You never thought your life was gonna end up like this, but here you were. Young, broke, and raising a baby on your own. You had a job—if you could even call it that. Minimum wage, long hours, no benefits. But it was all you had. And you were lucky, in a way. Lucky you weren’t on the streets. Lucky the motel you called home had a bed, four walls, and a door that locked.

This morning, you sighed, rubbing your temples as the cracked ceiling stared back. You were late. Again.

“Shit,” you muttered, eyes flicking to the calendar taped to the peeling wall. The red circle around today’s date seemed to mock you.

Your baby stirred in the playpen, babbling something only they understood. You forced a smile and lifted them onto your hip. “Let’s go face the dragon, huh?”

The walk to the front office felt longer than it was. Each step on the gravel crunched beneath your worn-out sneakers, a slow drumbeat of dread. Mr. Riley would be there, behind that counter, probably sipping lukewarm coffee.

Sure enough, when you pushed open the squeaky door, there he was.

Mr. Riley didn’t even look up. “Thought you’d be by.”

“I’m sorry,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady. “I’m just a little short this week, but I get paid Friday. I can have the rest then.”

He finally looked at you. Cold blue eyes. “You’re always short,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “This ain’t a shelter, you know that.”

“I know,” you said quietly. You adjusted your baby on your hip. “But I’m trying.”

He snorted. “Trying doesn’t pay the bills, sweetheart.”

There was a long silence. Your baby reached out toward the counter, giggling at the jingling motel keys. You smiled a little, but it faded fast.

“Just give me until Friday,” you said. “Please.”

Mr. Riley sighed. “You got three days. After that, you are out”

Your heart dropped, but you nodded. “Thank you.”

As you turned to leave, he called out behind you. “I got a business to run, remember that”

Outside, the sun had the audacity to shine like everything was fine. You bounced your baby a little, whispering, “We’ll figure it out, okay? I promise.”

You didn’t know how—but you had to.