Freya was jolted out of sleep by the loud ring and vibration of her phone. She groaned, rolling the blanket over her face.
Whoever was calling clearly didn't believe in mercy.
She squinted at the screen.
Mom
She blinked, then sat up.
"Hello?" she finally said in a groggy voice.
"Hey, sweetie. I'm outside."
She blinked again. "Outside where?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.
"Your apartment."
She glanced dazedly at the clock. 7:02 AM.
"Mom, what are you doing here this early?"
"Why? Do I need a specific reason to visit my precious daughter?" Sarah said, feigning annoyance.
"No, Mom. I just wish you had called first." she sighed, running a hand through her messy hair. "I have to get ready for work, and I'm running late as it is."
"Oh, come on, baby," Sarah protested. "Can't you spare a few minutes? I even brought you breakfast."
Damn it.
"Give me a minute." Freya reluctantly agreed to let her in after hearing that there was food involved.
She stumbled out of bed, quickly threw on an oversized hoodie and sweatpants, and headed to the entrance.
When she opened the door, Sarah stood there with a large tote bag and that same warm smile Freya hadn't seen in person for months.
"Oh good, you're alive," she teased, seeing Freya's disheveled appearance.
"Yeah, yeah," Freya grumbled. "Just come in before someone sees me looking like this."
Sarah chuckled as she followed her in. "You look beautiful to me, sweetie."
"Mom… I've missed you," she suddenly threw an arm around her, and they hugged tightly.
She breathed in her mom's perfume—lavender and something baked—and immediately felt ten years old again.
"What did you bring me?"
Sarah held up the bag triumphantly. "All your favorites. Jollof rice, chicken stew, and fried plantains. I made enough to last you a week."
"Yay!"
She eagerly collected the bag from her and set the food on the kitchen counter. And fresh food scent filled the room instantly.
She brushed her teeth and sat at the table, starting to dig in.
"This is amazing," she said between bites. "Thanks, Mom."
Sarah smiled as she watched her eat with delight. "I know you would have been either starving or eating junk for the past few weeks,"
"I do cook," she rolled her eyes in defense, and her mother shrugged unconvincedly.
Then her attention was drawn to where Freya's laptop sat open on the couch, with a scattering of notes and papers strewn around it.
"Is that your laptop?" She asked, gesturing to it.
Freya froze, her fork halfway to her mouth.
"Oh, uh, yeah," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant.
"That means you've been up all night… How's work?"
"And don't say 'fine.'" She quickly added.
Freya leaned on the counter. "It's chaotic. My chief editor's more evil than ever. Yesterday he nearly made me cry in his office, then assigned me to cover a summit with zero notice."
Sarah frowned. "He's still troubling you?"
"He lives to trouble me."
Her mom tsked, noticing the circles under Freya's eyes.
"You sure you don't want to quit? I can always take care of you till you get a new job."
"Mom!" She laughed. "I'm not a kid anymore. I must face things like this."
"Look, I understand you're passionate about your work, but you have to prioritize your health too."
"I'll be fine, okay?"
"Alright. So what about your love life? Anyone special yet?"
Freya nearly choked on her rice. "Oh God, no. Not this morning."
"I'm just asking! You're a beautiful 23 year old lady. Strong and lovely. You deserve someone who sees it."
"I see all that in the mirror myself," she shrugged. "The only thing I'm trying to seduce is my paycheck."
Sarah shook her head. "As stubborn as ever."
"Your dad called. He's still on assignment with the navy, but he asked about you. He misses you." She said in a softer voice.
Freya looked down at her plate. "I miss him too."
"He'll be home soon." Sarah reached out and squeezed her hand.
She gave a weary smile, glancing over at the clock. "I should probably get ready for work."
Her mother stood up, a small but warm smile on her face. "Alright, I'll go now," she said, ruffling Freya's hair affectionately.
"But promise me you'll always get good sleep," she added in a slightly stern tone.
"I will."
With a final kiss on the cheek, her mom left the apartment and Freya closed the front door.
She went to her bedroom and began to rummage through her wardrobe, finding something to wear.
She grabbed a clean shirt, a pair of trousers and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
She splashed cold water on her face but the circles under her eyes were stubbornly refusing to disappear.
Then she tried to comb her hair into something presentable. She ran a brush through the tangled curls, putting them up in a messy bun.
She glanced at herself in the mirror with a dissatisfied look. And with a tired huff, she made her way back to the room to grab her laptop and notes before heading out the door.
As she exited the building and stepped outside, the morning sun blinded her for a moment. She fumbled in her bag for her sunglasses and put them on, hoping to hide the dark eye bags.
She hailed a cab and got in, sinking back into the seat.
The cab ride was short. But to Freya, it felt like an eternity. She was tempted to close her eyes and doze off, however, the constant traffic and honking horns made it impossible.
Finally, the cab pulled up in front of the tall building that housed the newspaper office. She paid the driver and stepped out, her feet heavy with fatigue.
As she entered the building, she was spotted by Thompson, who immediately beckoned to her from his office.
"Holy shit... Not this morning." She felt a knot of anxiety in her stomach as she dreaded what was coming.