Jessica's POV
“Yes mother, I'm almost done!” I called out from the kitchen as I arranged the cups of tea on the yellow tray I was holding.
I was back to being my mother's little girl who ran errands for her. The last thing I wanted was to become a liability to my mother but she wasn't going to let me live on the streets. Especially after a divorce.
As I approached the living room, the chatter in the room grew stronger. As usual, my mother was having her best friend over, their relationship stood to prove that social or financial status didn't hold ground when it came to friendship.
My lips turned upwards as their lighthearted conversation and giggles stirred warmth in my numb heart.
“Oh, we were just talking about you!” Anna, my mother's best friend, exclaimed as I dropped the tray on the wooden table in the center of the living room.
My brows pulled together in surprise, “Me? Why?”
My mother's slurp on her tea followed my question, “Dear, Anna was just wondering if you could work as a secretary at her son's company,” my mom explained.
I glared at my mother but she still had a smug smile on her face. Hell, Aaron and I were childhood friends but we didn't get along. He was the last person I thought to work with.
The sun's rays reflected into the living room through the window, making the room warmer than normal. The ticking clock was the only audible sound in the room.
I sat across the two besties with arms rounded around my chest, “Mom, I don't need a job.”
My mother exchanged glances with Anna before dropping the cup on the table, “Oh really? Since you moved in, you wouldn't let me hear the end of not wanting to be a burden. I helped you out so what's the problem?”
As I parted my lips to speak, Anna's words cut me off.
“I think she's still having that feud with Aaron,” Anna shifted her gaze from my mother to me.
“It's been ten years since you two saw each other. I promise he's a changed man.”
But her words only fueled my lack of interest. Back in high school, Aaron would often teased me about making me work as his secretary once he took over his father's company.
Accepting this job meant fulfilling his silly dream and I wasn't going to let that happen.
I clasped my hands together, “I understand aunty but I seriously don't want to work right now. When I'm ready to work, I'll let you know,” I feigned a smile as I finished.
Anna returned my smile but my mother wasn't having it, “Since you don't think you're ready for the job, please stop whining about having nothing to do all day.”
I drove a finger over my temple with my lips pressed together. Christ. My mother was purposely being provocative but I wasn't going to play this game as I knew how it always ended. The emotional blackmail lane.
“I'll be in my room mom,” I rose up from the couch, leaving the room without waiting for her reply.
“Unbelievable, she wouldn't let me be until I found a job for her and now that I did, she's not taking it.”
“That's how children are, I remember Aaron used to talk about…”
Their voices faded into the background as I slammed my room door shut.
As I threw myself on my bed, a deep sigh escaped my lips. I was still trying to move on from my broken marriage and working as Aaron's secretary meant dedicating myself to something different from healing. And right now,I wasn't sure I was ready.
But deep down, a little part of me wanted to know what Aaron looked like now. I hadn't seen him since high school, I wondered if his mother was right about him being a changed person.
Then again, the thought of him acting overly proud and annoying as usual made me suppress my curiosity. He always knew how to annoy me yet we were still friends.
My thoughts soon got diverted following the grumbling of my stomach. I needed to eat something but I was getting too comfortable in my soft, cozy bed.
The bright clouds were the last thing I saw through the window as I drifted off to sleep and my mother's knocks were the first thing I heard as I woke up.
“Jessica, won't you have dinner? Okay, I won't talk about the job anymore, just come and have dinner with me.”
Her voice followed her knocking on the door and for some weird reason, it made my lips curve upwards.
My mother could throw tantrums for hours only to act affectionate in the following minutes. The thought of it made me want to snuggle her while planting kisses all over her face.
I sluggishly rose up from the bed, adjusting my purple top and black pants as I approached the door.
With a pull on the door knob, my blue eyes met my mother's and my nostrils caught the smell of beef stir fry with noodles.
My mom quickly placed her hands on my face, caressing my cheeks, “Are you okay? You've been locked in all day.”
I stared at her, my drowsy eyes crinkling into a smile.
“I'm fine mom, I was going to get lunch but I fell asleep,’ I explained.
“You sure it's not because you were mad at me?” She moved her hands from my face to my arm, stroking them softly.
I chuckled, “Well, that too. But I'm not mad anymore. I'm hungry.”
And with that, we both headed to the stairs. I pocketed my hands into my pocket when I realized I wasn't with my phone.
“Mom go ahead, I have to get my phone real quick,” I stated before rotating my head back to the door.
My eyes scanned the room, I couldn't find my phone anywhere.
“Where could it be?” I muttered as I lifted the thick black bed sheets off the bed.
The moment I lowered my body to check under the bed, the next thing I heard was my mother's scream.
