Love is Like A For*bid*den Fruit

Chapter 9

Elena's Point of View

My day began as usual with the alarm beeping at 7am. I groaned as usual to wake up, as I am not at all a morning person. I got up and did my morning chores. I came out and am happy to pick denim pants and a full sleeved button down of blue color, as I was not fired from my job yesterday. It is one more new day for me and I am happy about it, because I got another day to work in my favorite place, doing my favorite thing.

I got dressed and left towards the dining area. I saw mom roaming around the living area blabbering something. 

"Mom, mom. Wait wait. What happened? What are you doing? Why are you roaming around the place like this?" I stopped my mom by holding her shoulders and asked her. 

She looked me in the eye and stared at me for a while. "Elena, it's you. Oh God. I forgot about your office as I didn't check the time. Sorry my child. I haven prepared anything for you now. Let me just prepare some coffee and something for you to eat. Forgive me my child", there was an apologetic look and tone in her. 

I sighed. "Forget about the breakfast mom. Tell me what happened to you? What's bothering you that you are acting all weird? Tell me mom." I shook her gently by holding her shoulders. 

She fell on the couch and rested her neck on the couch head. She was staring at the ceiling and was lost in thoughts. “Elena the wedding is tomorrow and the flowers are not yet arranged. I’m afraid that I might fail to pull it off successfully. What shall I do? What if I do something wrong and it becomes a drawback to my career? What if no one plans to give me any contract from tomorrow? What if it ruins my career?” she started having a nervous breakdown. 

“Mom, don't worry, nothing will happen and everything is going to be fine. Just relax and breathe. We have the whole day today. I will complete my work as early as possible and will try to come home early. Just relax and breathe okay??? I don't need anything to eat. I will manage today. Don't stress, mom. You can seriously pull it off”, I tried to console her and she kind of relaxed a bit. I kissed her forehead and left my way towards the office. 

I reached the office and saw Nicole working already. “Good morning Nicole. How are you today? I'm planning to go home early today. Mom needs help with her assignment tomorrow. Can you try to get off work with me today? We should go to your apartment and try dresses for tomorrow remember?” I asked her and she gave me a smile. 

I took it as a “yes” and left my way towards the lab. I saw Rachael already there and preparing some components and solutions for today’s experiments. 

“Good morning Rachael. How are you today?” I wished her and she turned around. She looked at me and gave me a smile and replied, “Good morning”. “What's wrong Rachael? You seem different, as in you are trying to tell me something. Is there anything wrong with the experiment?” I asked Rachael with concern. 

She sighed and removed the gloves that she was wearing. She turned to look at me straight and cleared her throat. “Elena, don't panic please. Just listen to me carefully and in a relaxed way okay? Mr. Lawson called me today morning and asked me to get you to his cabin, as soon as you reach. I’m afraid that what you were thinking about might happen today. I mean, regarding your termination. I don't know how to react to this. I'm so sorry for this Elena”. 

I felt like someone pulled the floor from under my feet, and rocked me hard so that I would fall hard and hit my head on the floor. I tumbled and sat on the floor slowly, by holding the nearby table. There were so many things that were running through my mind and I didn't know how to react to this. I mean, what the hell? I am getting terminated and this will be the last working day in this place. I don't want it to be, but there is nothing that can help me with escaping from this. I started crying and Rachael ran towards me and hugged me tighter, by reaching my level. 

“Elena, I might be even wrong about all this right? Why don't we just visit the manager and then decide what to do okay. What we have right now is just a speculation and there are no guarantees that what I’m thinking might be true right? Why don't we confirm our doubts by visiting Mr. Lawson”, she tried to console me, and yet tears didn’t stop from pouring down my eyes. 

I gently nodded to her and she helped me get up. I wiped my tears and we started our way towards the cabin of our manager. I was very hesitant to even knock on the door. Rachael understood my problem and she gently knocked on the door. “Come in”, came the reply from the other side of the door. 

Me and Rachael started towards the door and Rachael pulled me by gently holding my wrist. I held her hand on my wrist and gave her a weak smile. She returned my smile and we went inside the cabin. There sat Mr. Lawson with a straight face. 

“Good morning”, Rachael greeted him and I followed her with my greetings. “Good morning Mr. Lawson”. 

