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The closer Lucy drove to the farm, the more Jack’s heart raced. She had traded her family’s heirlooms for shriveled old pumpkin seeds on a promise that it would be worth it. But with the increasing distance, her doubts and fears multiplied.
The woman had swindled her. Somehow, she’d made Jack believe the seeds were valuable, more valuable than the three hundred dollars she would have offered otherwise. But the farther they drove from the shop, the more that seemed like a lie.
But what else was she going to do now?
Lucy pulled down the driveway and stopped the car in front of the porch, but Jack didn’t move. Lucy watched her expectantly, but the moment dragged on far too long.
“Jack? You getting out?” she finally said.
Jack had failed her family. How could she face them? How could she have been so stupid? She should have spoken up, fought back, demanded real money.
Why could she never be the strong one?
“I can’t do this,” Jack said. Her heart was racing, and her chest grew tighter. She felt as if an invisible hand were squeezing her throat, and she tugged at her scarf, trying to relieve the sensation of suffocating. “I messed up. They’re going to kill me and we’re going to lose the farm and—”
Lucy’s hand landed feather-soft on Jack’s shoulder. “Hey. Calm down. I was there, too, remember? I can’t explain it, but there’s something about that box. Those seeds. It will be okay.”
That didn’t make her feel any better. “And if it’s not?”
Lucy shrugged. “Then call me, and we’ll deal with it.”
Jack nodded, but she still felt cold, her heart hammering. At least the choking sensation was subsiding.
“Now, go. They’re waiting for you. And I’m late for dinner.”
Jack slowly reached for the door handle, trying to suppress the feeling of dread washing over her. Faster than she would have liked, she was climbing the stairs to the house and Lucy was driving away.
What had she done? She’d traded away her parents’ most valuable possessions, and for what? Some shriveled old seeds? A cheap child’s jewelry box?
With every step, it felt like weights grew on her feet, slowing her inevitable journey to the kitchen. And yet, before she knew it, she was there, dropping her backpack by the stairs, kicking off her boots, keeping her parents in suspense.
“Well?” her dad finally said, sipping at a mug of steaming coffee. “How did it go? How much did they offer?”
Jack swallowed. “Three hundred.”
Her dad froze. “Three... hundred?”
Jack nodded.
“You didn’t take that, did you?” her mom cut in, appearing from around the corner.
She shook her head slowly, but couldn’t quite bring herself to say anything.
Both her parents moved in front of her, standing next to each other expectantly. When she still didn’t speak, her mother said, “Well? What is it, then?”
Slowly, as if her body were made of ice that would crack if she moved too quickly, Jack bent over her backpack, digging through the notes and loose pencils until she found the box. Then, just as slowly, she straightened and held it out before her.
At first, her parents’ expressions were simply confused. Then, abruptly, her father turned away and stormed out the kitchen door.
Jack winced as the door slammed closed, her heart hammering in her chest. But she didn’t pull the box back, leaving it sitting in her palm like a baby chick, sparkling in the fluorescent light with faux orange gems.
Her mother’s eyes were locked on the glittering box, her face slowly transforming from confused to concerned to angry.
“Jack, do you understand what you’ve done?” Her mom snatched the box from her hand. “This is worthless! We needed that money, and now we can’t pay the loans!”
With every word spoken, her mother’s voice rose. She stormed across the linoleum, threw open the window over the sink, and tossed it out into the yard, into the sad excuse for a vegetable garden that hadn’t survived the summer. Jack winced as the cheap enamel box hit the cold ground, probably breaking on impact.
“I’m so disappointed in you, Jack,” her mom said, gently closing the window. Her voice was no longer angry, just broken.
Somehow, that was worse.
She walked past Jack and disappeared slowly up the stairs. Jack waited until her mother’s footsteps faded and she heard her parents’ bedroom door shut, then slunk from the house.
She’d ruined everything.
