Flora was the first person he longed to share his happiness with, to hear her voice filled with pride and joy, no matter how angry she was with him for running away.

Yet, anxiety and fear held Joey back every time he reached out for the phone. He was scared she would emotionally corner him and ask him to return.

So, he would hang up whenever he dialed his mother’s number, swallowing the unspoken words. Joey was crushed and guilty and hoped that the courage to make that call to his mother would find its way to him one day.

“I’ll earn more money and then call her to convince her to come to the city. Life here is…beautiful!” Joey’s eyes gleamed with hope as he whispered to himself, a small, sly smile playing on his lips.

He held the crumpled bills tightly. The money in his hand was more than just currency. It was his hard-earned symbol of hope that he believed would bridge the gap between him and his dream of studying medicine.

So, with a happy heart and a smiling face, Joey returned to Dan’s house that evening, guessing little that his troubles were only beginning.

Joey had just arrived home when his friend Dan approached him in the living room.

“Hey, Joey, we need to talk,” Dan said with a smile, staring intensely at Joey’s wallet.

“You owe me rent and payment for the food you’ve been eating this past month, buddy. I hope you haven’t forgotten about it, pal…Today’s your payday, right?”

A haunting feeling knotted in the pit of Joey’s stomach. After spending $50 on dinner and a taxi ride home, he had around $1,000 left that would make it to his college fund.

Initially, Dan told him he shouldn’t worry about these expenses for a few months. But now, everything seemed to have flipped over.

“Bud, the rent…and food expenses?” Dan snapped Joey to the moment.

“Sure, Dan. Let me take care of it.”

As Joey counted out the money, a sense of anxiety washed over him.

“Here you go, pal!” Joey handed a thin wad of cash over as Dan grabbed the money and began counting.

“Thanks, Joey. Hey, wait a minute…that’ll be a thousand dollars, pal. I’m just being reasonable!”

Joey’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was almost his entire earnings.

“A thousand dollars? That’s what I make in a month!” he gasped.

Dan coldly watched as he extended his hand forward for the remaining cash that Joey disappointedly handed over.

“Man, the electricity bill is overdue…plus a lot of other things. Sorry for bothering you, but we don’t have a choice if we wish to stick together! I’m not charging more coz you’re my friend. House rents elsewhere are crazy! Hope you understand.”

Joey nodded as Dan walked away with the money.

As time passed, things got much more challenging for Joey. Hailing from the countryside’s pleasant hot weather, the city’s harsh winter proved to be a daunting and difficult adjustment for him.

“I need to buy warmer clothes…blankets…and a few other things. But at this rate, I don’t think I’ll be able to afford anything. My earnings are barely enough to cover the basics,” Joey thought one day at work.

The financial strain weighed heavily on his shoulders, making his city life even more challenging than he had ever imagined.

It didn’t take that long for Joey to grasp the harsh reality—the money he earned could barely sustain his current lifestyle in the city, let alone fund his dreams of attending college.

“God, what am I going to do now? How will I make it to college without any savings? I don’t want to become a failure. How will I face Mom?”

Joey was restless with questions, and soon, it was lunchtime.

“Hey, pal, wanna join me for lunch?” Joey’s colleague asked.

But Joey was not in the mood to eat, although he could feel his hungry tummy growl.

“No, you go on. I’ll join you later. Thanks, buddy!” Joey smiled.

He hurried out of the retail store and was just about to sit on the bench outside when he saw an older man lose his balance while trying to cross the ice-clad road and fall.

The two heavy bags the man was holding flung from his grasp, only for the contents to spill and scatter on the ground.

“Sir! Are you alright?” Joey sprang to his feet and rushed to the older man, pulling him to the curb just before a speeding truck roared past them.

“Don’t worry, Sir. Here, let me help you,” Joey sat the older man on the bench and scooped the fallen items before gathering them in the bags.

Most of the items were baby diapers and formula, and Joey understood they must have been for the older man’s grandchild.

“You alright, Sir?” Joey looked up at the older man. “I hope you didn’t hurt yourself…”

“I’m fine, thanks, son,” the older man said in a raspy voice before coughing. He was clearly exhausted from the fall.

Without hesitating, Joey rushed inside the store and returned with a bottle of cold water.

“Here, have some water, Sir. Please be careful when crossing the road next time,” he said as the older man took a sip of the water and glanced at Joey.

“You’re an amazing young man. I’m Clark, and you are?” the older man turned to Joey with a grateful smile.

