A week had passed, and we were still surviving on the little money Mom had managed to save. Every dollar counted, every meal planned, every breath calculated.
I was in the kitchen, stirring dinner, when my phone started chiming insistently. Busy at the moment, I ignored it. Useless notifications, I thought.
But then I noticed the missed calls. Rejected calls, from Kelvin.
My heart skipped a beat.
"Oh my God," I whispered, my fingers trembling as I unlocked the phone.
And then I saw the messages.
I think I have a job for you, Ayra. But I need to discuss it with you. Can you make it to my house tomorrow?
I stared at the words, hardly daring to believe them.
I typed back quickly: Yes.
Okay, I'll send you the address, he replied.
I stood frozen for a moment, staring at the screen. A job? For me? After everything we'd been struggling with, after counting every dollar just to get through the week… this could change everything.
Excitement bubbled in my chest, mingling with a nervous flutter in my stomach. What kind of job? Would I be good enough? Could I actually do it? I tried to calm myself with a deep breath, but the thought of finally being able to help Mom and maybe even surprise her, kept my pulse racing.
I double-checked the message, afraid I'd imagined it. But there it was. Kelvin had reached out, personally. And the address would arrive soon.
I smiled to myself, trying to contain my giddiness as I returned to the pot on the stove. Tomorrow… tomorrow might just be the start of something big.