CHAPTER 5
CURTIS'S POV
Alcohol really wasn't as relieving as I thought, I was still sober even after taking eight bottles.
My company I used as a collateral for a little loan I took while back will be taken from me.
I don't even have a place to stay the night.
Why not just drink my life away.
I was really desperate, looking for a place to work but there wasn't any.
I couldn't possibly go to stay at one of my employees' houses. It would be too disgraceful and shameful for me.
I was still drinking and soliloquizing when an idea came to me.
I decided to go around looking for advertisements for any menial jobs.
I got to a really reserved place. It's because I knew the rich lived there and would love to get any little work there so I could get a motel to sleep in for the night.
I walked for a while until I saw a poster. It seemed really fresh and new as though it was calling out to me. It seemed someone just put it there so I was sure no one had bagged the job yet.
I moved towards the job offer and saw it.
"Gardening, hmm" I felt reluctant until I saw the pay.
"$200 for two hours?"
That seemed like a nice deal, too good to be true.
I was really excited and called the number immediately.
It was a lady's voice I heard.
It was really dry and crispy. She seemed tired.
"I suppose you're calling for the job. I put up a burner number there so it's only people looking for jobs that could contact me"
"Yes ma'am, I am and I'm ready. I'm standing right by the poster"
"What's your name?"
"I'm Curtis"
"Okay, I'll be out in a minute. "
Huh? What did she mean by out? Does she live around here? I was still asking myself questions when I heard my name. So I turned around to see who it was. It was a gateman and he invited me to come inside so that his boss would see me.
"I guess she didn't want to be seen with just a Gardener. Just take a look at my life, sigh"
I got into the main building and the supposed woman was at the entrance, well a girl.
She was about average height. She had blonde hair and green eyes. She was also pretty and curvy.
She saw me and batted her eyelids, with a look of confusion spread across her face.
"Aren't you Curtis?? Curtis Pierce?? The self made millionaire??"
Oh she knew me, I guess I was popular to an extent. I was really ashamed of myself because she was really small and she could pay me $200. Something I used to give the poor and needy.
"Yes but I'm no longer rich, my company folded up a while ago. I applied so I could work and get a hotel to stay the night"
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I'll make your pay $300 dollars then so you could find a comfortable place and eat some good food. Hopefully that's alright?"
"Yes ma'am, thank you so much"
"Don't worry about it. My gateman will show you my vegetable garden. You have to clear out the weeds. You can do that right?"
"Yes I can, I can do anything"
I didn't know when I started sounding desperate.
"Okay then"
She made a gesture with her hands, signaling her gateman to take me to the garden.
"When you're done come for your pay"
"Yes ma'am"
I began to work on the garden and I was done before the two hours.
I didn't even realize how good I was at gardening before. I went to meet the lady when I was done and she gave me the money after inspecting thoroughly.
She seemed really pleased and satisfied and I left right after to get food because I was really hungry.
I went into a late night kitchen and bought fried perch and sandwiches.
It was really nice and I enjoyed eating it.
I got a hotel soon after and checked in because the price was fair. I was about to sleep for the night when I got a call.
BRIAN'S POV
All I could see were white paintings on the wall when I eventually opened my eyes.
I zoned out for a minute, lost in my thoughts when I began to recollect everything that happened.
I turned around and saw my mom sitting across my bed and called out to her. She was resting her head on the table where she put some supplies for me.
"Mom?"
She raised her head up and ran to my bed with the brightest smile ever.
"Brian, you're awake!"
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling a little better. I'm hungry though"
My mom smiled again when she got a positive result. She got tea from her flask she made and I drank it. It was really tasty, just the right consistency that I liked it to be.
She also gave me noodles she had prepared earlier on, feeding me slowly and giving me water occasionally.
After I was done eating, she helped me down the bed towards the restroom. I was walking fine so I made my way inside and showered a bit since I wasn't so comfortable.
She kept shouting from the room and asking if I was okay and if I needed help. I loved how caring she was turning out to be, it was so sweet.
I came out and I laid back in bed. But my mom decided to leave because she had urgent matters to attend to at home. It made me sad but I understand her.
She also made sure I had everything I needed within reach before she left.
When she finally left, I called in a nurse to put me on a wheelchair so I could get some nice air and just to have a good view of the hospital.
She took me outside the balcony of my room and I told her I wanted to be excused so she left.
That's when I remembered the pretty face that helped me earlier on.