“Then you need to go shopping and buy more dresses," she suggested.

“The weather is getting warmer. I haven't seen you buy many clothes for yourself in the last few years. For crying out loud, you used to like dressing yourself up!"

"Yeah, I used to, but not anymore," Jessie retorted. "I now know how difficult it is to make money. I do home tutoring now and get paid by the hour. Can you imagine that? And I have to be humble to make them feel that they're getting their money's worth."

Jessie almost never talked to her mother about her job, but now, she was doing just that. Lettie frowned as she listened to her. "Wow. I didn't know it's so difficult," she gasped in disbelief. "Why don't you just quit then? I can ask my friends to help you get a stable job. I don't want you to wear yourself out with stress."

But Jessie wouldn't hear of this. "I want to earn my own bread," she stated stubbornly with a smile. "You know, Mom, in the end, we can count on no one but ourselves.