OLIVIA'S PASSION

Chapter 2

It’s Saturday morning and I wake up to a quiet apartment, with the morning sun peeking through the curtains. I stretch my arms and legs, feeling the softness of the blankets enveloping my body.

Eyes still half-closed from sleep, I fumble around for the light switch, finally finding it and flicking it on. The sudden brightness make me wince. It is a lazy Saturday and I have no plans, which is just the way I like it.

I need coffee. I get out of bed and shuffle into the kitchen, to make myself a cup of coffee.

I pull out my favourite mug from the cupboard and fill it with water, then set it to boil on the stove. I lean against the counter, feeling the fatigue of the previous day weighing heavily on me, as I wait.

But as the water comes to a boil, bubbling and steaming, something in me shifts. I straighten up, taking a deep breath and feeling a renewed sense of purpose. Maybe today would be better than yesterday.

With a flick of my wrist, I pour the water over the coffee grounds and watch as the rich aroma filled the room. I love my coffee with cream and sugar, so I add a splash of cream and a spoonful of sugar, then I take the coffee with me to the couch.

I sit down on the couch and turn on the TV, flicking through the channels until I find a rerun of Friends, my favourite sitcom. It is perfect. I smile to myself, I sip my coffee and laugh at the familiar scenes, feeling the warmth of the caffeine spread through my body. Today’s going to be a good day after all.

After a few episodes, I get up and decide to make myself some breakfast.

I finish my coffee and rinse out the mug, feeling a sense of accomplishment. I am ready to face the day, one small step at a time.

Speaking of breakfast, I open the fridge and peer inside, hoping for some inspiration. But all I saw was a carton of eggs, some wilted lettuce, and a half-empty jar of pickles.

Feeling disappointed, I make a mental note to get some groceries as I close the fridge and turn to the cabinets. I rummage through them, hoping to find something, anything, to satisfy my hunger. Yes, I am so hungry, and then, I saw it - a box of pancake mix, buried in the back of the cabinet.

I feel a glimmer of hope.

The thought of the fluffy, buttery goodness makes my mouth water.

I grab the pancake mix and prepare to make my breakfast. I mix the pancake with some water batter in a bowl, pour it onto a hot skillet, and watch as the batter sizzles and bubbles. I flip the pancakes when they turn golden brown and cook them until they become fluffy and delicious. When they were done I put them on a plate, I topped the pancakes with maple syrup, since I didn’t have any honey, and sat down at the table to eat.

As I sit down at the kitchen table to eat my pancakes, I feel a sense of contentment wash over me. The simple act of making breakfast keeps me grounded and makes me feel more at peace.

With a satisfied smile, I savour each bite of my pancakes, feeling grateful for the quiet moment in my busy life. I know that I can’t stay in the kitchen forever, but for now, I am content to enjoy my breakfast and savour the small pleasures of life.

As I eat , I look out the window at the beautiful sky above. I watch as the clouds float. But I am content to stay inside this morning, enjoying the peace and quiet of my apartment. Once I’m done with my breakfast, I take the plate to the sink and wash, then I dry it off on the dish rack.

I feel satisfied and content, but as I walk into the living room and see my couch, I feel an irresistible pull towards it. I plop down on the cushions and reach for my phone.

As I scroll through my social media feeds, I feel a sense of familiarity with the content. The same old posts from the same old people, a mix of inspirational quotes, food pictures, and cute animal videos. I feel a pang of guilt for wasting my time, but the allure of social media was just too strong.

Suddenly, my phone buzzes with a notification. It is a message from an unknown number. I hesitate for a moment, wondering if it is just a spam message, but curiosity got the better of me, I open the message and read it carefully.

Unknown number : Hi Olivia, it's me, Dominic. I got a cake from you last night, and I just wanted to let you know that my mom loved it!

Thank you so much.

I feel a smile spread across my face. I remember Dominic, the man who had stopped by my cake shop the night before, exactly at the closing hour. He had been looking for a birthday cake for his mother.

I feel a sense of pride and satisfaction, as I read his message. I had put a lot of love and care into the cake, and it feels good to know that it had brought joy to someone's life. That’s what I tell people, I mean it’s not just a cake when one puts in such amount of effort in making it. It’s more than a cake, and that is why I do what I do.

