I was nineteen when Mr. Galloway hired me. I doubt he ever knew how badly I needed that paycheck. My mom was raising my little sister on her own, and we were always struggling. Every payday, I handed Mom part of my check to help with groceries, bills, and whatever my sister needed for school. Losing that job just wasn't an option. That's why I was never late. I almost never took a sick day. And whenever Mr. Galloway needed someone to stay after hours, I said yes right away.
Over the next twelve months, I earned his trust. He counted on me to handle deliveries. Lock up the building at closing time. And take care of jobs he wouldn't hand to anyone else. Then, one Friday afternoon, he called me into his office. "Cody, I need to ask you a favor." "Of course, Mr. Galloway." He hesitated, looking a little uneasy. "My daughter has her senior prom tomorrow night." His daughter, Wren, was eighteen. I'd seen her around the shop a few times, but we'd hardly ever spoken.
"The boy who was supposed to take her backed out," Mr. Galloway went on. "Would you be willing to go with her?" I stared at him, surprised. "You're asking me to take Wren to her prom?" "You're dependable, Cody. I trust you to look out for her." Then he made an offer that was hard to turn down. "I'll make sure you're paid for helping me." My mind went straight to the stack of unpaid bills at home. A little extra money would make things easier for my mom. So I said yes.
A Night to Remember
The next evening, I borrowed my uncle's car and put on the only decent suit I owned. Then I drove to Mr. Galloway's house. He opened the front door almost the second I knocked. But something about the way he was acting caught my eye. He seemed nervous. Much more worried than I'd expect a dad to be about his daughter's senior prom. "Please make sure she has a good time," he said. I promised I'd do everything I could.
A few minutes later, Wren came down the staircase. She looked beautiful in her long formal gown. But the moment she saw me standing next to her father, her face changed. Her smile disappeared. She barely said a word while Mr. Galloway snapped several photos of us. I started to feel a little uneasy, but I pushed the feeling aside. After all, I was just doing my boss a favor. As we left the house, Mr. Galloway handed me a small envelope. "For expenses," he said with a nod.
As we drove to the prom venue, Wren remained quiet. I tried to make small talk, but she only responded with brief answers. I began to wonder if she was okay. Was she still upset about her original date backing out? I didn't know how to ask, so I just focused on the road. When we arrived at the venue, Wren finally spoke up. "Let's just get this over with," she said, her voice low and frustrated.
I felt a pang of sympathy for her. Maybe this night wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe we could even have some fun. As we stepped out of the car, Wren opened the door, turned toward me, and whispered, "My father picked you for a reason. And none of this was ever meant to help me." I was taken aback, unsure of what to say. What did she mean? Why would her father choose me for a reason that had nothing to do with helping her?
