Olivia's POV
"Going to work?" My opposite-door neighbor, a woman in her mid-forties, asked as she saw me locking the door to my dingy apartment.
"How else will I eat?" I said with a smile dunking the key in my bag and making for the exit.
"Good luck!" I heard her distant yell from behind me.
"Thank you!" I wondered if she heard me.
I skipped on my way to work. I was trying to save on transport money. I always wake up by 4am to ensure I don't go late to work. I couldn't afford to get fired.
"Ouch!" I voiced in pain when my head came in contact with a pole. I wasn't looking. I rubbed my head as I grimaced in pain.
I was about to continue my journey when I took a second look at the poster on the pole.
Do you have what it takes to shine?
We're looking for fresh faces and confident personalities to join our modeling team. Whether you're an experienced model or just starting, this is your chance to step into the spotlight.
Apply now and let your journey begin!
For inquiries, contact us at [contact details]
My heart skipped a beat as I read the message on the poster. The opportunity I've been searching for. I had a good feeling about this one.
I quickly tore the poster off the pole and put it in my bag. A big smile formed on my lips and I began walking again.
"Good morning Mr. Thomas!" I greeted my boss excitedly.
"I see you're excited this morning. Mind sharing the good news?" Mr Thomas asked, cleaning the cups at the counter.
"Let me," I moved to the counter whilst tying my apron. I collected the cups from Mr. Thomas's frail hands and began cleaning them.
"I'm going to apply to be a model at an agency!" I announced.
"Isn't that just marvelous?" Mr. Thomas chuckled heartily, his eyes creasing at the sides, evidence of his old age. He was eighty-three. His children had opened a coffee shop for him to help him pass the time.
"Hmm."
"I don't mean to be a party pooper, but what if you don't get in?"
Now that Mr. Thomas mentioned it, I haven't really thought about that. But that's just how much I knew I'd get in.
"I'm positive I'll get in," I stated firmly. "And when I do, I'll take you on a date!"
"Now that's something to look forward to. Let me go ready my clothes!"
I laughed out loud that I didn't even hear my phone ring.
"Quit laughing, and Pick up your phone." Mr. Thomas called my attention to the phone vibrating on the counter.
The caller was my mum's friend, Aunty Susan. I stepped out to take the call.
"Hello Aunty Susan," I greeted once the line connected.
"Y-your mother is at the hospital. You need to get here immediately!" Aunty Susan's voice was filled with urgency and I could barely hear what she said. But I did grasp her say my mother was in danger.
My heart dropped to the floor. "What hospital?" I asked in a state of frenzy, running inside the shop and grabbing my coat and bag.
"Come to…" I got the name of the hospital and ended the call.
"Is anything the matter," Mr. Thomas asked as I was gathering my things.
"My mother is in the hospital," I said frantically before dashing out of the coffee shop.
My mother was on the other side of the city so it took hours before I reached the hospital.
I dashed to the counter. "Where's my mum," I asked the nurse at the counter almost in tears.
"Calm down young lady," the nurse tried to calm me down.
"Where's my mum? I need to see my mum," I paced at the counter, my breaths coming in ragged gasps.
"What's your mother's name?" The nurse asked.
"Her name is–"
"Olivia?" I heard Aunty Susan's voice from behind me and ran to meet her. I grabbed her by the shoulders as I questioned.
"Where is my mum, Aunty?"
"Come with me," Aunty Susan said, grabbing me by my hands as she led me to the room where my mother was staying.
We arrived at the room and I tried to push the door open but Aunty Susan pulled me back.
"The doctor advises that we shouldn't go in. Your mum is in a very critical state."
I calmed a bit and walked to the big glass that gave a proper view of my mum. All these wires were connected to her to her body. She must be in so much pain. My heart broke to a thousand pieces as the thought crossed my mind.
"I'll go get the doctor," Aunty Susan said, giving me the privacy of spending time with my mum.
Tears rolled out from my eyes the moment Aunty Susan left. I couldn't believe I was cracking jokes earlier while my mum was going through pain.
"Mum…" I whispered between sobs.
"Miss Olivia?" I turned around to see a man with a white coat. He must be the doctor.
I quickly wiped the tears off my face, "Doctor. What's wrong with my mother please?"
"Your mother suffered a heart attack," the doctor informed solemnly. "Without the right treatment, she doesn't have much time to live, at most, two months."
I fell to the floor at the doctor's words. Aunty Susan quickly came to my side and held me. "What are the treatments?" She asked.
"A heart transplant." The doctor replied. "Before that, she has to be sent to a bigger hospital in town where it'll be performed."
"A heart transplant?!" Aunty Susan gasped. She held me tighter as my body swayed in her arms. "H-How much will that cost d-doctor?" She asked.
"I really can't say, it depends on the hospital. But if I'm to give you an estimate, it should cost nothing less than twenty-seven thousand dollars."
No one in my family, not even distant relatives, could raise such an amount in the timeframe given. My head spun, I had no one to turn to. My poor father had died a long time ago.
But I had no choice; my mum is my life and I must save her, even if it means selling my soul.