(FRIDAN CITY- Yu’s Kitchen)
“I’m sorry, Charlotte. The payment is going to be delayed- please bear with me till Monday, I will get it ready,” Those words from her boss added salt to her wound.
She swallowed hard and tilted her head up since she’s been bowing, “But sir, you promised to give me today. I told you what I needed it for,” She muttered hoping for the best.
The man scoffed, “I said I’d try and give you not promise, You know what’s on ground Charlotte,, we barely made profits this month. I told you the very day you started working,” The man declared.
Charlotte knew there is no way around it, the greedy man who has refuse to pay her salary for the past two month wouldn’t hear her pleads,
She simply nod her head and went back to the kitchen and started cooking, “I will bear it in,” She whispered comfort words to herself.
***
Few hours later, Charlotte finished working and she started going back home, she entered a bus this time around and sat beside the window, “What a long day,” She told herself, her eyes closed afterwards.
The bus stopped at her desired destination, she got down and started walking towards their building but she merely got there when she started hearing people wailing and gathering around their building, she raised an eyebrow.
“What’s-“ before she could say a thing, a woman that lives across their house ran over to her. The woman had all type of shallow expression on her face and it got Charlotte worried.
“Mrs Adeline, what’s happening there?” She asked curiously.
“Your,,,your house…” the woman has not even finished her statement when Charlotte eyes ran to the wild fire surrounding her house, Tanya and Jasmine were being rescued.
Charlotte felt her walls broken before her, her legs became shaky as she ran over to the scene, “A-auntie?” She called toneless and scared.
Tanya turned around, some part of her face covered in smoke, her eyes swelled up and in any moment from now, tears will drop.
Charlotte didn’t wait for Tanya to talk, she wrapped her arms around her, whispering, “It’s fine, it will be fine, auntie”
“Charlotte, what do I do? We’ve lost everything,” Tanya cried on her shoulders, tears wet Charlotte’s blue top.
Few minutes later, Tanya pulled away from Charlotte while Charlotte carried Jasmine, “Hope you’re okay sweetie?” She asked with teary eyes.
Jasmine pout as tears rolled out of her eyes, “Mummy, have we lost our house? Where are we going to sleep tonight?” Jasmine whispered looking back at their burnt house.
Though the firefighter has been called but the fire kept multiplying that by the time they quench the fire, half of the building has burnt down.
Then Tanya’s phone rang just in time, The caller ID boldly displayed-Elaine. Charlotte looked at Tanya, expecting a reply.
“I told her about what happened,” Tanya told her while Charlotte simply nod, Tanya went ahead to take the call.
Tanya went back to them after dropping the call, her face speaks something else and Charlotte couldn’t help but ask, “What did she say?”
Tanya examined Charlotte’s face for a while, “I’m not sure if this is going to sit well with you, Charlotte… er,, Elaine wants us to come stay with her for a while,” Tanya broke the news.
Charlotte was dumbfounded for a while, she did her best to avoid going back to that city and now, she has no their choice but to go back there? A tap from Jasmine made her jerk back to reality.
She looked at the pleading faces Tanya and Jasmine made, “I can’t be selfish and say I won’t go? If that’s what we have to do, Let’s,,, let’s go back,” She finally gave in.
Tanya felt relieved that she pulled her close, “Thank you, Charlotte,”
(NEXT MORNING-Winter City)
(ELAINE’s)
“Oh my goodness! Charlotte! It’s been ages, we only talked on video calls,” Elaine’s elated voice fills the whole room, her eyes ran to Jasmine.
“Oh my, that’s Jasmine?” She called and went to her, bending over to her level, “You’re so cute, Jasmine,” Elaine touched her cheeks.
Jasmine chuckles, “Good-morning, Aunty Elaine,” Jasmine greeted.
Elaine smiled and went back to Tanya and Charlotte, she pouted, “I’m so sorry about your house,” She apologized while Tanya simply smiled.
“What has happened has happened, nothing more to it,” Tanya waved it off.
Elaine nod and welcomed them into her house, it was the apartment she got few years back, she’s moved out of her parent’s house and rented an apartment-large apartment.
“A beautiful house you’ve got, Elaine. I’m happy you got one,” Charlotte admires
“Thank you Charlotte,” Elaine exclaimed and she showed everyone of them their rooms afterwards.
——
They settled for dinner, they were having spaghetti and meatballs. “So, Charlotte have you thought about it?” Elaine suddenly broke the silence.
“About what?”
“The job offer here, I mean, you’re here now. Why don’t you give it a try? Believe me, it’s going to be a success,” Elaine uttered.
Charlotte bit her lower lips, “What choice do I have? I mean, I can’t be idle and just sit around at home all day,” She told her.
“And it’s not like I can go back to Fridan, I have to make ends meet to survive,” Charlotte added with a firm nod.
Elaine giggles with happiness written over her face, “Is that a yes? You can start tomorrow right? Or…” She asked
“Of course, why not?”