Chapter 2 The light at the end of the tunnel

SAMY ANDERSON

Furious, I get out of my car parked in the company parking lot. This girl has nothing to lose by waiting. Who does she think she is, slapping the great Samy Anderson? She'll regret her existence. I'll do everything to find her, and I can count on my private investigator. My car has a built-in camera that films my every move throughout the day, for added security because I almost died there one day, and Dad saw fit to implement this measure. Walking through the lobby, some employees whisper as I pass, but today I don't notice them because I'm too angry to dwell on such nonsense. I take the elevator and land on my floor. With a closed face, I push past everyone present and lock myself in my office.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

_ Yes, come in!

My secretary, her face terrified and her body trembling, enters my office with piles of files in her hands. Turning my chair toward the window behind me, I answer her.

"I don't want to look at any files today, so you can leave and cancel all my meetings this morning. I need to rest."

"But sir...

"DO WHAT I SAID."

"I'm sorry, sir, but your father called this morning and absolutely wants you to look at the files because the company needs more employees since it's growing day by day."

"Okay," my voice is more reasonable. "Place them on the table and then leave."

"She does so, or so I think, because the sound of the door closing can be heard. Turning around, I scatter the files, and then one catches my eye: Naomi Peterson. Hmm, is this heaven smiling on me, or just a fluke? The photo of this poor girl stuck to the file with her name written underneath is in front of me. With a cruel smile on my face, I open her file and scan it in a few minutes. She has a good level of education and an acceptable CV. In her job application, she's applying for the position in the logistics department, right in my area of expertise. How lucky! This little girl is going to suffer in my hands. Calling my secretary on the service phone, I ask her to join me in my office. A few seconds later, she was standing in front of me, still as fearful as ever. I wonder what it is about me that scares her, maybe my personality.

_ Call the number included with this file and arrange an appointment for an interview. For the other files, give them to my assistant so he can finish the work.

_ Fine, sir.

To the two of us, Naomi, no one, I mean no one, slaps Samy Anderson.

NAOMI PETERSON

After my unpleasant encounter with this man, I go to Odile's office as planned. Upon my arrival, a young woman leads me to her office where she is apparently waiting for me. I push the door open slightly and raise her head in my direction, she invites me in.

_ Hello Odile

_ Yes, hello Naomi, I was expecting you since your call yesterday was very urgent and as I promised you, I have a night waitress job for you because I have very few girls who work nights.

_ It doesn't matter, I'll do it as long as my salary is paid on time because, you see, my uncle and his wife kicked us out of our house this morning, and I had to rent a room for the night while we wait to find a roof over our heads.

_ No problem, I have a small spare studio not far from the restaurant. I could rent it to you and deduct the rent from your salary each month, and the rest is yours. One of the waitresses vacated it two weeks ago because she had resigned.

_ How much are we talking about?

_ Forty thousand, no more. It's to help you out, right? Otherwise, my waitresses are paid thirty-five thousand. The studio is fifteen thousand, so you'll have twenty-five thousand left.

_ That's fine for me for now, thank you very much, and when can we move in?

_ Today, if you want, we'll go and see it, and I'll give you the keys.

_ Thanks again, Odile. _ It's nothing between friends, we have to help each other. I'll give you today to get organized and rest. Tomorrow evening at nine o'clock sharp, no delay.

_ Okay, but what time do you close?

_ It depends on the customers. Sometimes midnight, sometimes 1:00.

_ Understood, we can go.

_ Wait a few minutes, I'll finish what I'm doing.

I waited for fifteen minutes at most, then together we went to the place. The studio was very spacious for the price she told me, and it had everything I needed. After the visit, she gave me the keys, and I returned to the inn to find Mom, filled with immense joy. I entered the room and she was lying on the bed, her gaze vacant. Approaching her, I took her hand.

"Mom, don't worry about anything anymore. Odile gave me a job as a waitress in her restaurant, and I start tomorrow at 9 p.m., but there's also more good news."

She then sat up to listen to me carefully, leaning against the wall.

"What good news again, Naomi? It breaks my heart to know that you, such a highly qualified person, work in a restaurant, let alone as a waitress. A restaurant where some perverted men have no limits." Also, are we going to stay in this hostel the whole time you work before we get paid?

