His Housemaid, Her Vengeance

Georgiana “STUPID b***h!” I screamed as I flung my shoes off my feet and slammed the door of my apartment. This was the 10th interview I’ve been to this week and the tenth one I’ve been rejected from even after meeting all the criteria needed for the job. Switching on the bulb in my dimly lit room as I entered brought me back to reality and reminded me of the mess I had made before leaving for the interview this morning. My clothes were littered all around my bed and some were scattered on the floor and the thought of arranging everything sent me into a spiral so I did what every human would do; I shoved them off my bed and laid down. My bed brings me so much comfort and gives me the opportunity to reminisce on how my day went but immediately I remembered the face of that rude receptionist b***h, my face gave an ugly scowl. Instead I picked up my phone to call my younger sister Jade. She picked up on the first ring but all I could hear was clattering of pots and pans . “Hey sis” She said loudly into the phone which made me move the phone away from my face. “Girl what’s all that noise about? Are you cooking up a storm?”I replied “ I’m making dinner for everyone even though I don’t want to” She mumbled Laughing into the phone “you don’t have a choice girl” I replied She also laughed and I knew she was going to be nodding her head in affirmation. “ I only called to check up on you but you can go back to your cooking Chef Jade” I said in amusement “We all know I could never be a chef” She replied whilst laughing “Ok sis I’ll talk to you later” She said as she hung up the call Those few seconds of talking to her made my day feel a little less heavy. After the call, I placed my phone on my desk and looked around my room taking in my scattered clothes, empty takeout boxes, my makeup scattered around my vanity wondering how I got here after all the big dreams and hopes I’ve always had for myself. Now it felt like I was just…existing. One look at it all and my chest tightened. No, not now. I didn’t have the energy for a breakdown. The silence in the room was loud, pressing in on me like a huge blanket of failure as I felt tears cascading down my face as a realization of my life. My phone buzzed slightly with a notification. I ignored it. Then it buzzed again. And again I groaned and reached for it reluctantly. A message from my Dad. “Hey sweetheart” “How did the interview go?” I stared at the message, unsure of what to reply. Should I lie? Say it went well just to keep the conversation simple? Or tell him the truth that it was another disaster, and I was starting to believe maybe I wasn’t just good? Before I could decide, another message came in. “Let me know when you are free to talk. There’s something we need to discuss.” My heart dropped. That line always meant something serious, something heavy. And right now, I wasn’t ready for more bad news. I tossed the phone aside, crawled under my blanket, closed my eyes and let the soft darkness swallow me whole. Just five minutes, I told myself. Five minutes to rest, breathe and not to think. But deep down, I knew that tomorrow I’d have to face it all again. And maybe, just maybe, that conversation with dad would change everything. Taking deep breaths, I just laid in my bed for a while before I decided I had sulked enough so I stood up, took off my clothes and headed to the bathroom to have a long shower while humming a song to keep me calm. After my shower I sat on my desks to continue hunting for jobs. And maybe, just maybe I would get employed this time around I started hunting for jobs and at the same time think of what to eat for dinner but i eventually decided to go have pizza at the diner close to my apartment. I stared at my computer screen and kept clicking apply to every job ad I came across. After doing that I put on my only pair of sneakers and headed out. Shrugging on a light jacket with my phone and wallet in hand, I stepped out closing my door and walked down the dilapidated stairs and out of the building into the empty streets. The evening air met me with a cool kiss, brushing against my skin like a quiet reminder that the world kept turning, interview or not. I took the familiar route down the cracked sidewalk, past the worn out bookstore and the flickering street lamp that never seemed to work properly. Just ahead, the warm greasy glow of Nana’s Diner beckoned, promising a slice of pepperoni and a moment of comfort I needed. No resumes and no rejections. I pushed open the door and the familiar jingle of the bell greeted me like a sigh. It smelled like melted cheese, garlic and warmth… exactly how comfort should smell. There were only a few people inside; an old couple whispering over coffee, a young lady with a pretty face having a cup of milkshake. My favorite booth by the window was still free. Thank God. I slid into the red vinyl seat and leaned back with a soft exhale. Maya, my favorite waitress walked over, her smile soft but tired. “The usual?” She asked. I nodded. “Please, extra cheese.” She smiled knowingly and scribbled on her notepad before walking away. I pulled out my phone to scroll mindlessly, anything to occupy my time. No new emails. No missed calls. Nothing at all. I dropped the phone on the table deciding to ignore everything and just focus on the hearty cheesy pizza I was going to eat. So I stared out the window instead watching as people were moving and the night was closing in. The pizza arrived, steaming and glorious. I didn’t wait for it to cool. One bite in and I felt my shoulders drop for the first time all day. Maybe things weren’t going the way I wanted. Maybe they wouldn’t for a while. But, at least tonight I had this. Warm food. Quiet. I paid, nodded a soft thanks to the waitress, and walked back home under the same flickering street lamp. My apartment was still just the way I left it, I didn’t turn on the light. I just kicked off my shoes, pulled off my jacket sank into bed and let the silence have me but at the back of my mind I was anxious about the news my dad had for me and tomorrow I’ll go see him. .