Los Angeles, California.
2008, September 1st.
Stella opened her eyes slowly, as the alarm clock kept ringing loudly...
She yawned and got off the bed...
It was 5:00am, and a Monday morning to be precise...
She had a job interview today, and wanted to make a good impression by getting to the company as early as 7:00am.
Filled with strength, she rushed to the bathroom to take her shower..
Afterwards, she got her neatly ironed, sexy ladies office dress...
Prepared of course by her best friend and roomie, Ivy Mason.
They had been friends since she came to the US, when she was 19..
And since that day on they have been best of friends...
She looked at her still sleeping friend, snoring like a gorilla...
Then she hit her slightly with a pillow,
"Get up sleepy head, don't you have a job interview today too?"
Ivy yawned, and sat up on the bed, with sleepy eyes..
"Huh...did you make me a peanut butter sandwich, grandma"
"What the....who's your grandma?"
Stella laughed on the top of her lungs and hit her again, with more force this time...
To wake her up from her dream...
"Quit sleeping!, you lazy girl, it's time to go to work, or you might not get the job, I really need mine, so please get up"
"Oh Lord, what time is it"
Ivy jolted, when Stella talked about her job interview.
"Relax, it's just 5:00am"
Stella pointed to the wall clock..
"Oh sorry, it's 5:15am"
She corrected..
"Let's dress up quickly, go have your bath, I'll wait for you downstairs"
Ivy got up immediately, and dashed into the bathroom, like a little squirrel..
Stella chuckled slightly, and then she dressed up quickly...
She went downstairs to prepare breakfast of boiled eggs and salad....
Minutes later, Ivy came down, and had a sour look on her face when she found out what Stella had prepared for breakfast.
"Stella, why this again?, i will literally die if you continue feeding me this"
She said crying like a baby..
"Well, that's a good reason for us to get our big butts on an office chair, unless.., this would be our breakfast, lunch and dinner"
Stella replied rationally...
"God forbid that..., I reject that"
Ivy replied, with disgust, she didn't feel much joy eating salad and eggs all day.
"Well then, eat up!, Cuz action speaks louder than words"
"So how about our transportation fee, I haven't got a dime"
"I got some money from Steven, we talked last night"
Stella answered, looking a bit frustrated.
"Really!, You are still with that loser?, Girl I might not know what it means to be in a long distance relationship right now, but all I know is that, you really need to get yourself a better man girl"
Ivy took a sip of her cold water, and continued,
"I mean you are such a beautiful lady, young and tender, you should go with someone who would take you to be something, not someone who would choose his ex over you many times"
"I mean, we both know that he cheats on you with her"
"You are twenty six, girl take good care of yourself"
"Am here for you ok!"
Ivy held Stella's hands, as Stella began to cry, tears fell freely down her cheeks.
"It's ok, it will all be fine, let's eat quick so we won't miss the train"
Stella cleaned up her tears, and the duo ate as quickly as they could..
Then they got out of their apartment, and locked the door..
Then they headed to the subway.
They got to the subway, bought their train tickets and sat down on their seats.
Stella got off the train as soon as it arrived at the hospital and then she waved goodbye to Ivy who waved back.
She then turned back towards the hospital and walked in through the gates. Smiling broadly she walked through the small hallway to the hospital lobby.
"I'm here to see the patient in ward 209 please." Stella said to the attendant on the desk.
"Are you a relative?" The attendant asked.
"Yes, I am!" Stella replied. She waited patiently for the attendant's reply.
"What's your name, ma'am?" The attendant asked after looking down at a booklet.
"I'm Stella Banks." She replied with a polite smile.
The attendant checked the booklet again for confirmation. "Okay, you can go now, ma'am." She said once she confirmed that Stella was really a relative of the patient.
"Thanks so much!" Stella replied and headed straight away to ward 209.
She knocked slightly on the door and opened it when she heard the sickly but beautiful voice of her old grandmother.
"Come in!" The old lady said.
"Grandma!" Stella screamed out and fell by the side of her grandmother's sick bed.
"Stella, my baby girl. How are you doing?" The old lady said with her hand on Stella's head.
"I have missed you so much, grandma. I thought you died." Stella cried out. She cried in her grandmother's arms and wished to be with her forever, but she herself knew it wasn't possible as her grandmother's death was around the corner.
But still, she didn't want to think about it. All she wanted was someone she could lean on to. Although Ivy was her full support, she still needed a relative as a comforter, and her grandmother was the only living relative she had - well, that is the only one who really cared.
She raised up her head to look directly at her grandmother's eyes. "You won't die okay, grandma." She said trying hard to stop her tears from pouring out again.
Her grandmother hated to see her cry and she knew it, so she always tried to be strong even in the toughest situations.
Since her parents died things have been so hard for her, but still she stayed strong and determined not letting anything stop her from achieving her goals in life.