Kate
I've been tapping my laptop's keyboard constantly as I keep looking at my screen. It's been a week, and I should probably get some news about the job offer, but time has its own tricks, and my patience has run low. I guess this must be one of the greatest struggles to apply for a job at Des Company. But I tried to make sure that it wouldn't make me feel like the job offer was something that would make my world turn around if I'm not going to be accepted, I'm sure there's a lot of other companies I can apply too… again just like everyone said we all have our ups and downs in life.
Standing up from my chair and pacing back and forth, I almost forgot what day it was today when I glanced at the calendar hanging at the back of my door, where a big heart circled around the number 25, I remembered something. A bittersweet day that even my soul and memory can never forget. Today's my mom's death anniversary, and I didn't even prepare or buy flowers for her today.
Sighing, I went to my room and put on my thickest pants and a coat. "Lily, I'm sorry; I have to leave, and I may get back in an hour pr two. I have some important place to go, and I do hope you will understand if I'm not able to assist you with your daily making of biscuits on my lap. But I'll leave you food and water before I go." Of course, Lily doesn't always respond, and her judgmental stare is enough for me to know that she understands that I have to leave her again.
I lock my apartment shut, making sure that Lily will not go outside in this cold weather, or else she might get lost, and I'll lose a sense of purpose waking up early in the morning just to feed her lazy arse. I took a cab and went to the nearest flower shop I knew, in hopes that there would be flowers available in this cold weather in London, and to my surprise, they had a few left. They had an urgent and messy order from a wedding and just a lucky day for me to have a few flowers left. Today might not be so bad at all.
An hour drive from my apartment to the cemetery,to the town that I used to live, to the place that I call home and grow: Watford. Even though I can only go home once a year since I graduated, I always wanted to stroll alone again but I really don't have time. And even though the cold breeze was tickling my cheeks and my hands felt like they could fall out anytime soon, a few people were still here, visiting their loved ones. Maybe some of them just visited not because it was the death anniversary of their loved ones, but maybe because they miss them. As for me, I only come here once a year.
There goes the headstone of my mother, lying on the ground with her name, birthday, and the day of her death written on it. I don't feel like crying anymore every time I visit her; maybe I still miss her and how she takes good care of me, but that'll be all there is to it.
I lost my mom when I was in high school when she and my cousin Kathy's mom went on a drive. There was a drunk driver with a speed of 90 miles per hour. There was no chance for them to live in that high-impact and it was a big car, bigger than theirs. After that, it was just Kathy and I against the world. My dad wasn't in the picture growing up; I don't even know where he is or whether he's even alive right now for me to care. It was the same with Kathy; both of our dads just went away without leaving traces for us to find them, and Kathy was the only family I had left, growing up until today. My mom wasn't very close to our family members, I don't even know who they are so it was just me and mom.
"Hey, mom. I'm sorry, I almost forgot to visit you today." I said as I put the flowers down beside her headstone. "I was busy trying to make you proud." Even though I am smiling like a lunatic on a stone, somehow it makes me believe that I am indeed talking to my mom as if her face was plastered on the headstone. "I know, I swore the last time I came here I'd make sure to have a proper and decent job. Well, remember Sophia? One of my closest friends in College, She talked with me last week and offered me a job. I'm still waiting for the results. I hope I can get in, mom. I don't know where you are or where your ghost body or spirit is, but I hope you'll help me with this, I really need it."
I sat on the wet green grass without minding that it smelled like a meadow, and even the cold breeze was nothing but a wind to me anymore. Talking and letting out my struggles with my mom for the past months of applying for a job weighed on my shoulder a bit, but I knew mom was somewhere out here looking at me and listening.
I stayed there for a couple of minutes more and said my final goodbye again when it was time for me to leave. I can't stop thinking about Lily at my apartment and whether she's alright or if she feels lonely in there without me. I hate being alone, and thinking of how lonely Lily is without me there makes me think of myself when I haven't met Lily yet.
After an hour drive from a bus because taxi's are hell expensive, I arrived at my apartment and found Lily just sleeping in her bed like a good girl, and she had already eaten her food. I was just overthinking about nothing, but after visiting my mom, I feel a little bit relieved, but that doesn't stop me from opening my laptop first rather than my fridge, even though my stomach was grumbling all the way home.
I just reheated my leftover food from lunch and went back to open my email, but before I could even click the email icon, my oven beeped, making me want to smash the living hell out of it. My job may be one of my priorities, but if my stomach is in need of food, it will be heard first.
I grabbed a plate and put my chicken and the sauces on it. I went back to my laptop and looked at my emails again, but when I was about to bite into my chicken, I saw one email that was unread, even though I was not certain that it was from Des Company, but I was hoping that it was. The pages reloaded, and there was a message from Des Company: I feel like jumping but I don't want to get all excited and jumping all over the place over nothing so my heart does it for me. With shaky hands and a pounding heart, I opened the email.
Dear Ms. Temples:
Des Company loves to extend our deepest greetings.
We are glad to inform you that you have been accepted as one of the secretaries under Des Company. We have seen your potential and your capabilities, and we would love to see you on Feb 25 at 8:30 in the morning in the main building of Des Company for further interviews and to discuss what is needed for the job.
Priority number: 8888
.….
I can't even finish reading the email; I was jumping up and down and screaming like the world was about to end in a minute. Lily woke up from her nap, and I couldn't care less if she woke up; she's going to thank me later anyway because I'm going to buy and spoil her with foods and healthy snacks soon!
"Mom!" I let out a breathless, "Thank you for listening; I got the job!"
Then Lily answered me with a meow.