|3| The Interview.

I didn't reply to Sammy. I brushed my hands through my hair, pulling it like it was a solution. The fact that it was a quick notice got me frustrated. I need this job, my whole family depended on it.

I shook my head and gazed at Sammy

"Why did your Mom sell the bakery? It was great. This bakery makes a huge profit daily and it is very popular in the neighborhood. Also, people love buying a lot of confections here. So I don't understand why your Mom sold this bakery all of a sudden. I mean, it is very confusing. This is not meant to happen." I paused to catch my breath. I was rambling, but I just couldn't control it. I've been working in the bakery for over four years and it was our main source of income. My mom owns a small grocery store, but it wasn't making any huge profit. Zoe was still a student. So, technically, I was the one providing our basic needs.

Sammy seemed to understand how I was feeling. He slightly raised his hands in the air. "I know you should have been told earlier, but the case is that my mom is relocating and she needs to shut down the bakery ASAP. I'm sorry, I hope you understand."

I nodded, even though I was lost in my own thoughts. Where will I find another good paying job?

"Don't worry, we will pay you this month's salary. So as to make up for the quick notice," he said with a half smile.

I scratched my head, it was badly aching me. He spoke like that could solve my problem. I was a single mother so I needed to be financially strong to be able to take care of Zoe.

I shook my head and rubbed my face. "Sammy, it is not just about paying me for this month, I need to get a new job. Zoe is transferred to another school and I have to pay her school fees."

"If you really need a new job, I will ask around for any available jobs."

I nodded, trying to smile. Sammy hardly meddles in people's business and pays attention to others. The fact that he volunteered to help was really out of his way.

I could remember when I first met him in the bakery. He usually sits in a corner, reading a lot of books. Sometimes, I would catch him staring at me. I had thought he was stalking me so I approached him one evening after we had counted the day's sales. I had challenged him and had been so shocked to find out he was actually the boss's son. You can't imagine my humiliation, I had ended up apologying. He had laughed his ass off that day, claiming I had wild imagination.

"Thanks," I said.

He shrugged. "It is not a big deal. This is the least I can do."

"Alright, I will be going back now," I said.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and left the bakery with an unenthusiastic slouch.

*

I called my mom to tell her about the bakery being sold out. Then I went around the neighborhood searching for any job vacancy, but, unluckily, I wasn't qualified for all the available jobs. I got home by 4:00 pm. I was so tired, I went straight to my room and dozed.

It was twilight when I woke up. Zoe had climbed my bed, she kept on bouncing on it, until I woke up. I slightly raised my head and squinted at her.

"Zoe, get down." I mumbled, half awake.

She shook her head and giggled. "No, I love bouncing on your bed!"

I turned to the other side, rubbing the sleep off my eyes. "You can do that later, I'm very tired right now."

She stopped and laid close to me. Her short curls spread all over the pillow and her gray eyes looked at me, concerned. "Why, Mom?"

I stretched out my hand and ruffled her hair. I smiled. "I'm very tired because I walked a lot today."

Zoe furrowed her forehead. "You don't look happy, Mom."

I sat up, carried her onto my lap and embraced her. "Who told you that? I'm very happy and do you know why? It is because I have the most beautiful daughter in the world." I said, brushing her hair backward.

She giggled and looked at me. "Really?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yes."

I got down from the bed and went to the kitchen to assist my mom in preparing dinner. I could hear the clangs of plates coming from the kitchen. She looked at me when I entered the kitchen.

"Are you feeling better now?"

I nodded and approached her. "Yes, so what are we having for dinner?"

Zoe ran into the kitchen. "Dinner! dinner! dinner! dinner!" She kept on singing and dancing.

My mom laughed. "Oh look at her."

I turned to look at her and I also laughed.

"Zoe, come and assist mummy in cooking," I called her and she dashed to my side.

I packed my hair in a tight bun. "Let's just make pasta, is that okay, mom?"

My mom nodded. "Of course, where is the pasta?"

