FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES

I walked into our living room, feeling the weight of my family's present circumstances. Mum had gotten home earlier, and was on the couch, staring blankly at the wall, her eyes red and puffy from crying. My little brother, Sam, and my sister, Lily, who are 9-year-old twins, were sitting on the floor, looking up at me with worried faces. They didn't understand everything that had happened at court today, but seeing my mum's eyes, they knew it wasn't good.

I dropped on the floor beside them, with a heavy heart as I struggle to find the right words. How do you explain to two little kids that their dad isn't coming home for a long time?

"Hey, guys," I started, my voice quivering. "Today was really tough. The judge said that Dad has to go away for a while… for seven years."

Lily's eyes widened with surprise and curiosity. She blinked at me, trying to make sense of what I had just said. "Seven years? But why, Jake? What did Daddy really do?"

I hesitated, surprised by her question, then answered, trying to keep my voice steady. "Dad didn't do anything wrong. But sometimes, things don't work out the way they should. It's not fair, but we have to be strong—for Dad, for Mom, and for each other."

Lily looked even more confused, her brow furrowing as she tried to piece it all together. "Where will Daddy be staying for seven years?"

I took a deep breath, struggling with how much to tell her. "Daddy has to stay in a special place called a prison," I explained as gently as I could. "It's where people go when the judge says they have to, even if they didn't do anything wrong."

Lily's being my Dad's favorite, with her bright face crumbled into tears, and she clutched her favorite stuffed animal closer. "I don't want Daddy to stay in prison," she whispered.

"I know, Lily," I said softly. "None of us want that. But we have to be strong for him. We'll visit him as much as we can, and we'll write him letters to let him know we're thinking about him."

Sam's small, scared voice broke through the tension. "But who's going to take care of us now, Jake?"

I took a deep breath, straightening up. "I will," I said firmly. "I'm going to do my best to help Mom with everything. I'll get a job and make sure we're okay. We're going to get through this, together."

Mom, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke, her voice filled with concern. "Jake, you need to focus on school. You can't take on this responsibility. I don't want you to work.

I shook my head, trying to sound braver than I felt. "I have to, Mom. Dad would want me to step up and help out. By the way, I'm not a kid anymore—I can do this."

Just then, my phone rang in my pocket, startling me. I fished it out and saw an unknown number on the screen. With a quick glance at Mom, I answered.

Hello?"

"Is this Jake Johnson?" a man's voice asked.

"Yes, this is Jake."

"This is Mr. Thompson from Lia Hotel. We received your application for the receptionist position. I'd like to offer you the job if you're still interested."

I was stunned. I'd almost forgotten I'd applied for the job a couple of weeks ago, hoping to earn some extra money on the side. I hadn't expected to hear back so soon—especially not today, of all days.

"Yes, sir, I'm very interested," I said, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.

"Great," Mr. Thompson replied. "Can you come in tomorrow for training? We're looking for someone to start right away."

"Sure, I can do that. Thank you so much!"

When I hung up the phone, I turned to Mom, with a mix of hope and fear. "Mom, I got the job. I'm going to start working at Lia Hotel tomorrow."

Sam looked up at me. "But Jake, what about school? You have to go to school."

I smiled at him, trying to reassure him. "Don't worry, Sam. The job is only part-time. I'll still go to school. I'll find a way to balance everything. I promise."

But instead of being happy, Mom's face clouded over. "Jake, I told you, I don't want you working. Your education is more important. You can't just throw that away."

I swallowed hard, knowing she was right but with the way things were going, I really didn't have a choice. "Mom, I know school is important, but we need the money. With Dad gone… I have to help out. I'll find a way to balance everything. I promise."

Mom reached out and pulled me into a hug. We stayed like that for a while, the room quiet except for the sound of our breathing. It felt like everything was falling apart, but I knew I couldn't let it. I had to keep it together for all of us.

Mom looked at me, with a proud face and a smile. "Jake, I just don't want you to be overwhelmed. You're only Eighteen. You shouldn't have to carry this burden."

"I know, Mom," I said quietly. "But I have to. We're going to get through this. I'll do whatever it takes."

Mom sighed, wiping away her tears. "Okay, Jake. But promise me you won't let your grades slip. Your future is important too."

"I promise," I said, hoping I could keep that promise.

As the night went on, we all tried to get used to our new reality. But deep down, I knew nothing would ever be the same.

I was stepping into shoes I wasn't sure I could fill, but I didn't have a choice.

I looked at Sam and Lily—they were so young and didn't really understand what was happening. I was ten years older than them, and it felt like I had to grow up even faster now.

When I was born, Dad got really busy with his job, working hard to grow "TRENDS" Fast Food Restaurants. I used to think he was amazing for all he did, but now… it feels like all that hard work had turned against us. The same person who gave my dad his chance at the company is the one who put him in prison.

That night, as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, questions crowded my mind. What would my classmates think if I keep skipping classes? Would I be able to juggle school and work? This felt like the beginning of a long, uncertain journey. And then there was something about Mr. Thompson's offer that felt… off. Why had he called me now, of all days? Was it really just luck, or was there something more to it?