"Oh shit!" Havana exclaimed silently as she raced towards her apartment where she lived with her stepmother. This day was not just her day. She had gone for a job interview earlier and to say it was a disaster was an understatement. Although the interviewers did not say it, she could read the looks from their eyes which was "Don't talk any further, you'd never get hired!". Life wasn't fair to her at all, Her father had gone missing when she was still 16, her mother died at her birth and she had been fired from three jobs just this month. Her and her stepmother had been trying very hard to pay the bills and soon enough they'll start living on the streets.
" Don't worry Havana, I'll check if I could get you a job at the restaurant I'm working in. You won't live on the streets" Skylar, Havana's best friend told her after she explained her dilemma.
"Thanks Sky, I really appreciate" Havana said as she stood up from her house's stoop and inserted her key into the lock.
"You know I always wonder what your stepmother does that all the bills are on your head. Isn't she an adult too?" Skylar said.
"She's trying her best in the little way she can. She had been doing menial jobs for a while now and I'm still trying to talk her out of it. Please, don't complain about my stepmother. She's been really heartbroken after my dad got missing and her little contribution is enough" Havana defended instantly and quickly walked into the house to avoid further questioning. It was very clear to her that Skylar never liked her stepmother so she never discussed any of her family matters with Skylar.
Once Havana entered the house, she began to apply for more job opportunities online. She then arranged the whole house and prepared the last possible food that could be made for her stepmother. This was her daily schedule. Havana felt like it was her stepmother who needed comfort most and she was okay with eating only once a day as long as her stepmother was happy.
"Havana, please open the door" Her stepmother knocked.
"Mother! You're back. How was your day?" Havana asked as she brought a glass of water for her.
"It was quite stressful but I made 200 grand today" Mrs Cleopatra Damien (her stepmother) said.
"Mother don't stress yourself. I'll soon get a job and everything will be alright" Havana said and smiled brightly.
"I trust your word Havana, everything will soon be alright" Mrs Cleopatra said.
"I've already made dinner for you. Come on" Havana led her stepmother to the dining table and served her a plate of Pasta with some gold leaf desert alongside wine.
"Oh Havana this is too much, thank you. What about you? Where's your own food?" Her stepmother asked.
"Don't worry about me. I'm not that hungry"
"If you say so" Mrs Cleopatra said and smirked inwardly.
After dinner, Mrs Cleopatra sat down with Havana as they discussed about the past.
"You know Havana, your dad used to say that too...'even machines need a break'. I miss him so much" Mrs Cleopatra said and started to 'cry'. "We both do... but now he's with us, here (points at her heart)". Havana said
"Havana, just so you know.... I'm always here if you need a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. I'm your mother, I love you"
"I know" Havana said and they hugged.
[The next day]
Havana was woken up by the sound of emails entering her phone. She had gotten five jobs and given different days to resume. Which one was she going to accept?
"Mother! Mother?" Havana called as she ran out of the basement (her room) to her stepmother's bedroom.
"Mother I got a job, no! five jobs!" Havana squealed.
"Well good morning to you too Havana" Mrs Cleopatra said.
"You are not happy for me?" Havana's smile slowly transformed into a worried look.
"Oh I am but I'm now worried that if you get a job at those big companies, one that requires you all the time, I won't have anyone to take care of me and I might die of grief and loneliness and ..."
"It's okay mother I won't accept such jobs.....but the pay is good and we really need the money..."
"Do you want me to die Havana?"
Havana bowed her head in response."I thought so. Now go and get those dishes done" Mrs Cleopatra argued.
Havana left to do the dishes. This is how it has always been when she got a good job and it has been one of the reasons she had been fired from different jobs. Sometimes she thinks her mother doesn't want her to succeed.
Havana was washing the dishes when there was a heavy bang on the door. She peeked into the parlour and saw that the door was broken. A group of men in black walked in and Havana got scared. She rushed out immediately with her phone in her hands. She had already dialed 9-1-1 and was ready to make a call.
"Who is Cleopatra Damien in this house?" One of the men in black said.
"Why do you want to see my mum?" Havana asked, her voice shaking with fear.
"She owes us some money. Ah! there she is" The man said as he saw Mrs Cleopatra said coming into the parlour.
"Mum what's going on?" Havana asked with a worried look on her face. Cleopatra was forced to kneel and she bowed her head as she explained that she had borrowed money and couldn't pay. The men had begun to drag her outside the house when Havana stopped them.
"This is vandalization of private property! Put her down or I'll call the cops" Havana threatened. She was scared, she didn't want to loose her mother too.
"We are a Mafia gang, the cops know their limits" One of the men answered and they continued pulling Cleopatra.
"Take me instead. I'm young and agile I can work for you until I pay off the debt" Havana was in tears now.
"Havana don't do this?" Mrs Cleopatra whispered. The men huddled within themselves and then untied Mrs Cleopatra and dragged Havana into a car while they entered the next car.
"You are so stupid. Do you know how much that woman owes?" The driver in the car, who has also witnessed everything, asked.
" It can't be much, right?" Havana responded, thinking it was those 200 grand that her stepmother usually returned home with.
"One million dollars...Is that much?" The driver asked
"WHAT!!!!"