" Yes, Mrs. Johnson. Did you do anything wrong before leaving there today?" Catherine asked, looking worried.
" No, Mum, I didn't do anything; if I had done something wrong, you know I would have told you," Pearl said.
" Pearl, are you sure? Because Mrs. Johnson barely calls me, so I'm so worried now." Catherine explained.
" Mum, I didn't do anything; I was tolerant enough today, honestly, unless your boss doesn't just want you working for him anymore. Don't you trust me anymore?" Pearl said, with a sad face.
The phone kept ringing, Catherine and Pearl were just looking at it, Catherine was really worried, she didn't know why Rebecca was calling, and the only way she could find out was by answering the call, which happened to be the most difficult thing for her at that moment, she didn't want to be heartbroken and disappointed.
" Mum, why not just answer the call, and hear what she has to say? She won't stop buzzing your phone unless you answer the call." Pearl said, rolling her eyes.
" Ok, I'll answer it," Catherine said faintly.
She finally summoned the courage to answer the call;
" Hello, ma'am." She said faintly as she answered the call.
" Hi Catherine, where did you put your phone? I've been calling." Rebecca said firmly, from the other side of the call.
" I'm sorry ma'am, I was asleep. My daughter just handed the phone to me." Catherine lied, sounding tensed.
" Ok, it's fine. Just wanted to check on you to know how you're fairing. How are you?" Rebecca asked, from the other side of the call.
Catherine was surprised to hear that from Rebecca because the Mrs Johnson everyone knows is not an empathetic person, so why was she being nice to her;
" I'm...I'm...getting well...ma'am." Catherine stuttered.
" Ok that's fine, that's just what I want to hear from you, so when should we be expecting you back at work? You know that your daughter can't keep working for my son, right? The young lady also has her own life to live, so please don't deny her of that. And as a matter of fact, I don't think she's as patient and tolerant as you, so please get back on your feet soon before she isn't able to condole my son's nasty behaviours anymore." Rebecca said sharply, from the other side of the call.
" No problem, ma'am; I'll try my best and get back on my feet as soon as possible," Catherine said softly.
" Good, see you soon," Rebecca said and hung up.
" Ok, ma'am," Catherine said, then she realized Rebecca already hung up.
" What did she say?" Pearl asked immediately Catherine dropped her phone.
" She called to check up on me, and to also know when I'll be resuming," Catherine answered.
" Resuming? Is she that heartless? Doesn't she want you to heal properly? What's wrong with all these wealthy people? Why are they not ever empathetic or considerate? If it were her son that had a leg injury would she be talking about work now? I'm sure she will ask him to take enough rest and even persuade him not to go to work for months just because of a minor accident, but here she is asking you to resume as soon as possible. What a selfish being." Pearl said angrily.
" It's fine Pearl. It's nothing; you just do as I said and help me secure my job, ok?" Catherine said softly.
Pearl stared at her for a few seconds, and said;
" Fine! I'll try, but just keep praying that he doesn't step on my last nerve because if he does, I will … … … … …."
" You will what?" Catherine asked with her eyes wide open, interrupting Pearl.
" That's the reason why I said you should keep praying, you know I run out of patience within a very short period of time, so working for your boss is a very hard task. Honestly, if not for the accident, I would have said you just want to punish me. Mum, you know that I'm a very impatient person, I don't take shit from anyone, nobody can make me feel less of myself, and not even your boss can change that." Pearl said firmly
" Yes ma'am, I'll keep praying to God to bestow the spirit of patience, endurance, and tolerance on you," Catherine said, and they both laughed.
The mother and daughter had a little chit-chat. Afterwards, Pearl went to a nearby canteen to get dinner for her and her mum. She went back to the hospital, and they ate together. Two hours later, Pearl went home to prepare for work the next day, leaving her mother behind in the hospital in the care of the nurses and doctors.
The next morning at Luca's house, Pearl rang the doorbell; Catherine didn't tell her the code to the door. Angry Luca opened the door, and yelled;
" What is wrong with you? Why do you keep ringing this bell? Didn't your stupid mum tell you the code?"
" Good morning sir, no she didn't. She said it's confidential, so you have to be the one to tell me not her." Pearl explained.
" Gosh! Fine, I'll write it down for you because it's obvious you don't have the brain to know such code off-hand." Luca said and entered the house.
" Ok, sir," Pearl said, smiling.
Luca turned back at her to confirm if he heard her right;
" What's funny? Why are you smiling?" He asked firmly.
" Well, the only way I can keep working here with you is by keep smiling at everything, and when I said everything, I meant your insults too. Otherwise, I might just lose it someday and do something nasty, and I don't want to do that because I already promised my mum to secure this job for her until she's fully back on her feet." Pearl said firmly.
" Wow! Can you imagine this girl? Who the hell do you think you are? Why are you so blunt?" Luca asked, looking pissed.
" You don't like blunt people?" Pearl asked, smiling.
" How come you so different from your mum?" Luca asked, looking confused.
" Because she's my mum doesn't mean I must be like her," Pearl said firmly.
" Really? So who are you like, your father?" Luca asked, looking at her.
" I don't know," Pearl said sharply.
" You don't know? Don't tell me you don't your father." Luca said softly.
" No, I don't know him. My mum said he denied the pregnancy." Pearl said firmly.
" That bastard! That's his loss, though; make me breakfast; I'll be down shortly." Luca said calmly.
" Ok, sir," Pearl said, looking surprised.
" How come I'm being lenient with this girl? Who is she? Why is she so different?" Luca thought to himself as he climbed the stairs.
" Why is he so cool today? Or is it his girlfriend that pushes him to misbehave? Because tell me why he's cool with me when she's not around. Well, I pray it continues like this." Pearl said to herself in a low tone as soon as Luca was out of sight.
Pearl was about to go into the kitchen to make breakfast for Luca when the doorbell rang, she walked hurriedly to get the door, so that the noise wouldn't trigger Luca's anger;
" Hi! Please how may I help you?" She asked the person at the doorstep.