Against all odds

Rosaria's punctuality had faltered, a rarity that pricked at her conscience. Her mom and Monica, the two single most important people in her life, talked and laughed as they had breakfast. But as the sole breadwinner of their household, she couldn’t relax. She held her work in high regard, and her tardiness provoked a gnawing anxiety. It was an anomaly she despised, one that fueled the whispers of her colleagues. To them, it was more ammunition for their misguided belief that she held a favored status with Daniel. Yes, Daniel treated her kindly, akin to kinship, but only because of the close bond he shared with her late father. Yet, her colleagues remained blind to the relentless effort she poured into her responsibilities. The truth was, her devotion to her job was unwavering, a passion that burned whether or not it was bestowed upon her. Beyond the polished surface of corporate life, in the embrace of her home, Rosaria grappled with her identity as the perceived favorite. As she got ready to leave for work, she vented to her mom and her sister in the kitchen, while making a cup of coffee for herself. “I’ve had enough of my colleagues, to be honest. It doesn’t even matter what I do at this point. Rose is spoiled, Rose is ungrateful, Rose doesn’t deserve it, that’s all they want to see. They don’t see me pulling the most sales month in and month out… and I’m not even in sales? Shit.” In her tantrum, she’d burnt her finger with the hot water she was pouring into her flask. She kissed her teeth as she rinsed her hand under the tap. “It is just so draining mama-“ “I know my love, but this is life. Life isn’t in any way fair.” Her mother came up from her seat to finish up the cup for her. “You’re a young Latina woman in an industry dominated by white men, it’s hard, and all the odds are against you. But what did your father and I raise you to do?” She turned around and leaned back against the sink with Rose’s flask in her hand, looking her dead in the eye with a pointed eye. “To beat all odds.” “Yes, and beat all the odds you shall my love. Go to work and make us some money will you?” “Yes, mama.” Rose half smiled, half laughed as she hugged her mom goodbye. She hugged her sister as well and burst out laughing as she walked out. “If you have to, maybe physically beat some of the white men at work.” She blew her family a kiss again and closed the door. As soon as she stepped out though, she started rushing. She couldn’t express it to her mom because she valued their morning family times, but she was running late. Her family causing her to be late was so ironic, as they were the same reason she just couldn’t afford to be late. Exceeding five tardy marks meant incurring fines, a prospect she couldn't bear. In this month alone, the tally had already reached three, and it wasn't even mid-April. The weight of providing for her family of three pressed heavier each day. Her love for her mother and her sole sibling, Monica, was immeasurable. Yet, being their sole provider was a stress that mounted. The pressure escalated further with her mother's diagnosis of high blood pressure. The added responsibilities of care, medication, and dietary adjustments stretched her thin, often keeping her up late into the night and pulling her out of bed early in the morning—contributing to her recurrent lateness. These were valid reasons, substantial burdens she bore silently. However, sympathy was a rarity her colleagues seemed unwilling to grant. Amidst the bustling office, Rosaria's desk stood as a fortress of organization. A vantage point that invited scrutiny from her envious colleagues. Internally, she rolled her eyes at their pettiness. Dropping her bag, she settled into her seat with a sigh. Her heart drummed a frantic rhythm, her chest constricting. She opened up her laptop and started a couple of odd tasks here and there, stalling for time till Mr Ford came to work. Mr. Ford’s absence was an unusual occurrence that disturbed the usual cadence of her workplace. Although the founder, owner, and CEO of the company, he was also very diligent and responsible. These traits that made him the powerful man he was. Over the next couple of hours, her colleagues would sneakily ask her about the whereabouts of her immediate boss. “Where’s the boss Rose?” “Mr. Ford didn’t tell you why he would be late today? Shocking, I thought he told you everything.” “Rosaria, girl, I’m so proud of you for not falling apart without Mr. Ford this morning! Be sure to tell him how strong you were today, okay? While you’re having your daily ‘meetings.’” That last one was made by Suzie, Rose’s most bitter and disrespectful colleague. Suzie was so interesting to Rose because if they were anywhere else, they’d probably be friends. They were both young, although Rose was a bit younger, Suzie was smart and hardworking, just like Rose, and she was good at her job, no one with eyes could deny that. But her attitude stunk. Reeked of envy as green as moss. But Rosaria was used to all the digs. And she responded to all of them with a small smile and wave of her hand, she could never let the haters get to her. Mr. Ford eventually came in, guns blazing, “Everyone to the conference room! Special announcement! Conference room, now, now, now.” Accompanying each word with a clap or a slap of his hand on a door or desk. In about 20 minutes, all the staff had gathered in the conference room. During this time, Rosaria had sought out Mr. Ford, hoping to get a clue as to why he was late. But he told her nothing except, “Wait and see young Rose.” with a wink, clapping his hands and banging doors and desks here and there. Unperturbed, she took her place at the seat to the right of the CEO’s seat, waiting patiently. When he finally came in, he sat down with a large smile and folded his hands under his chin, peering at his staff. “Everyone- I’m retiring.” Rosaria turned her head around so fast she got whiplash. He smiled and winked at her shocked face. An expression that everyone around the room and table mirrored. “It’s shocking, I know. Short notice as well, there’s a lot of paperwork to be done.” Rosaria was only half listening. She felt the excitement tingling all over her body. Maybe finally, she will get a promotion. There was going to be a change in the system, and higher roles would need filling, so she could get a promotion! But as she listened, her dreams for that promotion slowly faded away from her mind- “And my son Andres is coming back home from London to take over after me.” Rosaria imagined the entire room hearing her heart shatter into a thousand tiny pieces. Who? What? The news carried a different weight. Tears welled in her eyes, both out of the fear of losing her position and from the knowledge that she was bidding farewell to a connection that had anchored her to the company. Daniel had been a father figure, and the prospect of working without him felt like navigating a ship without a guiding star. Dark clouds gathered over Rose’s head. Andres. A name that dripped with arrogance and privilege, Andres embodied the very traits she had hoped to escape. And yet, the threads of necessity bound her to him—Rosaria's role as the family's breadwinner cast her into a dance where survival took precedence. The meeting ended after countless questions and side remarks from colleagues hoping to hear something about Rose’s position. It took everything for Rose not to cry, she could feel an anxiety attack at the very corners of her mind and body. Immediately after the meeting ended, she dashed out of the conference room to the bathroom, to gather herself. After a minute or two of controlled breathing, her tears had dried up. She walked out of the stall and looked at herself in the mirror. She used her beauty puff to brighten her face again and fluffed up her lashes. Reapplying lip gloss, she c****d her head and straightened her shoulders. “Beat all the odds, Rose.” Rosaria walked out of the bathroom with a bright smile on her face and walked straight into the crowd of people surrounding Mr Ford. “Congratulations on your retirement Mr. Ford! Bring on all of that paperwork.”