Chapter 2 The scare

"Omg, Olivia!" She called out as she rushed over to her daughter who she had sighted from afar sitting in the garden.

She leaned in and hugged her tightly, tearing up. "You scared me, Liv,"

"I'm sorry, Mom," she said, hugging her back tightly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Ignoring her apologies, she pulled away from the hug, "What're you doing here, alone?"

"Nothing Mom," Olivia said, turning her face away.

In a gentle, tearful voice, she grabbed Olivia's face, tilting it as she looked into her eyes and said, "Olivia, I am your mother. If you don't talk to me, I don't know who you will talk to. I ask again, what is the matter?"

"Mom, I said, nothing. You worry too much," she snapped.

Emily sighed at the fruitless effort of getting her daughter to talk to her about what was bothering her. She got up and sat on the garden bench, adjusting close enough to her daughter. She wiped her tears with a finger, grabbing Olivia's hand tightly, while placing the other hand on it.

"Liv, talk to me please," she said softly, her voice filled with so much concern.

Olivia, sensing her mother's concern, decided to tell her. She reached into her pocket, brought out a letter, and handed it over to her mom.

"I saw this on the side table in the living room," she said gently.

"Olivia," she said, softly.

"It says in that letter that we're due for the month's rent. How do you intend to pay, Mom? I am sad that we're not rich, I am sad that you have to go through these alone with no help," she said with a heavy heart, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Emily's eyes grew misty on hearing her daughter speak wearily of their financial status. She felt a deep sense of sadness and helplessness, wishing she could shield her daughter from such worries. Her heart ached, knowing that she couldn't change their situation, at least not at that moment.

She pulled Olivia into a hug once more, pulling away, she said forcing a smile, "Liv, we're not alone, we have Aunt Sarah and Granny Eleanor. Also, you're too young to be worried about life,"

"I know, Mom. It's just that I become sad each time there's a problem to solve and there seems to be no way out of the situation. I feel useless knowing that I can't be of help," Olivia said, her voice tinged with frustration and concern.

"Shhhh, don't ever say that again. What could you possibly do, Olivia? You're just thirteen for God's sake, Olivia!" She cautioned, her concern for her daughter evident in her voice.

Olivia burst into tears, withdrawing her hand from her mom's.

She grabbed Olivia's hand again, reassuring her, "No, baby. I'm not yelling at you. I'm just saying that you're too young to bother about this," She continued, "I appreciate your concern, my precious daughter but don't get worked up about our lives. I'll figure it out and I promise not to let you suffer, I love you,"

She leaned in, hugging her mom tightly, and whispered, "I love you too, Mom"

After what felt like ages, Emily finally pulled away from the hug and kissed her daughter on her forehead, making her smile heartily.

Olivia's eyes gleamed as she spotted her favorite plant, a vibrant crimson rosebush, thriving against a backdrop of lush greenery. She let go of Emily's reassuring touch and rushed over to see it.

"Mom, it's growing healthy and beautiful," she said,

"Yes, it is," Emily nodded in agreement, smiling.

Its crimson petals glistened with dewdrops, a testament to nature's care, but she couldn't resist the urge to nurture it even more.

She reached for the watering can nearby and tenderly showered the plant with cool, clear water.

"We should get into the house, Liv," Emily said,

"Why?" Olivia asked curiously,

"Well, you have the TV on and I'd prefer to the watering myself so I'd arrive early at work," she replied,

"Right!" She gasped, "I almost forgot you have to go to work," she said,

"Yes, baby. I have to go to work so I'd earn some money for us," Emily said,

"Alright, Mom," she said, making her way into the house.

She hurried to water the plants, then returned to the house. Afterward, she swiftly prepared a meal and stored it in the refrigerator for Olivia. Her return to work was approaching, but she managed to prevent being late. She opted for black pants, a red t-shirt, and red and white canvas shoes for her outfit.

"Nice," she said, admiring herself in the mirror.

She grabbed her bag and headed towards the door. As she passed the living room, she noticed that Olivia was fast asleep. She turned off the TV and carefully carried her to her room. She left for work after she had tucked Olivia in, softly closing the door.

"Fred, is he in?" Emily mouthed, gesturing at her boss's office.

"Yes," he said firmly.

"Why do you ask?" He queried

"He sent for me," she replied, uncertainty evident in her voice

"You should go see him then, " he said, returning to his duty post.

Emily approached her boss's office, feeling uneasy. She couldn't place a finger on it, but something about the meeting felt different. Her heart raced a little faster with each step she threw, and her mind was flooded with questions.

Is there a drop in my productivity or perceived a lack of commitment? She asked herself

Gently, she knocked on the door, making her arrival known.

"Come in," his bass voice went off.

She gently walked into her boss's office, her heart pounding in anticipation. The conversation inside was a blur of words and the distant hum of the restaurant activity beyond the walls.

Minutes turned into what felt like hours, and she couldn't quite grasp the gravity of the situation. Her boss's expression remained unreadable.

As the meeting drew on, her emotions shifted from anxiety to confusion, and then to a creeping sense of sadness. She tried her best to maintain a composed facade, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

Finally, the discussion ended, and she exited her boss's office. Her colleagues glanced at her with curious expressions, but she couldn't bring herself to meet their gaze.

Walking back to her duty post, the tears she held back began to spill over.