Chapter Sixteen
Mind y
I’m sitting in my car, motionless.
I can’t bring myself to start the engine. I’m not even sure if I should. Maybe I should speak to Christine first. But what do I expect after what just happened? Surely, she’s not going to congratulate me for my performance. Besides, she’s probably busy apologizing to the Thompsons for my nudes. The situation is self-explanatory. She’s going to terminate my work contract. She’s probably done it already.
I just sit here, emptily staring at my car’s dashboard, immobile like a statue. From the corner of my eye, I notice the clock showing seven-fifteen in the evening.
Two thoughts cross my mind: first, my daughter. She must be finished with her story by now and she’s probably on the way home with Tania. Second, I need to speak to someone before I lose my sobriety completely and for good.
Betty.
I must talk to her. I know it’s early morning hours where she is, but she always tells me that she’s always there for me. Especially if it’s an emergency. I think it’s safe to say that this is one of those situations. Besides, if I don’t speak to someone, and fast, I might just drive into traffic and cause an accident.
I try calling her on our usual app, but there’s no answer. I sigh, picturing her enjoying an early morning swim in the ocean or sipping coffee on the beach with some handsome local or digital nomad guy. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here in my car in a New York City parking lot, having just torched my career, wondering how on earth I’m going to clean up the mess I’ve made.
A few minutes later, my phone buzzes, interrupting my pity party. "Hey there, boo-thing," Betty’s voice sings through the line.
"Hey, Bets," I croak out, my voice breaking. Betty immediately knows that something is terribly wrong.
"Oh, shit! Are you okay, hun? Did something happen?"
You can say that again. There can’t be too many fools on this planet who’ve managed to flash naked pictures to their bosses - not once, but twice in a lifetime. I might as well get business cards printed: 'Notorious Flasher.'
I dive right into telling Betty all about my colossal fuckup today and how I destroyed my career. How I brought the wrong flash drive with me and how I projected my private parts onto the boardroom screen. All in front of my bosses, the company owners, and a group of investors and other stakeholders.
"Holy freaking shit, Mindy," Betty says. "What are you going to do now?"
"Nothing. Just going to wait for my death sentence for now."
"Listen, babe," Betty replies. "Here’s an idea. What if you and Sharon come visit me for a whole month during the school holidays? I bet you could use a break after this fiasco. Sharon would love it too. You can crash at my place, there’s enough room. What do you say, huh?"
I must admit, the offer is incredibly tempting. Especially now when I just want to pop out of existence. Sunshine, monkeys, lush greenery, and waking up to the sound of the ocean - it all sounds like a dream. And the idea of having Betty help me out with the never-ending responsibilities of parenting makes it sound even better.
"I don’t know, Bets," I croak out wiping away some tears that escaped my eyes. "It sounds amazing, but I don’t think I’m fit to make decisions right now. Besides, I’m pretty sure I just lost my job. I don’t know if I can afford to fly myself and my daughter to the other side of the world and back."
"That’s okay babe, just give yourself some time to think about it," Betty says. "But I’m sure it would be good for you. And for Sharon too."
"I don’t know about Sharon, Bets. She’s… special."
"Special? What do you mean?"
I tell her about Sharon’s selective mutism, what it means, and what the consequences might be. Then, I tell her about Story Night, how important it was for Sharon, and how I missed it because of work. My heart breaks more and more with every word, but it also feels good to let it all out. By the end of my venting session, tears flow freely down my face, smudging my mascara in streaks.
"Oh, honey," Betty says, her voice softening. "I’m so sorry. I know how much you wanted to be there for her."
"I feel like I’m failing as a mother, Bets." I sniff. "Like I’m not capable of giving her the support she needs. And now I lost my job too."
"Come on Mindy," Betty says in a gently scolding tone. "You’re an awesome mom. Sharon is lucky to have you. Besides, if you had someone by your side…"
I let out a scoff, already knowing what’s coming my way. "Please Betty, not now. I know you want me to find someone, but I just can’t think about this right now."
Betty consoles me for another twenty minutes until I’m finally ready to start my car and pull out of the parking lot. Despite her nagging, I couldn’t be more grateful for her. She’s thousands of miles away from me, living a completely different life, yet she’s always there to support me in my worst moments. I couldn’t wish for a better friend.