I quickly type out a response,

Olivia : Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate them, I’m also glad your mom loved it.

I put my phone down and decide to take a quick shower. As I get up, I notice it was 1:30pm already, then I remember that I need to restock some groceries. With a sigh, I get up from the couch and head to my bedroom to take a bath, stretching my limbs as I make my way towards the bathroom. The journey from my couch to the bathroom seems longer than usual. The tiles are cool against the soles of my feet. My hair is a tangled mess, and my skin feels sticky and clammy.

As I enter the bathroom, I turn on the faucet, adjusting the temperature until it was just right. The steam from the shower envelopes me, and I feel a sense of calm wash over me. The thought of warm water cascading down my body is enough to motivate me to keep going.

I undress slowly, my body protesting every movement. But I am determined to get clean, no matter how much effort it takes.

Finally, I step into the shower, letting out a sigh of relief as the water hit my skin. I close my eyes and let the warmth wash over me, feeling the tension and stress of the past few days melt away. Thirty minutes later as I step out of the shower, I feel renewed and refreshed. The journey from my couch to the bathroom was a difficult one, but it was worth it. I feel like a new person, ready to face the day ahead.

I emerge from the bathroom feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after the hot shower. I quickly wrap myself in a fluffy towel and head to my closet to pick out an outfit.

As I stand in front of my closet, I scan through my clothes. Looking for something comfortable yet stylish to wear. I finally settle on a pair of black leggings and a simple white tank top. I slip on a pair of black ankle boots and head to the mirror to check her reflection. I love what I see in the mirror and I smile.

Satisfied with my outfit, I grab my purse and leave the room. I make a stop at the kitchen table to write down a shopping list. I carefully write down everything I need for the following week, trying to be as efficient as possible.

When I finish, I look at the list and nod in satisfaction. I get up from the table, grab my keys, and head out the door. I turn off the lights and lock the door behind me.

I step into my car and drive down to the shopping mart. I park in the parking lot and grab my shopping list before heading inside. I also grab a cart.

As I walk down the aisles, I carefully check each item off my list. I pick up fresh produce, dairy products, meat, and other essentials. I also decide to treat myself to a few special items, such as a bottle of wine and some fancy cheese.

Once I finish my shopping, I head to the checkout counter. There was a long line, I join and bring out my phone, scrolling through it as I wait my turn. When it was my turn, I pay for my groceries and thank the cashier.

I feel a sense of satisfaction at having completed my weekly errand

as I check out and pay the cashier.

I wheel my cart out of the store and into the bright sunlight of the parking lot. I click my car key and my vehicle beeps, indicating that it was unlocked. I stand at the trunk of my car, unloading the contents of my grocery cart one by one. I carefully place each item in the trunk, making sure everything fit properly. I didn't want anything to get damaged on the way back to my apartment.

As I finish loading the last of my groceries, I look up and see that the parking lot was nearly empty. Most people had already finished their shopping and had gone home. I realize I lost track of time while I was in the mart.

I quickly return my cart to the corral and turn to head back to her car. As I make my way back to my car, I bump into an old couple, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. We attend the same chapel and I haven’t seen them in weeks. They are such a sweet couple, who were friends with my parents before they passed of old age. They always treat me like their own daughter.

We catch up and and I was made to know that they went to visit their son whose wife just had a baby, and chatted for a while before saying their goodbyes. I felt happy seeing them again. I was invited to their house and looked forward to going there.

I check my phone to see the time, it was already 5:30pm. I didn’t know time had passed like that. I unlock my car, get inside and I drive out of the parking lot.

My drive home was quiet, and I enjoyed the peacefulness of the empty streets (Well not so empty, because I saw a young man and woman walking with their dog on the sidewalk not quite long). I listen to some music on the radio, singing along to my favourite songs.

As I approach a stop sign, I notice a car parked on the side of the road with its hazard lights on. I slow down and see a woman standing beside the car, she looks flustered and distressed.

I slow down. I roll down my window and ask, "Do you need any help?"