“Joey! I work there…at the store.”

“Thank you, Joey. It was really kind of you to help me.”

Joey smiled as he packed the man’s bags, glad the things hadn’t been damaged. “Should I hail a taxi for you, Sir?”

“No, my car is waiting…over there, the black SUV,” Clark pointed to his car. Joey nodded and went as far as to help Clark carry the bags to his car.

“I’ll never forget your help, Joey,” Clark said as he got into the car.

“I’m just glad I was close enough to help, Mr. Clark,” Joey replied, knowing anyone else would have done the same thing in his place.

Clark stared intensely at Joey and shook his head before handing him his card.

“Call me, Joey. I would love to know more about you, young man!” he said before saying his goodbyes.

Joey smiled and took the card, thinking nothing of it at first. Clark’s SUV sped away into the thick afternoon traffic, and Joey returned to work, pocketing the card.

After a long day at work, Joey returned home. He was so exhausted and would’ve otherwise slept after dinner had he not felt the card in his pant pocket. He pulled it out and sat up on his bed, staring at the phone number for a while.

He remembered Clark asking him to call him, so he hurried to the nearest payphone and dialed the number, guessing little how that one fateful phone call would overturn his life that night.

“Hello, Clark here,” the older man answered Joey’s call.

“Hello, Sir. It’s me, Joey. We met today…outside the store.”

A moment of silence was filled with a sudden outburst of Clark’s laughter. “Joey! My boy! I knew you’d call me.”

“You did?” Joey said with a smile. “I just wanted to know if you were alright…”

“Ah, I’m fine, young man. Thanks to you! If it hadn’t been for you, then old Clark would’ve been lying dead in some coffin now!” Clark chuckled.

“I’m glad you’re alright, Sir. Well, it was nice talking to you…”

Just as Joey was about to say goodnight and hang up, Clark interrupted him, spilling the beans on a scholarship he was in charge of.

Joey could feel his heart pound as he pressed the phone against his ear.

“A scholarship?” he gasped.

“Yes, you heard that right, Joey!” Clark exclaimed. “You’re young, and I just thought it might be something you might be interested in. But if you still wish to continue working at the store, then—”

Joey breathed rapidly, unable to contain the joy and excitement blossoming in his eyes. He didn’t let Clark finish talking and interrupted.

“No, I don’t want to work! I want to be a doctor!” he exclaimed. Deep down, Joey knew he might never get such a golden opportunity again.

“Great! It’s my immense pleasure to tell you that it’s a full scholarship…with guaranteed stipends for accommodation and food. You don’t have to worry about your stay or anything at all,” Clark explained.

“All you gotta do is just focus on your studies…and we’ll have you covered!”

Joey was shocked and delighted. Several emotions flooded his mind, and the first person he wanted to share this massive turning point in his life with was his mother.

But again, Joey decided to wait.

Mom will still be angry with me, Joey thought. I don’t want to upset her more. I’m sure she’d be happy and forgive me when I become a doctor and then call her…

She will be so proud of me when I go home and surprise her…wearing my white coat…and a stethoscope around my neck. She’ll be glad to see me in that outfit! Joey felt a wide grin on his lips and teared up.

And so, several years passed…

After completing his bachelor’s and making his way into medical school, Joey graduated with flying colors, thanks to Mr. Clark.

“So, Joey, you’ve done it, young man! I’m really proud of you…and I’m sure your mother would be equally proud,” Mr. Clark said as he toasted with Joey during dinner.

“…so when have you decided to call her?”

“Soon…very soon!” Joey replied as his mother’s face flashed before his eyes.

But deep inside, Joey was convinced that before reaching out to his mother, he would save enough money and buy a lovely house for her in the city.

It had always been his dream to gift his mother a quiet, cozy house where she could rest and enjoy the rest of her days without thinking about work again.

A few more years rolled on, and it wasn’t until thirteen years after he left home that Joey finally decided it was time to meet his mother.

He bought a small house with a huge garden overlooking the sea, offering a breathtaking view of the sunset, just like Flora had always wanted. Joey was sure she would love it, and convinced it was time to see her, he immediately drove back to the small town he was born in.

Joey was so excited and happy to see his mother after thirteen long years. He arrived in his hometown with so many expectations fluttering in his heart like birds set free from a cage.

Joey excitedly marched to his farmhouse, smiling at passers-by who couldn’t instantly recognize him and his dimpled smile everyone was once fond of.