Elena stared at the thick envelope from Westbrook Academy, the prestigious boarding school three hundred miles away. Her hands trembled as she pulled out the letter: a full scholarship. Everything she had worked for--the late nights studying, the extracurricular activities she'd juggled alongside her part-time job--had led to this moment.
But as her mother's footsteps approached, Elena slid the envelope under her textbook. Maria Reyes had sacrificed everything for her children since Elena's father left. She worked double shifts at the hospital, came home exhausted, and still found time to help with homework. How could Elena tell her she wanted to leave?
"Studying late again, mija?" Her mother kissed her forehead. "Don't forget your brother has his recital tomorrow. He's been practicing that violin piece for weeks."
Eight-year-old Carlos, who idolized Elena. Who came to her room every night so she could help him with reading. Who would be devastated if she left.
The next morning, Elena found her mother in the kitchen, counting bills with that familiar worried crease between her brows. The scholarship would mean one less mouth to feed, Elena realized. It would mean opportunities their family could never otherwise afford.
That evening, after Carlos's recital, Elena placed the letter in her mother's hands. "I don't know what to do," she admitted.
Her mother read it twice, tears forming. "Mija, this is your dream. You've earned this." She pulled Elena close. "We will always be your family, no matter where you go. And Carlos will video call you every night for reading practice. Some doors are meant to be walked through."