Clearing the Debt

As Alisia sat down at her desk, ready to dive into another day of studying, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Ethan.

Ethan: Hey, Alisia. Just wanted to let you know, the advance payment has been processed. You should see the funds in your account later today. Looking forward to working with you once your exams are over.

Alisia stared at the message, her heart racing. The money would be in her account soon, and everything was moving forward. But with it came the weight of the commitment she had made.

She replied quickly.

Alisia: Thank you, Ethan. I really appreciate everything you've done. I'll be ready to start after exams.

The next day, Alisia woke up to the sound of her alarm blaring, groggily reaching out to silence it. She had stayed up late the night before, pouring over her study materials in preparation for her final exams, which were now less than two weeks away. The pressure was building, but somehow, the thought of paying off her father's debt kept her grounded.

Everything was starting to come together.

She had made arrangements with Ethan and secured the $20,000 advance from his company, which was set to arrive in the coming days. In a way, it had brought her some relief, but there was still the lingering uncertainty of what lay ahead in her future—both with the job and with her father.

After dressing quickly, she headed downstairs, already mentally mapping out her study schedule for the day. When she entered the kitchen, her father was already sitting at the table, a cup of coffee in front of him. He looked... lighter, somehow, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Morning, Dad," Alisia said as she grabbed a slice of toast and sat down across from him.

"Morning, sweetheart," Gram replied, his voice more energetic than she'd heard in weeks. "How's the exam prep going?"

Alisia sighed. "It's fine, I guess. A bit overwhelming, but I'm getting through it."

Her father smiled, taking a slow sip of his coffee. "You've always been good at getting through things. But don't push yourself too hard."

Alisia gave a small smile in return, though her mind was already racing with thoughts about her study schedule. There was so much to cover—computer programming, data structures, algorithms. All of the subjects were important, and she couldn't afford to slack off now. But as important as her studies were, something else had been on her mind too: the debt.

"Dad... how's everything going with the money?" Alisia asked tentatively, breaking the comfortable silence.

Gram's expression softened, and he set his cup down, folding his hands on the table. "I've been making some calls," he said. "A few of my old friends have come through. I didn't think it was possible, but they've offered to help."

Alisia blinked, surprise written all over her face. "Really? That's... amazing, Dad."

"Yeah," Gram nodded, a hint of pride in his voice. "One of my old colleagues, James, he's been doing well and offered to loan me $50,000 without any interest. Another friend, Steve, chipped in $30,000. They all understood the situation and just wanted to help."

Alisia felt a wave of relief wash over her. For the first time in a long while, it felt like things were truly falling into place. Between her father's friends, the $20,000 she'd secured from Ethan, and the $30,000 Gram had managed to scrape together from his savings, they had more than enough to cover the debt and the interest.

"So, we'll be able to pay it all off? All of it?" she asked, almost in disbelief.

Her father nodded, his eyes shining with a quiet determination. "We will. I'm going to meet with the debt collector today and settle everything. We'll be done with this."

The news felt surreal. For months, the looming shadow of debt had suffocated them, dictating every choice they made. But now, they were on the verge of escaping that nightmare.

"That's... that's incredible," Alisia whispered, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. She reached across the table and squeezed her father's hand. "I'm so proud of you, Dad."

Gram smiled, his eyes watering slightly as he patted her hand. "I should be the one saying that to you. You've been through a lot, and you've stayed strong. I know I haven't been the best father these past few months, but... thank you. For everything."

Alisia shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "We're in this together, Dad. Always."

They sat there in comfortable silence for a few moments, the gravity of their situation finally easing up. The debt had weighed on them for so long, but with the help of friends and Alisia's determination, they were about to free themselves.

"So," Gram said, clearing his throat. "What's next for you? After exams, I mean."

Alisia bit her lip, thinking. "I've got the job with Ethan's company. I'll start as soon as the exams are over. It's a good opportunity, but... I don't know. I've been thinking about other options, maybe looking into university again, once things settle down."

Gram nodded. "I think that's a good plan. You've got plenty of time to figure things out, but don't rush into anything you're not sure about."

Alisia smiled, appreciating his words. She hadn't fully decided what her next steps were, but at least for now, the immediate pressure was off.

Later that afternoon, Gram left to meet with the debt collector, armed with the funds to pay off the remaining balance. Alisia watched him go, feeling a mix of pride and anxiety. She hoped everything would go smoothly, that this would truly be the end of their financial troubles.

Alisia spent the rest of the day diving back into her studies, her focus sharper than ever now that the burden of debt was slowly lifting. She tackled her programming exercises with renewed energy, reviewing algorithms and building practice projects. The thought of acing her exams and finally moving forward with her life gave her a sense of purpose that had been missing for so long.

The hours flew by, and before she knew it, the sun had set. As she stretched and closed her laptop, her phone buzzed on the desk. It was a message from her father.

Gram: All done. We're free.

Alisia's heart skipped a beat. Free. It was a word she hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. She quickly typed a response.

Alisia: That's amazing, Dad. I'm so happy.

She set the phone down, leaning back in her chair and staring at the ceiling. For the first time in what felt like months, she allowed herself to relax. Her mind wandered to what her future could hold—her career, her studies, even a possible return to university. Things were finally falling into place, and she couldn't wait to see what came next.

But even as she sat there, basking in the relief of their newfound freedom, a small part of her couldn't shake the lingering doubts. The contract she had signed with Ethan's company weighed heavily on her mind. Sure, it had seemed fair enough, and Ethan had been nothing but supportive, but something about those privacy clauses still gnawed at her.

Was she making the right choice? Was there something she was missing?

Pushing the thoughts aside, Alisia stood up and made her way downstairs, her feet light as she walked through the house. Her father had returned, sitting at the kitchen table, looking more at ease than he had in months.

"It's done," Gram said, his voice filled with a kind of satisfaction she hadn't heard in a long time. "We're out of the woods."

Alisia grinned, rushing over to give him a hug. "I'm so glad, Dad. This is the start of something new for both of us."

He hugged her back, holding her tight. "I couldn't have done it without you."

They sat down to a simple dinner, talking about the future—about Gram's plans to slowly rebuild the store, about Alisia's upcoming exams, and the job with Ethan's company. The atmosphere was lighter, their conversations filled with hope and possibility.

But as they finished dinner and the evening stretched on, Alisia couldn't help but think about the next step. She had solved the immediate problem, but her life was far from settled. The contract with Ethan loomed large, and with it, the uncertainty of what working for his company would truly mean.

Would it be the escape she needed? Or had she signed up for something she wasn't ready for?

As Alisia lay in bed that night, her mind raced with thoughts of her future. The relief of paying off the debt was undeniable, but now, she was faced with new decisions, new challenges. And somehow, amidst it all, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something much bigger. Something that would change her life in ways she couldn't yet imagine.

For now, she had to focus. Exams were just around the corner, and her future depended on it.