Roses are such a beautiful part of our world, representing love and all that is good. They are meant to bring people together and bind them in happiness. But all roses have thorns that draw blood from those who were too naive to stay away. So, what...
It has been a month now since mi abuela had died. I am doing better. I think. I am back to work and the kids are back to school. Things are starting to go back to normal.
But there is one thing left to do. A couple days ago, I remembered the box that abuela had given to me. She said to open it after she died and now that she's six feet under, it should be an appropriate time to crack it open. But I just can't bring myself to do it.
If I open that box then that means I will be completely over this whole thing. Over her death and over my grief. I'm nowhere near over it.
We are struggling to pay the bills this month. Since I haven't been working, there's been no pay check. No money. No nothing. We are screwed. To make thing worse, Steve called me and everyone knows that when your boss calls you in for a 'chat', your ass is done for.
I put on the only ironed clothes I can find and attempt some makeup. My mascara clumps and my brows won't stick down. This morning is so shit. On the positive side, I have some necklaces I can wear because Frankie brought me some new ones. It's his love language. Gift giving.
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(I cant lie this is a fire fit)
The drive to the diner was silent and painful. I know exactly what is going to happen but I don't know what I am going to do about it. I can't afford to lose this job.
What will the kids think?
The radio sits there, untouched. That is very unlike me. Music is my escape. My friends and I used to go to a karaoke bar after Friday night when the kids were in bed. Abuela would watch the kids since she was the one encouraging me to go out.
I arrive at the diner and I park down the street from it. The walk into the diner was worse than the drive. It was more quiet. The streets are never this quiet. It's almost like the world has stopped.
Steve sits at one of the booths, looking down at his intertwined hands. He looks up and sees me walk through the doors. When our eyes meet, I see the regret in his eyes.
"Hey kiddo." He says softly.
"Hi Steve."
"Take a seat." I sit across from him. I fiddle with my rings as I await hearing those dreaded words.
"You know how much I love having you here-"
"Please don't say 'but'. Please don't do this to me." I say, holding back tears. I cry all the fucking time now.
"I gotta let you go." There it is. The dreaded words.
"Why?"
"The owner is running low on cash so he said I have to let someone go."
"And I've not been here."
"It's not personal. You know how much I care about you."
"Yeah I know, I know. I just don't know what I'm gonna do." It's getting really hard not to break down right here, right now.
"You're gonna do great things. I know it."
"That's bullshit." I whisper as I stand up.
"Don't just walk away like that."
"Or what? You gonna fire me again, huh?"
"I didn't fire you I let-"
"Yeah ,I know,you 'let me go'. Aren't you a fucking saint." I shout back at him as I slam the glass door. I kind of wanted it to slam for dramatic effect but I don't have that upper body strength.
I hurry to my car so to just get out of here. I aimlessly drive around the block a couple of time until I quickly stop. A part of my subconscious reminds me that I don't have the money for random drives.
I decide to hop out of the car and just walk around. Eventually, I arrive at a tall, extravagant building. Amaya works in the bar there. It's like a nightclub but with some sort of office upstairs, I think. I mean it's a two story club in a four story building. Something else happens there.
I make my way into the club and it is also practically empty. I spot Amaya cleaning a glass over at the bar. When she sees me her face drops. She's probably thinking that I have come to get shitfaced at ten o'clock in the morning.
"What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work right now?" She questions like an attentive mother.
"I got fired." I mumble under my breath since it's quite an embarrassing thing to admit.
"Huh?"
"I got fired." I say a little bit louder this time.
"Oh shit, Isa. What happened?"
"I wasn't really listening." I listened to every word.
"What are you gonna do?" Amaya asks sweetly.
"I'll think of something." I can't think anymore.
"You may not have to." She comments.
"Tell me what you're thinking Maya. Come on, let me into that pretty, little head or yours."
"You know there is a free position here."
"I don't know how to bartend."
"The position is as a waitress, which you already know how to do." She adds.
"Holy shit. This could work." A swanky place like this has got to have good pay checks.
"What about interviews?"
"My boss came in today for the interviews so I can just go ask if he can squeeze you in."
"Oh Dios mío. I love you so much." I say as I climb over the counter to pull her into a tight hug.
"Don't go thanking me yet." Oh yeah, she has to ask first.
"You go do your thing and I'll just wait here I guess." With those words she walks up a set of stairs and heads into what I believe to the boss's office.
After some time, she comes back out with a smile on her face. Fuck yes.
"We're good?" I question.
"We're good." Amaya confirms. We do the little squeal thing that girls do when we get excited. It was weird. It's probably not going to happen again.
"This is great. My day might just get a little better."
"You gotta do your interview first."
"When?" I've got to clear up my schedule for this but it's ok.
"Now." Excuse me.
"What?"
"It's right now so hurry your ads upstairs." I nod, not even bothering to ask why it had to be right at this second, and run up the stairs.
My enthusiasm quickly disappears when I see who is sitting at the boss's desk. Alessandro fucking Marino.
