CHAPTER5
1098 Words
CHAPTER 5
Mother! From the letter, I'd have to travel all the way to Rome and start working as a Sales Attendant at a newly opened Alfredo Mart store. That's impossible! I can't leave you here alone in Bergamo — A moody Daniella said. Hmmnn.... If not for my loss of sight, I'd have had no problems travelling down to Rome with you. Having lived all my life in Bergamo and knowing my way around here, it would be very difficult to start life all over again in another city. I think you should go back to your boss, and plead with him to offer you the same job here in Bergamo — Katherine suggested. Daniella welcomed the suggestion, but tried pushing her luck by dialling a hotline seen in the letter to see if she could converse with Zambrotta via the phone inorder to avoid expending more money on transport fares as they were already running out of cash. However, Daniella's efforts proved abortive as her plea to speak with Zambrotta via the phone was respectfully declined by his Secretary, because she hadn't started working with the company officially. Mother! Unfortunately, I'd have to go the office and see my boss. Hopefully, he hackens to my plea for a re-deployment — Daniella said. I believe the outcome is going to be positive. Tomorrow, please make sure you go to his office as early as possible so the issue could be resolved. Meanwhile, how much is your salary ? Katherine quizzed. It's a paltry sum of €150, but I'm not concerned about that! I just want to start earning no matter how little and I believe with time, I'd be able to upscale — Daniella confidentially replied. Since both of them were in the kitchen and with a lot of time already spent gisting, they decided to have some fruit salad before unwinding by listening to some music via the Radio.
At dawn the following day, Daniella woke up after the alarm clock had rung twice. She rarely depended on the alarm clock to wake up except when retiring to bed very late. Still feeling quite sleepy, Daniella had to drag herself into the bathroom, got dressed quickly, and then left to see Zambrotta. She arrived so early that he wasn't yet around and some staff members were still trooping in. While waiting for him in his secretary office, she picked a daily and started reading through. Shortly after exhausting the daily, his Secretary received a call from him — permitting her to allow visitors into his office. Daniella, being the first to arrive among other visitors was let into his office before everyone else. Zambrotta was very surprised to see Daniella. Shouldn't you be preparing to leave for Rome where you'd start working in a couple of days ? He asked. Sir, that's I'm here. Please I want to ask for a deployment here in Bergamo. Leaving my blind mother in her lonesome while traveling to Rome would be very difficult — Daniella calmly replied. The interview I conducted yesterday was to employ some staff that would work in my new Alfredo Mart branch in Rome and not in Bergamo, but I'd grant your wishes out of respect for your mother's condition. I've a staff here, whose family leaves in Rome; working there for him wouldn't be an issue, so you're going to replace him — Zambrotta guaranteed. Subsequently, Daniella thanked him for being very compassionate and kind before exiting his office. Knowing she would come home very late, because of other running around, she called Katherine to inform her about the positive outcome of the rendezvous.
Daniella was a very dedicated worker of the company. She drove up sales in the company like no other! Her hardwork didn't go un-noticed as patrons regularly tipped Daniella to the chagrin of other co-workers. The consistency, dedication and hardwork she put in, made the Alfredo Mart in Bergamo, Zambrotta's biggest. It became his main grocery outlet making him relocate there permanently. Every attempt by Daniella to ask for a salary raise proved abortive. Zambrotta always echoed the huge risk he took in employing her without sufficient qualifications. Zambrotta hands were so tight fisted, with so many gaslighting tactics up his sleeves. He knew finding another job would be extremely difficult, hence his refusal to budge.
It's been over a year of Daniella working at Alfredo Mart. The meagre sum of €150 she earned could barely sort out the food bills because of the food inflation in the country. There were so many unattended bills! She and her mother continued to live from hand to mouth. Daniella's urge to become a medical doctor didn't die; she always set aside the money given to her by some generous patrons of Alfredo Mart for that purpose. Everytime it looked like she was making head way, other house-hold bills would spring up and shatter the money. At this point, only a salary increment could suffice.
Albeit, the frustrating pay, Daniella always put a smile at work. Every patron wanted to queue at her desk so she could attend to them.The patrons got enchanted because of Daniella's thorough professionalism with her pretty looking face and ever charming smile being an addendum. Often times, she directed some of them to other co-workers when the workload was much and also for them to get the tip, if the patrons opted. They all expressed their gratitude when Daniella offered such kind gesture with the exception of Carlotta, who ever seemed to get along with her. No matter how much Daniella tried to please her, the cold treatment was still dished out.
Carlotta gained employment at Alfredo Mart two years before Daniella. At that time, Carlotta was the centre of attraction. She was the prettiest and hottest of the female staff. Most tips from the patrons came her way. She was the cynosure of all eyes and loved the attention gotten especially from the male patrons. Carlotta's morality was gutter level! She was full of promiscuity and could do anything for money including yielding to the s****l advances of the male patrons. As long as it was to get ahead of her peers, nothing was out of bounds. Carlotta reign died, immediately Daniella arrived. She was visibly more beautiful, classy, morally upright and professional in all her dealings. The attention shift made Carlotta despise her. Going from the most wanted to barely be looked at, hurt her ego badly. Carlotta was displaced and with immediate effect, she started plotting a scheme to regain her top spot.
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