"Mom, listen to me, please. I know it's not a big deal, but for now, it will allow us to survive. The news I wanted to tell you is that we're moving into a small studio apartment next to the restaurant Odile rented for me. It's not expensive and it's very spacious, plus the salary is affordable. I came so we could pack up our things and go there and do a little cleaning before my brothers leave."

"My daughter, I'm so sorry you're going through all this," my mother said, tears streaming down her cheek.

"This is the first time I've seen my mother shed tears since my father died four years ago. My heart is breaking into a thousand pieces because I don't like seeing her like this. She's all my brothers and I have left, so I would never want anything bad to happen to her or for her to be sad. Even if I have to endure the worst things in this world to see her smile, I will. With my thumb, I wipe away her tears and hug her.

"Everything will be okay, Mom, I promise you. They will all pay in the end, Mom. God will not abandon us."

_ I know, my daughter, just like the Allah your father prays to every day. Even though we are of two different religions, we all serve the same God.

_ I know, Mother, I know. Now let's pack our suitcases and go.

_ Okay, my daughter.

We take a taxi and I show her the place. In just a few minutes, we were there. I help my mother get the suitcases out, then pay the driver and open the door to the studio. We go in and give her a quick tour.

_ Mom, it's a bit like home, but we can get used to it. There's the kitchen, the shower, and the large living room, which is also our bedroom. We can make a few changes later, maybe divide the living room in two and put a curtain in the middle.

_ Anything you want, my daughter.

_ You will sleep on the bed because it's not big enough for all of us, and my brothers and I will sleep on the floor.

_ Naomi...

_ Mom, it's better than nothing.

She doesn't say anything else and settles in. I put our suitcases in a corner and then clean up to make the place clean and presentable. When I finished, it was five o'clock, so I went to get the kids and bring them back to the studio. The first to ask questions was Tommy.

_ Big sister, how did you manage to rent such a place?

It's the "how are you looking for a roof over your head?" Excuse me, go get undressed and take a shower. Mom's in bed, so keep quiet, I have to go to the market to make dinner for you.

_Okay, big sister, but could I come with you? Aimé asks me.

Huh, since when does this girl like going out? Of the three, Aimé is the shyest and only speaks if asked or when asked a question.

_Princess, go take your shower and then we'll go. Because of you, I'm going to wait a bit.

_Together, they go to the bathroom after taking off their clothes, which I dry on a line in the backyard. Thirty minutes later at the most, they were all out. Each one takes a towel to clean themselves and put on their house clothes. Tommy hides behind it to dry himself.

_Since when did you start hiding that little thing between your legs there? I asked her, smiling.

_Oh, big sister, you don't know that I'm not a baby anymore. I'm fifteen, right, so a teenager. I need privacy.

_Intimacy itself is surprised. "Big sister, what's a willy?" Nicole asks me.

"Hmm! Where did you hear that word?"

"A classmate did something stupid, and the teacher said he's going to cut off his willy.

"Well, it's what men have between their legs, it's like a sausage. But don't think about it anymore, okay? It's not good for kids like you."

"Oh, really, why?"

"Well...uh...the sausage can hurt you a lot. If a man calls you in the street when I'm not with you, nor your brother, nor Mom, you have to run away or call for help because he's going to want to hurt you with his sausage, okay, my darlings?"

"Yes, big sister!" They answered together.

When they finished, I took Aimé's hand and then we went to the market. When I arrived at the market, I only had twenty thousand on me, the last hope, I would say. I took ten thousand to buy some food and kept the rest for the children's pocket money. There were so many people that I held Aimé's hand tightly so as not to create another problem for the ones I already had. As I left, a beautiful pair of shoes caught Aimé's attention and she tugged on my arm.

"Big sister, big sister, look over there. The shoe is so beautiful."

I turned my gaze in her direction and noticed the pair of shoes. Together we went to the seller.

"How much for this pink pair?"

"Two thousand, madam."

As I tried to open my bag, a young man snatched it from my hands. My Lord, my last savings, my ID card, my papers. I start by shouting to alert those around me, but they've already left. What am I going to do now? I'm finished. With both hands on my head, I call upon all the saints in heaven.