Chapter 3 Sad people

Aurora POV:

A few kilometers away, I remembered I had forgotten the Cake. I promised to drop it by the Hart ranch for Tess, but it was still sitting in Micheal's office. I no longer had a key, and I would rather have died than phoned him to let me in to get the cake. He'd think it was a ruse so that I could see him again.

I stopped by the bakery instead to get another cake. I approached the lady behind the counter.

"Good evening," I said

"Evening"

"What may I get You"

"A Cake?" I replied,

"Is it for an occasion? Most of the cakes available are blank" She said

Luckily for me, Tess didn't want a message on it, just the cake.

"That's okay," I said

"I will have that one" I added whilst pointing to the pink one

I stopped by the Hart ranch property at Tess and Bai's enormous house and handed it off to their housekeeper, with a beaming smile that never reached my eyes. I finally headed home. I was on the verge of tears on my way home. I parked on one side of the road and calmed myself. My mom mustn't see me sad nor know I quit my job, it'd cause her distress. That was the last thing I wanted. I started driving again after steadying my emotions. My mother was lying on the sofa, watching the last of her soap operas.

"Hello, sweetheart," she said, smiling. "Did you have a nice day?"

"Very nice," I lied, smiling back. "How about you?"

"I've done very well. I made supper!"

"Mom, you aren't supposed to exert yourself," I protested, gritting my teeth.

"Cooking isn't exertion. I do love it so," the older woman replied, her hazel eyes that were so like mine sparkling with pleasure. Her hair was silver now, short and wavy. She lay on the sofa in an old gown and housecoat, her feet in socks. Nights were still chilly, even though it was April.

"Want to eat in here on trays?" I offered.

"That would be lovely. We can watch the news."

I grimaced. "Not the news," I groaned. "Something pleasant!"

"Then what would you like to watch? We've got numerous DVDs," she added.

"Young Sheldon," I said,

Her mother gave her an odd look. "My, my. Usually, when you want to watch that one, you've had a bad day." She was fishing, trying to get answers from me. I knew she wouldn't back down until I came clean.

I cleared my throat

"I had a spat with my boss," I replied, not daring to tell her I'm currently without a job

"It will all blow over," she said

"He's a difficult man, I imagine, but he's been very kind to us. Why, when I had to go to the hospital last time, he drove you there and even sat with you until they got me over the crisis."

"Yes, I know," I replied, without adding that Mr. Angelo would do that for anybody. It didn't mean anything, definitely not that he had a kind heart.

"And then there was that massive basket of fruit he sent us at Christmas." The older woman was still talking.

"Yes Mom, I know" I headed to my bedroom while she looked for 'young Sheldon'.

I changed into jeans and a sweatshirt. The whole time I wondered if I was going to get another job without naming Mr. Angelo as a reference. He might give me one if I asked, I just hated having to ask him to. I told Mr. Angelo, I was going to work for Jordan Leo, but it had been a lie to spite him

I appeared in the living room to see my mom had finally found the DVD she was looking for. We ate and watched the movie until Mom was feeling sleepy. I turned off the TV before escorting her to her bedroom.

Only after I heard her gentle snore did I head to my bedroom and seize my freedom of crying, I cried myself to my threshold, hating my show of weakness. Fortunately, nobody else would see it. I finally wiped off my tears with a rejuvenated hope, I was going to get a new job. I have the skills, I am a hard worker. I would be an asset to any prospective employer, I told myself firmly because my ego was badly hurt. I'd show Mr. Angelo. I could get a job anywhere!