The Family I Outgrew

My cheek burned.

Whispers spread through the office like wildfire.

"Seriously? She's a thief?"

"No wonder. She never wears designer stuff, and her phone's ancient. And that rubber band in her hair? Who does that unless they're broke?"

"I knew it. I left some cash in my drawer last week, and it disappeared. Guess we've got a thief in the office."

That's how offices work. One spark, and everyone's on fire.

Paulene lifted her chin, as if she had just won something.

"I'm not here for the money," she announced loudly. "I just want you to admit your mistake. Your parents are getting old, and they still have to clean up after you. Don't you feel ashamed?"

I touched my cheek, rolled my wrist once. "How exactly did you decide I stole it?"

"That's not your concern." She narrowed her eyes. "You youngsters think you're clever, sneaking around behind the elders' backs. If I want to investigate something, I have plenty of ways."

"Oh, yeah? With those skills, you should be solving crimes for the police."

I stood up. Thinking about my mother's phone call the night before, I swung and slapped her back.

"Let me guess. My mother told you I took it, didn't she? Whoever accused me, go deal with them. Don't come screaming at me."

She stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You actually hit me?"

I held up my phone. "If you don't leave, I'll call security to escort you out."

Her eyes reddened. She stormed off, lips trembling.

I turned to the coworker who had mocked my rubber-band hair tie.

"You're right," I said calmly. "I am broke, because my money went toward helping my brother get married. And my sister-in-law's jewelry? That came from me, too. So even if I had taken it, you could call it reclaiming my own property."

Then I glanced at the coworker who claimed she had lost cash.

"It may not have been much, but theft is theft. If someone's bold enough to steal from a desk, what's stopping them from stealing company data next? I already called the police for you."

Her face drained of color. "Why would you do that? I never said it was stolen. M-Maybe I miscounted. Please call them back and say it was a mistake."

I ignored her, requested time off, and headed home.

Before I even opened the door, I heard Paulene screaming inside, then something shattering against the floor.

My mother's voice came through, shaky and tearful.

"I apologize on Nala's behalf. I'm so sorry. Please calm down. It's my fault. I didn't raise her right. If you want to slap someone, slap me."

Paulene shouted back, "If I hit you, Brian would lose his mind! How did I end up marrying into this family? And you still expect me to have a baby? Not in this lifetime! I'll make sure your family name ends with me!"

"What? No…" My mother sobbed louder.

I pushed the door open.

The noise stopped instantly.

My mother stared at me, looking as if she had just been saved from drowning. She grabbed my wrist and shoved me forward.

"You're finally back! Hurry up and apologize to Paulene. Look how upset she is. Stress is bad for her. She's trying to get pregnant."