Zoe ran to get the pasta in the shelf, but she couldn't open the door. I opened it and took out the pasta.

Zoe played with the oven, touching it and trying to open it.

I rested a hand on my hip.

"Zoe, I told you not to touch the oven, remember?"

Immediately, She dropped her hands and hid them behind her back. "I was checking the temperature."

I dropped the pasta on the counter and bent to take a pot from the cabinet. "Nothing is inside, so you don't need to check the temperature."

My mom turned towards me. "Come on, Annie, just let her do what she wants."

"Okay, but when she breaks anything, it's not on me." I said and put the pasta into the pot.

"She is already a big girl. She can't break anything, right Zoe?."

Zoe nodded and swirled around the kitchen. "Yes."

Then, They did a high five.

I laughed. "Just don't break anything."

Just then my face paled as I heard the clang of glasswares shattering on the ground.

⚜⚜⚜

After cooking, we ate at the dining table and went to the living room to watch a 8 o'clock film we used to watch every night. While watching, Zoe fell asleep and was out like a lamp. I took her to her bedroom and went to mine.

I was also feeling sleepy. I stretched my hand towards the lamp on the nightstand and dimmed it. I adjusted my pink pillow and was about to rest my head when I saw a picture of an old memory I was trying to forget. It was a picture of me and a man hugging each other on an island in Hawaii. I wore a purple sun hat and a simple bikini. I looked so happy in the picture, so much happier than I have ever been. I turned the picture downward and rested my back on the wall. If only happiness could last forever.

It was during summer and I had won a holiday ticket for a vacation in hawaii. I had taken the New York cruise ship and that was when I had seen him. I don't think he noticed me, but I did. It was hard not to notice him. He stood out among every other man in the harbor. His raven hair was trimmed and he had a smooth jaw, which made him look handsome. He wore a shirt and trousers. Also, he wasn't alone, he was accompanied by some group of people. They seemed like his friends. A lady was holding his arm, she must have been his girlfriend. She was very pretty and looked so classic. I doubted I could beat her beauty.

I also wished I came with my friends, the cruise would have been more fun. It was only me who had won the ticket so I had to come alone. He was telling his friends something and he smiled. I smiled too, his smile was contagious, it enlightened everyone around him.

Suddenly, one of his friends had snatched something from him and ran into the ship, and he ran after him. I was also about to enter the ship when suddenly, someone hit me and sent all my luggage flying into the air. The lock of my luggages wasn't strong, the moment my hand let go of it, it stumbled down the ship and unclasped. I turned to look at whoever had hit me, but he was out of sight. I only saw a glimpse of his back view and I knew instantly it was the guy I saw with his friend.

I heard laughter and mumbles behind me, I turned and saw my underwears clearly on display among my other belongings. I had fidgetted and dashed down the ship. Gosh, it was that stranger's fault.

I promised myself I would confront him and I wished I didn't. He may never have noticed me and we would never have ended up dating if I had ignored him. I shut my eyes, erasing him from my thoughts. I didn't want to think of him tonight. I brought out my mini laptop and searched for available jobs nearby. I hit the keyboard and many available jobs showed up. But most of them required an educational certificate, which I didn't have.

I wasn't able to finish studying. After my father left, everything got very tough for us. I had to drop out from school and start working very hard to provide for my family. My mom's business ran down, she owned a grocery store down the corner from our house. Things became even worse when I had Zoe, because it meant more mouths to feed. Initially, my mom was very angry that I got pregnant by the age of 18, but later she learned to accept it. I had to admit, at that age I was still very naïve and quick to fall for the first guy that ever showed interest in me.

I scrolled down and was ready to cancel the page when I got a job notification from Sammy's email. It was a job as a caretaker to take care of a man who was physically ill and the salary was twice my previous salary. Immediately, I applied for the job. The interview for the job was the next day. I was so happy I found it on time. I stretched and closed the laptop. I fell backward onto the pillow, smiling from side to side.

I hoped the interview went well.