Code: R |ONC 2024|

01

Emily

"Finally, home." I breathe, releasing my aching feet from the trainers.

Darth Vader's theme tune belts out in the hallway from within my cargo bottoms, and my heartbeat skyrockets to another level before I scramble for the device. Mum's picture from the time when she had her blonde hair in a cute bob appears across the screen, and through my frustration and fatigue, I'm still able to smile.

"Hey, mum."

I can imagine the grin on her face by the squeal she emits. "Emily! I'm so glad I caught you!" She yells. "Your dad has planned a big surprise for my birthday, and I need you to help me figure out what it is!"

Leaning on the banister, I place the phone in the crook of my neck to pull off my socks. "You know that's something I can't help you with," I laugh, and she whines down the line.

"It was worth a try; you know I get it from you," she mumbles childishly.

A disbelieving noise comes from me as I take the phone again. "I think it's meant to be the other way around, mum."

There's a silent pause. "Tomato, tomato."

Rolling my eyes, I trek up to my bedroom while shedding my work top. "Whatever you say."

There's shuffling on her end, and a few muffled voices before there's a shut of a door. If my guess is correct, she will be at her girl's night book club. "How was work honey? I know when we last spoke it was on the tender side."

I snort while dropping my shirt and socks on the carpet.

Tender my ass, the boss is a complete jerk who needs a reality check.

"Gerald brought in some cargos for me because the black jogging bottoms I've been wearing for a month isn't good enough anymore." I shake my head as I kick off the bottoms a little harder than intended. "That's not even the worst part. The worst part is that he had the audacity to give me a size twenty-four. A twenty-four!"

"When did you put on weight?"

I frown. "Mum."

Mum's laughter echoes on the other end before she chuckles and eventually calms down by the time I've managed to slip on my pyjama shorts and the cute night shirt she got me last Christmas. "I'm only joking, sweetheart; I know you haven't. He gave you the right size in the end, right?" As if sensing my frustrated nod, she continues. "Honey, all I can say is keep doing what you're doing and report him if he doesn't let up because you can't be treated like that. If you would like, I can help you file a report on Monday?"

I shake my head. "Thanks mum, but I think I'll be alright. I'll see how it goes next week, and if there's no change I'll do as you said. Does that drink shop still want people?"

"Do you want me to put in a word for you?"

Her voice is soft, and I'm so glad that I've been lucky to have her as a mum growing up. And I wouldn't change her for anything in the world.

Running my hand through my hair, I say, "Only if that's OK? I've just got a feeling Gerald's going to be a pain, and I'd rather do something different. The drink shop looks like a nicer place, and the colleagues don't have any problems by what I could see, so I'd rather do more hours there than what I'm trying to work for in his business," I reply, hopping on the bed with a light bounce.

"Alright, I'll do that first thing tomorrow morning."

Reclining onto the mattress, my fingers fiddle with the alarm icon before I scroll through the digits until they land on 8:00 a.m. and I double check it's been set before making sure my volume bars are at their max.