Emilia rushed out of the building, still excited and in disbelief. She had four hours before she was expected to meet Patrick in preparation for the move. There wasn't much she needed to pack so instead she rushed towards the apartments on the other side of the city centre to where she lived. She let down her hair from the tidy bun she was wearing during the interview. Her hair flew down in golden locks over her shoulder.
She paused before entering a building which was much older than the one she lived in. She walked down a corridor and her footsteps echoed on the stone walls.
She felt a pit in her stomach.
She was there several times a week but even then it was hard, and it didn't seem to get any easier.
The familiar smells hit her nostrils evoking nostalgia.
Emilia slowed down as she approached the dark wooden door with a number 3 on it. She pushed down on a handle which opened the apartment with an ease. As she walked inside, her nose was hit by yet another specific smell, that of disinfectant and chemicals. It was nauseating.
"Good afternoon, Emilia." A woman in her thirties with thick curly hair came out to the little corridor. She wore scrubs and comfy slippers. Her face was graced by a friendly smile which emphasised the crow's feet around her black eyes.
"Good afternoon, Maria."
"You look very smart today."
"Yes. I had a job interview this morning." Emilia admitted, feeling her cheeks burning.
"How did it go?"
"Very well, thank you. I was offered the job and I have already signed the contract."
"That's fantastic! What's the job?"
"My understanding is that I'll be some fancy event assistant. I should get more details this afternoon." Emilia realised how little she actually knew about the job but she trusted Patrick will tell her more during the move.
"Where is it at?"
"I will be working for Christopher Hayden."
"'The Christopher Hayden'?" Maria widened her eyes in surprise. It was true that Christopher was a bit of a celebrity.
"Yes." Emilia blushed as she remembered his piercing gaze during the interview.
"That sounds great! Congratulations!"
"Thank you, Maria. How is mum?" Emilia looked anxiously towards the bedroom.
"No change. Let me make you a cuppa while you go see her."
"Thank you, Maria." Emilia repeated, before putting her handbag on the side and disappearing into the dark room.
The TV was on in the far corner of the room despite the fact that no one was watching it.
"Hi, mum." Emilia approached the bed with unnaturally thin person hidden in the layers of blankets. There was no response.
Emilia sat down on the chair beside the bed, looking at the shelf of a person that she loved the most in the world. She reached out for her mum's bruised and skeletal hand, feeling the weakest movement of her mother's fingers as she tried to hold Emilia's hand back. It was a reminder that her mother was still there, deep inside a body that was failing her.
Emilia spoke to her mother as if she was conscious and as if she could hear her. She told her of how lucky she was that her neighbour was recruiting for a job in a new company, and how the interview was, and how well she did.
Maria brought her a cup of tea and then retreated to get her well deserved break.
Emilia continued talking for a while longer until she had nothing else to say. There was only so much that could happen within the last three days since Emilia last saw her mum.
After, she tidied her mum's room which over time became more like a hospital room as medical equipment replaced most of the furniture and decor. Then she gently washed her mum before placing a handmade headband on her head. She made them. Some were sewn, other were knitted or crocheted. Emilia was particularly skilled with crafts and she often used it to make gifts for her friends and family. Over time there were less and less people she could make things for. After university, many of her friends moved away to start new careers or families. Her family was very small for years, and now it was pretty much just her and her mum.
At last she sat down and continued reading her book, this time out loud. She read a book about innovation theories used in business. It might not have been the most exciting book in the world, but Emilia wanted to continue learning and developing, especially about her new boss's company's business model.
She didn't think that the new job was going to be her forever job but rather a window of opportunity for her future career. She still wanted to pursue career in research and Crimson had three different research and innovation departments.
As it neared 15:00, she kissed her mum's cold cheek and left her with Maria who was a true godsend.
She was surprisingly emotional as she wasn't sure what the future was holding.