13. A MOMENT IN THE KITCHEN

Yvonne wakes up early in the morning due to the nightmares she normally have at night. Her nightmares were always about how her father died and she wasn't able to do anything to stop him from dying.

She woke up as early as 4, filled the application form that was given to her, and kept it neatly in her purse.

As soon as she was true, she sorted out her clothes for the day, a baggy skirt and a T-shirt with a black cover shoe.

She looked around to check if she was forgetting anything that would be needed but found non.

She sighted a box wrapped with transparent leather at the corner of her room, she went over to the box and trailed her hand on it. She stared at it for some time, gently removed the leather, and opened it.

She stared at the clothes and trailed her hand around, on each of the clothes, remembering every memory behind them. Her eyes watered but she tried not to allow the tears to drop.

Yvonne whispered to herself, "How can I wear these clothes when it reminds me of things from the past, things I wish to forget, things..." Her hand hit something and it fell out.

She picked it up... A jewelry box and smiled remembering how that day started and ended. She opened the box and brought out the ring. She wore it and trailed her finger around the ring before bringing out the pendant.

She went toward the mirror, wore it, and checked it out. She couldn't stand the sight of it and broke down in tears, sobbing silently to not disturb others.

She wished she could move on but can't, even after being in other relationships, none of them was like his (her first lover).

Mary's voice from the stairs brought her back to reality. Immediately, she removed them, rushed to the box, and kept them back before closing the box. She turned away from it.

She went downstairs to prepare breakfast and met her mom already in the kitchen, cooking.

Fully entering into the kitchen, she went over to Mary, who was standing at the cooker, "Mom,"

Mary turned in her direction to respond to her greeting, "Good morning mom."

"Am not the mom here, you are." She smiled at her Mom.

Mary laughed and smiled widely at her, "Always smile baby."

"Am trying Mom, I am but..." with a cracked voice.

"Try harder... Baby try harder."

She shook her head, "It's not like am not, watching dad die right in front of me and also you becoming a shadow of yourself after." Talking with tears in her eyes, "it's painful mom."

"I know... Am sorry for acting like that but your dad's death was painful."

Sobbing, "It's not just dad, mom. Suzzy betrayed me, The person I took as my advisor, best friend, someone I share things with since childhood." Mary patted her back to calm her down.

"He left me and got engaged to the person I took as a best friend, saying he loves me when he would get married to another girl. It broke me... like..."

"You also left him a baby instead of staying to support him. He pleaded with you to stay, for him."

Yvonne laughed bitterly, "Support? How? I couldn't bear the thought of them together, it kills me... So how would seeing them be together like?"

Mary kept quiet to allow her to pour out her feeling and at that moment, Yvonne suddenly realized herself and stopped.

An awkward silence followed... She looked into Mary's eyes, "Mom do you still think of Dad? Do you miss him?"

Mary flinched at her question, "Why wouldn't I?"

"If you do then why did you accept Jude?"

Jude became her stepfather after her dad died. Mary and Jude met while she was working as a waitress in a small eatery and his workplace wasn't far from the eatery, she works as a policeman.

They met as strangers, from strangers to acquaintances than to friends, to best of friends and lovers before marriage came in.

After 5 months of mourning, Mary discovered she was pregnant which added to the reason they left New York.

Within 3 months, she got a job, met Jude who supported her as a best friend till she gave birth to the princess of the house, Camila.

After Camila's birth, he proposed, knowing they were already in love but were waiting for the right time and it came, they grabbed the opportunity.

Looking away from Yvonne, "He was helpful to me even there for me."

"Do you love him the way you loved dad?"

"I... Yvonne, please let's drop it."

Yvonne forced a smile, "I am still trying to accept him as a dad, maybe when I have moved on and not feel like am betraying my dad I will see him as one and accept him."

Mary turned in the other direction, walking away with teary eyes, "Excuse me..."

"I didn't mean to say things that will hurt you, Mom." Mary walked further without answering. Yvonne held her mom's hand from behind preventing her from walking further. "Am sorry mom, you know it's the truth."

She left Mary's hand, letting her go out of the kitchen. She turned to the cooker, and continued with the Omelette and Pancake her mom was preparing.

30 minutes later, Yvonne served breakfast, ate hers, and went up to Cammy's room to wake her up for school.

Walking into Cammy's room, she didn't see her on the bed or around, she panicked and wanted to yell her name when she heard the shower running.

She sighed in relief and whispered, "Early bird."

She went back downstairs to meet her mom and Jude at the dining already eating. She greeted Jude. "Good morning."

"Morning," He smiled at her, "Your night?"

"It was okay." She looked at her mom but got ignored.

Jude smiled and continued eating his meal while Yvonne dished Cammy's food into a plate and also packed some in a cooler for her as lunch in school.

She went back to her room to take her bath after that applied light makeup and put on her clothes.

She took her black bag and her purse which had the application form neatly folded in it and took the things she needed and went back downstairs.

She met Cammy taking her plate and their parents' plate to the kitchen, put her flask in her lunch bag, and came out.

They bade their mom, "Bye Mom."

Cammy bade Jude, "Bye Dad."

Jude smiled at Cammy, "Bye Cammy..." And also smiled at Yvonne, "Yvonne, bye. Have a good day at work today." She smiled.

They waved and left.

After dropping Cammy at school, Yvonne quickly left for the restaurant.

She moved straight to the counter and met Linda arranging the things on the counter. Yvonne greeted her happily, "Morning Linda."

Linda raised her head to respond, "Morning Yvonne." smiling at Yvonne.

Yvonne nods at her, excited, "Am here for the appointment."

"Oh yes, I remember." She smiled at Yvonne's eagerness.

Linda points to the left corner of the restaurant, "Go straight there, you will see the kitchen. The next door beside the kitchen is the manager's office."

"Thanks." Yvonne nods her head and turns to leave but got called back by Linda.

"Take your form along. I will call her before you get there."

Yvonne thanked her and moved quickly to the direction of the manager's office.

Soon, she got to the manager's office as instructed by Linda. She raised her hand to knock before she noticed the doorbell, she pressed it and waited for a minute.

Soon, she heard a faint come in and she entered.

The Manager looked up at Yvonne, "Morning Ms. Yvonne?" Saying it in form of a question.

"Yes, Ma'am. Morning Ma'am."

The Manager asked for her form, looked through it before handing her some leaflets which consist of the prices of all the meals on the menu, the dos, and don'ts of the place, and a bag, containing her uniform.

She was given the staffs book to write her details, after filling, she signed an agreement form and left.

Coming out to the main restaurant, she went straight to Linda and thanked her profusely, and left the restaurant contented and happy.

Yvonne was asked to resume the following week since it was the beginning of another month.