Today’s flash fiction prompt: Write about a workaholic.
Irreplaceable
Terry’s life was complicated. Every day she woke to chaos. A screaming child, a hot-tempered husband. Her mother, bedridden for years, still managed to walk all over her. Her brother was the needy type. Sometimes he needed her couch, or a little help with food. A few months ago, he needed to open up a credit card account in her name and rack up hundreds of dollars in purchases.
Terry also had needs, but her family could not afford them. So every day, she waded through a sea of humanity, suffering subway and bus transfers, until she reached a tiny office building nestled in the heart of the city. She made coffee runs, filed documents, went on hand deliveries, organized conference rooms, and performed every task assigned or requested. Days bled into nights and later nights and Terry raised her hand to volunteer, every time there was a need.
Going home got harder. At home, Terry was too much or not enough. She tried to appease, then tried to set boundaries, then simply stopped trying, opting for the lesser of two weights. Reams of copy paper were a good deal lighter than the guilt she bore at home. And at work, Terry was a hero; a godsend. A person, worthy of praise and irreplaceable.
Until she wasn’t.
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