[~Song Recommendation: Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie~]
"Hello? Ms. Watson? This is the recruitment department of Cross Tech. I apologize for calling on a Sunday, but your application arrived in my inbox just before the deadline. The interview for the position is scheduled for tomorrow and you're in luck there are remaining slots for applicants.
If you're still interested, I can send you a form to fill out and bring with you. The interview details are included in the form. Would you like to proceed?" the woman asked.
"Y-Yes, I'll be there tomorrow," Cammy answered, her heart racing with a mix of excitement and anxiety. The woman provided a few more instructions before ending the call.
Cammy was surprised to get such a quick response, especially on a weekend. 'They must urgently need a Web Designer, which is why they contacted me so quickly,' she thought.
Glancing at her phone, she realized it was already lunchtime. Panic struck as she remembered her son. 'Oh no! Dylan!'
She got up and walked over to Ellie's house, located right next to the resort. Felicity had sold Ellie a small piece of land on her property so Ellie and her family could live there. Felicity lives abroad and only comes to Pearl Resort during the summer and other holidays to assist during the busy peak season.
Once Felicity returns overseas, Ellie takes charge of everything. She's the second-in-command at both the resort and restaurant, and Felicity trusts her even more than her nephew, in terms of running her business.
Noticing Dylan's shoes on the porch, Cammy didn't bother knocking and walked straight into Ellie's house. The two had been friends long before Ellie started working at the resort.
"There you are!" Ellie greeted as Cammy stepped inside.
"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry! I fell asleep late and just woke up," Cammy said apologetically.
"That's better, you needed that rest. I stopped by earlier to call you for breakfast, but I saw you were asleep. So, I grabbed some clothes for Dylan and let you rest," Ellie replied.
"Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you," Cammy said with a grateful smile.
"Hey, Cammy!"
Cammy quickly turned toward the familiar voice and smiled when she saw him.
"Ark! Long time no see!" she greeted Ellie's husband warmly.
"Yeah, great to see you too. I heard you're planning to apply to our main branch?"
"I already did, actually. I even got a call for an interview tomorrow—I was surprised they reached out on a Sunday."
"That's awesome! They are really in a hurry because of the business expansion. Even we in other branches are being nagged to finish our tasks before the deadline. But just a heads-up, the main branch recently let go of a lot of employees. Officially, it was due to repeated violations and poor performance, but there's a rumor the boss was just in a bad mood after canceling his upcoming wedding—ow!"
Ark's comment was cut short by Ellie elbowing him. "Stop spreading rumors, especially to my friend! You're going to scare her off!"
Cammy laughed at the playful exchange between the couple. "It's fine, Ellie. At least now I have a heads-up on what I might be walking into. I'll just make sure to stay on my toes and work hard so I don't end up in the same situation."
"Since you have an interview tomorrow, I'm sure you'll need some business attire. Feel free to pick anything you like from my closet," Ellie offered.
"You're the best, Ellie! I was just about to ask if I could borrow something. Thank you!" Cammy replied gratefully.
"Eat first before you start searching. The kids are already enjoying the barbecue on the back porch. Let's join them."
Cammy, Ellie, and Ark headed outside to join the kids. Cammy spotted her son with barbecue sauce smeared all over his face and couldn't help but chuckle as she watched him laugh and chat with Ellie's children, her heart swelling with warmth and pain at the same time.
'I just want to keep him this happy always,' she thought as she took a seat next to Dylan and wiped his face clean.
"Mommy, can I sleep here tonight? Queenie, Lizzie, and I will go back to school soon, and we won't see each other for a very very long time," Dylan asked, hoping his mother would approve.
"Honey, a few months isn't that long. We can still visit on holidays like we usually do. Everyone's probably tired today, so we should let them rest," Cammy explained.
"Cammy, you're welcome to stay here too. You'll need to get ready for the interview tomorrow, and your things are still at home. Plus, you'll have to wake up early to catch the bus to the city. If you stay, you can borrow anything that you need, and I'll drive you to the station. That way, Dylan can stay here without you having to wake him up," Ellie suggested.
"Aunt Cammy, please let Dylan stay! Please, please!" Queenie and Lizzie pleaded, clasping their hands together.
Cammy smirked and rolled her eyes. "Alright, I can't say no to all of you. We'll stay tonight."
"YAY!" the children cheered excitedly.
Cammy glanced at Ellie and mouthed a silent "Thank you" before they all continued enjoying their food.
—-------
The next day…
Cammy woke up before dawn and stepped out of Ellie's guest room already dressed. Ellie is shorter and thinner than her, so she had a limited option on what clothes she could borrow.
She wore a black skirt with a black jacket and a very tight white shirt under it. She left the back button of the skirt unbuttoned for it won't fit her and just wore a belt to keep it in place.
She found Ellie in the kitchen, also dressed for work and preparing breakfast.
"You're up early," Ellie said with a smile.
"I'm planning to stop by Dylan's school before heading to my interview. I'm going to accept their offer," Cammy replied, taking the cup of coffee that Ellie handed her.
"Boarding isn't covered by his scholarship, right? That's going to be expensive. Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, I'm sure. It's the only way he can have some stability while I work on getting us back on our feet," Cammy said firmly.
"Do you have enough money for that? I can lend you some if you need it," Ellie offered.
"Thanks, but I have enough savings to cover that and rent a small apartment. It'll only last about a year though, so I need to find a job quickly."
"Alright, just remember, if you need anything, Ark and I are always here for you."
"I know, and I'm really lucky to have you both and Felicity."
They both giggled until a knock on the back door caught their attention.
Ellie glanced outside and immediately opened the screen door when she saw who it was.
"I heard you were here. Let's head back to the city…"
Cammy's eyes shifted to Ellie, who just shrugged and gave her a knowing look.