Juliet stumbled into the house, tears streaming down her face. Amanda looked up, alarmed. She had no choice but to try to steady her sister.
"Big sis… stop crying," Amanda said gently, reaching out. "Everything will be fine. But first… tell me, why are you crying?"
Juliet sank onto the couch, her shoulders shaking. "Amanda… everything is falling apart. School is about to resume, and I don't have a dime for fees. The landlord said we must pay rent—or leave. And today… I lost my job. How… how am I supposed to pay for all this?"
Amanda's eyes softened. "Juliet… maybe… maybe you could sell your crochet stuff. The bags… the dresses… people might buy them."
Juliet shook her head, despair weighing her down. "Stop it, Amanda! Who would buy these? This won't help. I… I'll go and look for a job."
Amanda paused, concern knitting her brow. "Okay… but what kind of job are you looking for?"
"Any job," Juliet said through clenched teeth.
"Housemaid… secretary… shop assistant… caregiver… anything."
As Juliet stepped out, Amanda didn't waste a moment. She gathered all the crochet bags and dresses, carrying them to the street. Hours passed, but luck was on her side—people started buying them. Slowly, money came in, piece by piece, enough to bring a glimmer of hope.
Meanwhile, Juliet hadn't walked more than an hour when a banner on a gate caught her eye: "Caregiver Needed – Apply Within." Her heart lifted. She approached and knocked urgently until a man appeared.
"Good afternoon," Juliet said, trying to steady her voice. "My name is Juliet. I want to apply for the caregiver job."
The man looked her over critically. "Can you do this job? Can you work effectively?"
Juliet squared her shoulders, determination replacing the fear in her eyes. "Yes. There's nothing I can't do."
"Okay… come in," he said.
She stepped inside, the weight of uncertainty pressing down, but for the first time that day, a flicker of hope ignited.
"Sit here," the man instructed, glancing at her warily. "Let me go and call my boss."
Juliet sat, heart pounding, every second stretching as she waited—this could be the break she desperately needed.
Juliet froze as soft, deliberate footsteps echoed behind her. She turned sharply, her heart thudding, and saw a woman approaching.
Standing on trembling legs, she forced herself to greet, "Good afternoon, ma."
"Good afternoon, my daughter," the woman replied, her eyes sharp, measuring. "Have a seat."
Juliet obeyed, clutching her bag as if it were a shield.
"I heard you came to apply for the caregiver job," the woman said, her tone calm but heavy with scrutiny.
"Yes, ma," Juliet replied, her voice barely steady.
"Can you work… effectively?" The woman's gaze pierced her.
"Yes, ma. I've been working since I… lost my parents."
The woman's eyes widened. "You are an orphan?"
Juliet nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes, ma. I work to pay bills… and take care of my sister. I stopped school so she could continue hers. I stopped at high school."
"Wow… you stopped at high school, and yet your English is… this fluent," the woman said slowly, almost in disbelief.
Juliet forced a tight smile, feeling a lump rise in her throat. "My sister is currently in tertiary institution."
"Oh… wow." The woman leaned back, studying her as if weighing her very soul. Then, after a long pause, she said, "You can go home and pack your things. You'll be leaving here with us… but you can visit your sister sometimes. Pardon my manners—my son's name is James. He's the one you'll be taking care of."
Juliet's stomach churned. She nodded, hardly daring to breathe.
By the time she arrived home, her heart pounded so fiercely it felt like it would burst. She entered quietly. "Amanda…"
Her sister looked up, eyes bright. "Big sis, where did you get money?"
Juliet's gaze fell on Amanda, who held a few crumpled bills. "Oh… I went out to sell those crochet bags and clothes. People bought them."
Juliet's hands clenched. "You went out… hawking? Amanda, you're about to be the first graduate in this family… my future engineer… why would you hawk?"
Amanda's lips quivered, but her eyes were determined. "I just… wanted to help."
Juliet's chest tightened, a mix of anger and helplessness choking her. "I don't want your help." She paused, then her voice softened, almost breaking. "Guess what… I got a job. As a caregiver. I'll be leaving, but my boss—my boss's mom—said I can visit you sometimes. I came to pack my things."
Amanda threw herself at Juliet, hugging her tightly. "Big sis… that's amazing!"
Juliet hugged her back, her heart heavy. Excitement and fear tangled inside her. A new life awaited, but leaving Amanda behind made every step feel like walking on a knife's edge.