The woman turns to me, and I could see the tears in her eyes. "I ran out of gas, and I don't have my phone with me," she says. "I don't know what to do."

I immediately offer to help. I pull over to the side of the road and get out of my car. I ask the woman if she needs a ride or if she has a gas can in her car. The woman says she has a gas can, but it was empty. Then I offer to take her to the nearest gas station to fill it up.

We drove to the gas station, and I fill up the gas can for the woman. I then drive her back to her car and help her refill the tank. The woman was incredibly grateful and thanked me multiple times for the simple act of kindness.

I wave goodbye as the woman drives away with a smile on her face, I can’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction that I can help someone in need. I get back into my car and continue my drive home.

As I drive down the quiet streets, I reflect on the night's events.It was a reminder that despite the stresses and difficulties of life, there were still opportunities to make a positive impact on others.

I pull into my driveway and turn off my car, feeling a sense of contentment wash over me. I know that even though I was just one person, I can still make a difference in the world, one small act of kindness at a time.

By the time I arrive at the parking lot of my apartment building after the drive home,I was exhausted. I honestly cannot wait to get inside my warm and cozy apartment. I park my car in my designated spot and got out of the car.

As I walk towards the entrance, I see Mr. Jenkins, the friendly doorman, greeting me with a smile. "Good evening, Olivia. How was your day?" he asks.

I smile back and reply, "It was busy, but I'm glad it's over. How was your day, Mr. Jenkins?"

"It was good, thank you for asking," he said. "Let me get the door for you."

He proceeds to open the door for me. Once he opens the door, I walk into the lobby. I tell him thank you. “Anytime Miss Greene”, he responds. Mr. Jenkins is a really kind man, his family must be lucky to have him. I then make my way towards the elevators, carrying my groceries in hand. I was grateful for the convenience of having a doorman who was always there to assist me.

As I wait for the elevator, I check my phone and see a text from my friend, Jessica. It reads, "Hey girl, what are you up to tonight? Want to grab some drinks?"

I smile at the invitation, but I don’t want to go out, so I quickly reply, "Sounds great! I just got home, how about we have the drinks at mine, what do you say?"

Jessica responds with an enthusiastic "Yes! See you soon." “I’d stop to get mac’ and cheese, and you had better bring out my favourite”, she adds. I laugh, Jessie as I love to call her, is a girls girl. She never disappoints.

The elevator doors open, and I step inside. I press the button for my floor and lean against the wall, I feel relieved that I don’t have to cook dinner tonight. I can just relax and enjoy a night in with my friend.

When I reach my floor, I step out of the elevator and walk towards my apartment. I open the door, step out of my shoes before turning on the lights. I head to the kitchen area and place my groceries on the kitchen counter. I quickly freshen up and change into a more comfortable outfit before heading She changed into her comfortable clothes and checked her phone to see if her friend, Lily, had left yet. To her delight, she had just received a text saying that Lily was on her way.

I decide to make myself a glass of wine while I wait. I chose my favourite bottle, a deep red that I have been saving for a special occasion. It’s also Jessie’s favourite. I pour myself a generous glass and sit down on my couch, savouring the first sip. The wine was rich and velvety, with a hint of dark fruit.

As I’m about to sip my wine, I hear a knock on the door. That must be Jessie, I think to myself. I’m so excited, I rush to answer it, and there’s my girl Jessie looking flushed and excited.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," Jessie says, "There was a bit of traffic on the way over." I tell her it’s fine

I smile and welcome Jessie in. We hug and catch up on each other's lives, eating, sipping wine and chatting like we have always done. Jessie is so full of energy and enthusiasm, and I can't help but feel happy just being around her.

After eating, we decide to watch a movie. We both curl up on the couch, our glasses of wine still in hand. The movie was silly and lighthearted, and we both laugh until our sides hurt.

As the credits roll, I look over at Jessie and realize how lucky I am to have such a great friend. We have been through so much together, and our bond only grew stronger with time.

"Thanks for coming over," I say, clinking my glass against Jessie's.

"Of course," I reply, "Anytime. Especially if you're serving that wine."

We both laugh and finish our glasses, knowing that we would always have each other to share the good times and the bad.