. It isn’t for you to worry about.”

“But…”

“No buts, Monica. I have someone helping me look into scholarships and other assistance. Everything will work itself out, you’ll see,” I say with a halfhearted smile.

“Mi bonita, we raise money, si?” Rolando says with a nod. I just sigh.

“I’ll think about it, okay?” I relent, simply because I just don’t have the energy to fight them. They love me and I love them, but this isn’t their concern.

Monica crosses her arms, and she gets that stubborn look in her eye that I am all too familiar with, “We aren’t letting this go, Rose. We will brainstorm and figure it out. You’re not alone, why do you always act like you are?”

“As much as I care for you both, you need to realize that I am alone. I’ve always been alone. Monica, you have your own school to deal with and pay for. Rolando, you have Maria and her health issues, plus all the grandkids. I am not either of yours’ responsibilities, neither is Maddie. So please, I beg you, don’t fight with me on this. Now, Rolando, I need to speak with you about an incident and place a complaint with HR please.” I say, trying to end this embarrassing conversation. I hate not being able to provide everything Maddie and I need.

Rolando moves back to his computer and opens up his HR link. I turn to Monica, “I appreciate the concern, Mon, I really do. Maddie and I are lucky you all care for us like you do. But I’ll handle it. You need to get to your route before you have your own HR complaint about laziness.” Monica just rolls her eyes at me and leaves.

I place my complaint and go into details about the incident with Rachel. Rolando is concerned about this coming back to bite me in the ass, but I don’t care. No one will make me feel unsafe at work. I’m totally screwed if it costs me my job, but staying quiet is how more bad things happen to good people. We have to let those in charge know when power is being abused, so changes can be made. Even if I’m not taken seriously, the next person might be because I started the ball rolling.

I finish up my route with no other issues. My mind is reeling though. The conflict with Rachel floating to the back of my mind, it is less important than the tuition problem. How will I afford this? I think about it all through the day and I have come up with zero solutions other than stripping and prostitution, both of which, are completely out of the question. I sigh as I change into my uniform for my second job and don my winter wear at the end of my shift. I head out to pick up Maddie from school, still chewing on the problem at hand, but with complete awareness of my surroundings.

Maddie is a bundle of bouncing energy when she emerges from the school building, like she always is after her day. She adores school. She had a pop quiz in Algebra that she aced, of course. She gave her presentation in English and the teacher loved it. Her fellow students apparently calling her a kiss-up, but she doesn’t care. She loves the praises from her teachers and seeing those big red As at the top of her papers.

I know the situation could change at any moment regarding her classmates though, so I listen intently, making mental notes on any kids she mentions and file them away for later. We walk hand in hand to Patty’s Diner where I wait tables until 9pm during the week, 10pm on weekends. We come through the doors and Patty, the owner, just beams down at Maddie.

“There’s my little genius Mad Hatter! Come give Patty Melt a big hug!” Patty has a thing with nicknames which I find adorable. Plus, she always finds a way to comment on Maddie’s brilliance and sweet personality versus beauty and that pleases me so much. Beauty fades, but a sharp mind and kind nature stays with us forever.

Maddie runs around the counter and engulfs Patty in a monster hug as I make my way to the back to put my things away and get my apron, waving hi at Stanley who’s manning the grill. I see Maddie settling into her little 2-person booth as she pulls out her homework and Patty sets chocolate milk and a fruit yogurt parfait in front of her as her snack. Maddie is chatting excitedly to Patty, telling her all about her good day and it makes me smile. I have to keep her in that school. She doesn’t have many friends, but the education she is receiving is top tier. Public school can’t come close to giving her what she needs.

I roll my shoulders back, pull out my notepad and greet my first table of customers for the night.

The Alpha's Rose -