The Struggle

"I would like a slice of pizza, a little cheese sandwich with a cup of cappuccino."

"Sorry ma'am, we only have latte."

"Alright, bring me that instead." Chloe placed her hand on the table and stared at Wendy.

"An apple pie."

"Who's gonna pay?"

"Mum." Reina entered the restaurant quickly. She was looking tired and restless, panting heavily.

"What happened, Mum?"

"Chloe, Wendy, we need to get out of here." She grabbed their arms.

"But why?" There was a gunshot and everyone in the restaurant started screaming.

"Ah!" Chloe yelled crying.

"Mum, what's wrong? I'm scared." Wendy trembled.

The waiter who was approaching them with their orders heard another gunshot and dropped the food all over Chloe.

"You must be nuts." Diners tried to protect their kids, couples were under the tables trembling, and even waiters were confused.

"Get on my back." Reina wondered.

"What do you mean? I'm a big girl now." Chloe boasted with a shaky voice.

"You heard what I said." Chloe got on her mum's back.

She sprang up on her feet, holding Wendy tight and ran out of the restaurant. Some terrorists got into the restaurant through the window. Diners screamed loudly and attempted to run out of the building.

"MORONS!!" A terrorist shot in the air and they all fell silent.

"Something's up." The manager and his wife were inside the cabinet.

"Stephen, I'm scared." Stephen stroked his wife's hair.

"Stephen, Stephanie, wherever you are, show yourselves. If we find you, we'll kill you." The terrorists yelled into the megaphone.

"What are we gonna do? I'm scared..." Stephen exhaled deeply.

"We should surrender to them."

"Stephanie, just stop talking, I beg of you." Tears rolled down Stephen's eyes as he cuddled his wife in the cabinet.

"We have your baby with us."

"Stephen, my baby.." Stephanie immediately started crying as she heard that.

"Shit!"

"Let's go there. They'll kill my baby." Stephanie begged.

"Do you want to die?"

"I don't care if I die! I just want my baby to be safe! Stephen, you don't get it. If the baby dies, I'll die too." She whimpered.

"Stephanie, I love you. Doesn't mean I don't love our baby. We can't risk this."

"The gun has been pointed to the baby. Out now, or..."

"Ah!!! Stephen, I'm going to save Savannah! I'm going to save her!" Stephanie kicked the cabinet door open and ran out of the kitchen.

"Stephanie!! Stephanie!!" Stephen ran after his wife. There was another gunshot in the air.

"Savannah!!! Please don't kill her, I'll give you all the money I have, please don't kill my daughter." She attempted to carry her whimpering baby.

"Don't you dare touch her." Stephanie started taking off her golden earrings, locket, bracelets and even her leg chain. She handed it over to the gang leader.

"Now this is nice." He smirked and stared at the others. Suddenly, he heard sirens and was startled. Stephen and Stephanie smirked at the terrorists, and held each other. Diners also ran out of the restaurants.

"We'll do what we are here for." The gang leader picked up the baby and threw her outside. She hit a tree and died instantly.

"SAVANNAH!!" Stephanie roared and fainted. Stephen caught his wife before she hit the ground. The gang leader laughed loudly and shot Stephen. They left the scene before they were seen.

 NY CITY, WINTER

"The family died." Chloe whimpered.

"But Ms. Brook is alive. She was fired as the restaurant manager and had nowhere to go. Her husband's family just neglected her." Wendy was feeling bad.

"Mum, don't you think we should employ Ms. Stephanie? It feels so bad she's on the streets, in the snow, just heartbroken." Chloe suggested.

"You shouldn't make decisions for me, Chloe. You're just thirteen years old."

"I was only suggesting." Chloe shrugged. "Mum is dramatic." Wendy laughed.

"That way, we'll be closer to Belinda." Chloe said.

"Its been a long time. Belinda didn't get in touch with us."

"I blocked the shit --"

"Wait, you blocked who?" Wendy turned to look at her mom.

"Belinda. She calls me almost every night begging for money."

"But its our duty to feed her! We're friends for crying out loud!"

"I can't feed three kids at once."

"Mum, you're working!"

"Chloe, watch your mouth." Reina was angry already.

"One day, I'll leave this stupid mansion to go live with Belinda and Ms. Brook. Then, you'll miss me." Chloe folded her arms.

"Goodnight. Clean up those plates." Reina left the dining.

"I'll bring Belinda to this house, myself!" Chloe frowned.

"Chloe, we can fix a play date, visit her and just come back home. Belinda is definitely not on our level."

"But she's our friend."

"Mum doesn't like her. We should do what Mum wants." Wendy advised.

"Mum doesn't like Belinda; so I hate Mum. Witch." She cursed and ran away.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU BRAT?!" Wendy ran after her angrily.

 THURSDAY, SNOWY STREETS OF NEW YORK CITY 

"I got some fruits from the grocery store." Belinda placed them on Stephanie's desk.

"I'm working hard to submit your application. Please don't disturb me." Stephanie said typing.

"Did it happen? Was it successful?"

"I'm still doing it, Bel." Few minutes later, Stephanie cursed loudly.

"Shit!!"

"What happened?" "They said it still needs a few corrections after 6,450 trials."

"I don't think I'll ever get applied to work with Xavier Anderson."

"Xavier is a really popular actor, and it won't be easy to get applied to that type of place. I'm only trying."

"If I get applied, we'll boom. We'll turn from church rats into rich and comfortable people too." Belinda assured her mom.

"No, no. I don't want to hear that. I don't know how you're gonna get applied to work in Hollywood when we're at NYC, and when we've tried 6,451 times." Stephanie exhaled.

"Mom. At least..."

"At least you're not my daughter! I shouldn't be doing these things for you! I'm only doing this to get rich, and kick you outta my house --" Stephanie stopped her running mouth.

Belinda teared up and was trembling.

Am so--" She flung the groceries away and went to her bedroom. She threw herself on the bed and started crying profusely. "Bel, I didn't mean what I said..."