He looked at me and Rachael and gave a smile by replying to our greetings. “Very good morning to you guys too. Come come. I was waiting for you guys. I have an important matter to discuss with you two. Rachael, I have to ask you. What  do you feel about Elena’s performance in the lab?”. 

I felt like my heart had jumped out of the chest and had reached my mouth. I was really feeling scared regarding where the topic is going? I mean, why is he asking about my performance with Rachael, all of a sudden. Oh God. It is happening. It really is happening. I will be fired and I have to go and sell flowers with my mom from now on. What shall I do? How shall I face my mom from today? She will surely kill me, if she finds out that one silly mistake of mine has cost me my job. What shall I do, what shall I do, what shall I do?

I was fidgeting and looked at Rachael with a hope that she will save me from this problem. She looked at me and Mr. Lawson and then finally broke her silence. “Elena is the best lab assistant that I can ask for from you. She is really a hard worker and is really dedicated to the job. She never makes me feel like I should handle things on my own, without any need of her help. I am really grateful that I have her as my assistant, as she never thinks twice to even stay back at the lab overnight and help me with my assignments. I can always rely on her and her expertise. So, I love working with her", and with that she concluded. 

Mr. Lawson thought for a while and he then told us what he wanted to tell us. "Elena and Rachael, our branch head from London, had sent me a mail from the main office yester-night and asked me an impossible question. I want to answer him only after discussing the matter with you two", he said with a happy face. 

I felt kind of nice, as it was not a bad news that I will be hearing. I felt really happy and looked at Rachael with happy filled eyes. My tears had automatically vanished and I didn't know that I was feeling immense pleasure. 

I looked at him and looked at Rachael again. I signaled her to ask the matter. Rachael understood my request and she asked him what I wanted to know, “What’s the matter? Why have you called us here today? What is it that you wanted to tell us? What did the mail say?”. 

Mr. Lawson then started explaining things to us. “I received a mail yesterday from Mr. Smith and it was sent through the company mail. Mr. Strauss has suggested that you two can go and work in the laboratory in the London branch. They really liked the progress that we are showing from our New York Branch and would wish to include the steps that you are following here, in their works there. Discuss about it and let me know what you have decided on Monday. I will arrange the things accordingly, after you have come to a decision”. 

He was very much happy about the fact that the main branch people, and specially the CEO of the company has personally requested the two of his workers to go and join them in the main branch. He was feeling very much excited like a kid who is promised a new toy. 

Me and Rachael really got shocked with the turn of events. I mean, we will be working with the pioneer scientists working in the main branch, if we agree to go with the proposal. Wow., what a day. I really didn't expect this to happen. We left towards the laboratory and I was really excited with the proposal, but I had to speak to my mom once and ask her about her decision regarding this proposal. So, I called her and she picked after a few rings. 

“Hello mom, how are you doing? Have you got the flowers for the decoration tomorrow?”, I asked with a cheery voice. You can say that I was actually squeaking. 

“Hello Elena, you sound cheerful today. May I know the reason behind this cheerfulness?", she asked and I started explaining to her the reason for me calling her. She was listening patiently and finally told me to speak to her in the evening as she was quite busy now. I understood and disconnected the call. 

I looked at Rachael and she was lost in some deep thoughts. I was very much sure about what was going on in her mind. She didn't want to leave New York and relocate, as her family was here. It was her decision to leave or not, but this was not the case with me, as I wanted to grow in my career and this was an excellent opportunity. I was very much sure about what my answer would be. Normally I wouldn't just get up and leave as the first opportunity appears in front of me, but there was something that was pulling me to London like an iron to the magnet. 

I wasn't bothered about what my mom would think about it, as I knew that my mom would never restrict me from going away. She knew that I loved my job and was ready to travel, even if I had to, when it comes to my job. She was already an independent woman and didn't need someone, especially me to stay back and take care of her. 

My day was done and I went home. There was mom feeling relaxed and that was a sign telling me that everything is arranged for tomorrow. I called Nicole and told her that I will be going to her apartment and I left towards her apartment. Nicole had already selected two dresses for me and her for tomorrow. We tried our dresses and enjoyed the rest of the day enjoying the girls company. 

Tomorrow would be a new day that would change my life completely. Little did I know about this.