Chapter 5 - Lessons in the MudEvelyn brought Chloe to a modest community kitchen where she volunteered every morning. For the first time in her life, Chloe was handed a pair of rubber gloves and a dish towel.
"If you want to earn your bread and stay in the shelter room upstairs, you work," Evelyn said calmly, handing her a stack of dirty plates.
At first, Chloe’s pride fought back. Her hands, accustomed to luxury manicures, grew rough and calloused. She scrubbed pots, served soup to the homeless, and listened to stories of real hardship—mothers who worked three jobs, elderly men abandoned by family, people fighting just to survive another day.
One evening, after a long ten-hour shift, Chloe sat with Evelyn in the empty dining hall.
"I used to think people who worked service jobs were failures," Chloe admitted quietly, staring at her red, worn hands. "I thought money meant worth. But watching you... watching how these people care for each other... I was the one who was poor."
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Evelyn smiled softly, touching Chloe’s hand. "Pride is a heavy coat to wear, Chloe. It keeps you warm for a little while, but eventually, it smothers you. Real strength comes from lifting others up."
Unbeknownst to Chloe, Lucas had been standing near the doorway, watching her work through the glass panel. His harsh stance was beginning to soften.
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