The drive home feels longer than usual. Traffic seems worse than ever. I hit every red light, and each stop only adds to my frustration. By the time I finally pull into my parking spot in front of my apartment building, I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck. It takes another fifteen minutes just to gather myself before I can drag myself upstairs.
"Hey, Mindy," Tania’s voice greets me in hushed tones. "How’d it go?"
I just grimace, too drained to talk about it. "Not great." I let out a heavy sigh. "I had the wrong flash drive."
Tania gasps and covers her mouth with her hands. "Oh, no!"
I nod gravely but I can’t bring myself to flesh out the details. Tanya doesn’t need to know everything anyway. "How did Sharon do?"
Tania’s face lights up with a beaming smile. "Mindy, you should have seen her! She totally nailed it. Her story was powerful and she told it with a confidence I’ve never seen from her. The whole crowd was cheering for her!"
I feel relief and pride wash over me. My little girl, up there on stage, facing her fears and rocking it? That’s incredible. But at the same time, it stings knowing I wasn't there to witness her shining moment.
"Oh my God, Tania, you have no idea how much this means to me," I say past the lump in my throat. "Did you record it?"
Tania nods eagerly, already pulling out her phone. "Of course! I'll send it to you right away."
I smile weakly at Tania. "Seriously, thank you so much, Tania. For everything. For being there for Sharon."
She just gives me that classic Tania smile. "No problem, Mindy. But there’s more good news."
"Really?" I furrow my brow.
Tania’s lips curve into a smile. "Well, Sharon made a new friend," she says. "A pretty handsome one, I have to say," she adds with a mischievous smirk. "Probably someone’s dad. They were talking for almost ten minutes."
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. My daughter? Talking to a complete stranger? For twenty minutes?
"Did you catch it on camera?" I ask surprised.
Tania shakes her head. "Only the performance," she admits.
Oh well. I guess Sharon will tell me all about it tomorrow. Still, the fact that my little girl stood on stage, told a story, received a standing ovation, and even made a new friend feels almost unbelievable. Pride swells in my chest at the thought. She’s exceeded every expectation and found her own voice. It makes me the proudest mom ever. I just wish I could have been there for her.
After Tania leaves and I lock the door behind her, a sense of loneliness descends upon me once more. Sharon is already sleeping in her room, and I’m just here, leaning against the wall in the living room, feeling… lost and unsure of what to do next. The silence of the room is like a heavy burden on my shoulders.
I collapse on the couch and pull out my phone, opening the video Tania sent me. And there she is, my amazing little girl, standing tall and proud on stage. She looks so tiny up there, her little hands gripping the microphone stand like it’s a lifeline.
At first, she’s silent and her eyes are wide as she stares out at the audience. The seconds tick by, and I can see the worry on her face. But then, something incredible happens. She steadies herself, takes a deep breath, and starts to speak.
"Once upon a time," her voice rings out, "in a cozy den nestled in the heart of the forest, there lived a mother fox and her seven little fox cubs…" Her tone is soft at first, almost inaudible over the rustle of the crowd. But as she begins to tell her story, her words grow stronger, more confident. By the time she reaches the end, her face is glowing as she beams out at the crowd. "…And they all lived happily ever after."
As soon as she finishes, the audience breaks out in a smattering of applause, clapping and cheering for her. Sharon looks surprised at first, but then she smiles proudly, and takes a little bow. I find myself crying tears of joy, regret, and love for my once-shy baby girl, who conquered her fears tonight and stood tall on that stage with a confidence I’ve never seen from her before. My heart feels like it could burst with pride.
I let out a raw sob that feels as if it’s being torn from the deepest part of my soul. The floodgates open, and I allow myself to cry and cry, letting the tears flow freely. They stream down my face, blurring my vision.
The stress of everyday life - trying to make ends meet and the humiliation I faced today - pours out in those tears. Years of being a single mother, fighting to keep my head above water, struggling to balance work and quality time with my daughter, and longing for a stable family I can’t have - all of it comes crashing down on me in this moment. I cry for Sharon, for the mother I couldn’t be for her. I finally allow myself to feel the emotions I’ve been holding back for so long.
But at the end of the day, only one thing matters: I have Sharon and she has me. She will always have me.
And I will continue fighting for her until my last breath.