Chapter 1
Leah’s POV (Present)
The notification alarm from my laptop broke me out of my daze. I jolted up and wore my specs as I stared at the new email that l just received. I had braced myself for the worst, and the email heading gave nothing away. Still, my heart was beating faster and with trembling fingers, I opened it.
‘Dear Leah Brooks, we are pleased to offer you the job.’
I clamped my mouth, rereading the contents to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I really had gotten the job. After so many rejections that I couldn’t even count, this was really a blessing in my life. I had given so many interviews over the span of three months. Some rejected me after the first round, several after the last so I had given up on being optimistic. After toiling away for weeks, my hard work had finally paid off.
The compensation details, however, made me speechless. It was way more than what my previous company used to pay me. I could finally settle my father’s medical bills without breaking a sweat. Maybe, I could now shift him to a better facility too.
I dialed Remy’s number. After a few rings, she picked up.
“What’s up, Lele?”
“I got the job.”
I blurted it out in excitement.
“Omg, congratulations dear. This calls for celebrations. Let’s have a blast today.”
“I was planning to visit my dad today. He doesn’t know yet. What about tomorrow? Treat’s on me.”
“Yeah that makes sense. Sure, let’s meet tomorrow. And tell uncle I said hi. Bye, Lele, love you and so, so proud of you.”
“Love you too.”
Remy was my co-worker from my first job. She had pulled me out of a version of myself I don’t like to think about, and if it weren’t for her, I don’t think I would have been able to ever escape that darkness. If there was anyone who would be my ride or die, it would be her.
Now all I had to do was share the news with my dad.
***
The receptionist looked up from her computer and on seeing it was me, handed me the pass. She went back to her work.
I walked along the corridor, lit by lights that flickered sometimes. The smell of chemicals hit my nostrils almost instantaneously. Initially, it used to make me want to gag but I have gotten used to it. The rusty plates on the doors incremented until I stopped in front of room number 105. I went in.
In the centre of the tiny room was the hospital bed, and my father laid on it, sleeping in peace. Several pipes connected his arms to the IV drip. The monitor showed his steady heartbeat. His hair had overgrown into a white mess and his collarbones looked so much more prominent.
I went and sat beside him. I patted his hands, and stroked his head. He opened his eyes. Even his sleep had become much lighter than before. His brows furrowed and then after making out that it was me, his expression lightened.
“Leah?” His groggy voice called me out.
“Dad, how are you doing?”
The question was stupid. I knew how he was doing.
“Good, what about you?”
He gestured me to come closer, and placed a weak kiss on my forehead.
“I have good news. Remember that job I applied for at that tech company? I got the job.”
He smiled, a genuine smile that I had seen on his face after a very long time. He tried to sit up but I stopped him.
“Congratulations honey. I knew you could do it.”
We talked some more, about the new role, his doctor, the other patients’ shenanigans, anything but his illness. After a couple of hours, a nurse came in to tell me that visiting hours were over. After bidding him good night, I went back home.
On my drive back home, I kept thinking about how much my father had changed over the years. He used to be such a strong man, with his intimidating build and moustache, but now? His almost skeletal frame lying on that bleached sheet made me tear up. Why did it have to be him? I stopped my car, and cried my heart out by the roadside.
***
I sat with Remy in a booth at the newest restaurant downtown. Remy smacked her lips, after finishing the last prawn on the platter, while I played around with the tofu on my plate.
“What happened, not hungry Lele?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then?”
She was licking off the last bit of the sauce from her fingers, but her gaze was fixated on me.
“Not sure. It just feels too much. My dad, the new job …”
“Relax babe. Your father, yes you are doing your best with him. There’s no reason for you to feel guilty. And as for the job, just treat it as what it is. Do not fret over the smallest things like you did back then. It’s going to be alright, especially with uncle.”
I knew dad would never get better. I knew she was just trying to calm me. But I chose to believe her anyway, at least for the weekend.
“So your new job starts on Monday, right? All the best. Who knows, you might find a hot coworker there. Maybe not someone as gorgeous as me, but close enough.”
“Sure Rem, sure.”
She leaned in closer, almost conspiratorially .
“And who knows, you might finally find your true love there.”
A face briefly flashed before my eyes.
“No chance. I have no time or interest for that.”
“I know but still I can hope…”
“How’s Shannon doing these days? I haven’t seen her in so long.”
Remy pouted.
“Neither have I. She’s always so busy. It’s like she’s married to her work, when in fact, I’m her fiance.”
Shannon was a hotshot lawyer, and also the youngest partner at her firm. Since her promotion, she has been piled up with even more work, much to Remy’s dismay.
“I couldn’t be happier at her promotion, but sometimes, I just feel lonely.”
To cheer her up, and to drown my own worries and thoughts, we went to a bar after that for some wine and champagne. God knows why his face popped up in my mind after all these years, especially after what I did.
***
