Chapter 1: A week before Christmas
Selam stared blankly at the email on her phone, her mind struggling to process the words. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, your services are no longer required..." The words danced across the screen, mocking her. She'd been a dedicated employee at the marketing firm for three years, and now they were letting her go? Just like that?
She felt a lump form in her throat as she gazed out the window of her small apartment in Addis Ababa. The vibrant city was alive with the sounds of the holiday season, but Selam's heart was heavy. It was a week before Christmas, and she was jobless.Selam had loved her job as the CEO's secretary.
She took a deep breath and dialled her grandmother's number. She answered on the first ring. "Selam, my child! How's my favourite girl doing?"Selam smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. "Hey, grandma I am not well. I just got fired."
There was a pause, and Selam could almost hear her grandmother's gentle tutting. "What happened, child?"Selam sighed, recounting the story of how someone had apparently messed with her files, causing chaos and leading to her dismissal. Her grandmother listened attentively, her voice filled with soothing Amharic phrases as she comforted her granddaughter.
As they talked, Selam's husky, Loki, padded into the room, his big brown eyes gazing up at her with concern. She smiled, scratching behind his ears. " I'll visit you before the new year okay? I just need to process this."
"Of course, my child. Come anytime. I'll have your favorite meal ready."Her grandmother replied.Selam smiled feeling a pang of gratitude. Her grandmother's love and support were constants in her life. "Thank you grandma. I love you."
She hung up, feeling a bit better. Loki, sensing her mood, nudged her hand with his snout. "Hey, boy. Looks like it's just you and me for now."She sighed and looked around her apartment."I don't think my savings will be enough for me to live on.I need to get a new job before next year,"she said petting Loki's fur.
She wondered if she should share the bad news with her boyfriend.He was always nonchalant and she knew he would frustrate her instead of bringing her comfort.Selam's grandmother never liked Daniel and had told him to his face the one day she had mastered up some courage to introduce him to her world.
Selam was from a low class family and Daniel was from a high class family.He was the one that supported her financially most of her final year at the University she attended.She loved him but she doubted his parents would accept her.It was the reason why she had agreed to date him for three years without seeing his family save for his cousin Sara.
"Should I tell Daniel.I mean he sounded serious the last time we talked before he went for the business trip.I should be transparent with him,right?"she said to Loki.Loki gave an angry bark ,she thought it was because she mentioned his name but as she looked into Loki's eyes, she felt a strange, fluttery sensation, like a door in her mind was slowly opening and she understood her dog clearly.
She shook her head, chuckling," must be the stress from losing my source of income.I am going crazy"she said dismissing it as there was no way she could have had a full conversation with her pet dog and understood the dog.It was impossible and she never believed in the talks about dog whisperers.She thought them to be elite scammers.
Little did she know, her life was about to take a dramatic turn, one that would shatter her perception of reality and awaken a world she'd never imagined existed...