3 To Survive

“It’s a little bit too early for that. I haven’t gotten the job yet. Oh, you should come in,” I replied as I smiled back at her and motioned for her to enter.

Auntie Jane walked in carrying a bag and patted my arm on her way in. I closed the door after her and gestured for her to take a seat on the sofa. Our apartment was small so there wasn’t much space to welcome guests which was why we hardly ever invited anyone over.

Auntie Jane was an exception because to my mother, she was like an older sister in every way, and to me, she was like my second mother. She helped keep an eye on me when my mother was away working when I was younger since she only lived next door. Auntie Jane lives alone and doesn’t have children of her own, so it was pretty natural that we quickly became like family.

“Dinner is ready!” my mother called out from the kitchen with perfect timing.

“I’ll help!” I called back as I hurried into the kitchen to help carry out the plates.

“Is Jane here yet?” my mother asked energetically. It was clear that she was in a splendid mood.

“Yes. She just got here,” I replied smoothly as I helped my mother bring the food.

“Monica! Your food smells so good as always. I’m here to congratulate your dear daughter in person! I’m so proud! I’m so happy!” Auntie Jane said happily as she clapped her hands together.

Once we were all seated at the dining table, we chatted while eating dinner together. It’s moments like these that I think that despite all of life’s hardships, I am pretty lucky. We were poor, but we were happy enough. I have these remarkable women, whom I consider family, right here.

“Oh, I almost forgot. I brought these shoes here so you can wear them to your interview. You don’t have formal leather shoes, right?” Auntie Jane said as she handed me the shoe box she had extracted from her bag earlier.

“Oh wow…thank you so much,” I replied genuinely.

She was right. I hadn’t figured out what to wear to the interview and didn’t have proper shoes for the occasion. We could have afforded something, but the budget this month was tight.

“They’re not new or anything, but they’re mine and are still in pretty good condition. It would be best if you tried them on. I think we’re about the same size…” Auntie Jane said.

“Thank you. I’ll try them on. They should fit well, no worries. You’re a lifesaver as always!” I said with a bright smile.

Now, I need to find some appropriate work attire. A simple white shirt with a a black skirt and matching suit would do.

Since the interview news came in, I had been so happy that the stress hadn’t sunk in. However, now that some time had passed, I realized that there were many things I needed to do to prepare for the interview. I had to get the proper clothing, shoes, and make-up before preparing for the interview.

I took a deep breath before stuffing more of my mother’s home-cooked food into my mouth.

I can do this!

…

Later that night, I lay in my bed with the lamp on as I read the content of the interview invitation letter in detail. It wasn’t that late at night, but my mother had already fallen asleep on her bed on the other side of the room. Tomorrow was another working day for her; getting up early was the norm. I tried to stay as silent as possible so as not to disturb her much-needed rest.

I clutched the invitation letter tightly and told myself that this was happening. The opportunity that I had worked so hard for is here right in front of me. If I can get this job, I can give my mother a better life. Hopefully, she will have a life where she can retire and stop working so hard.

It wasn’t an easy road lined with red rose petals for me to get here up to this point. Since we were poor, I had to work extra hard at life. I knew we couldn’t afford the school fees and other expenses related to my going to school, which meant that the only choice I had was to study my ass off so that I could secure a scholarship. I was a scholarship student through school.

Being a scholarship student meant that I had to maintain my grades, work for the school, and support the teachers. I did all that willingly to lessen the burden on my mother, hoping that one day, my efforts would bear fruit that would lead me to a promising career.

I hardly had time for romance during school because, unlike my other friends, I had to work multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. I would work part-time jobs after school and during the weekends. After my part-time jobs, I would study long into the night to keep my grades above the scholarship requirements. I believed that if I worked hard and dedicated my effort, I would one day successfully support my mother.

I started dating a couple of guys during high school, but none of those relationships lasted long; the same thing happened in university. I had to work many part-time jobs to make ends meet and didn’t have the time to spend with my boyfriend.

In the end, most of them just broke up with me or cheated on me with another girl who had more time for them. At one point, I started believing that there must be something wrong with me. I can’t seem to keep a guy, and my family situation didn’t help.

By the time I was in my final year of university, I had been dating and sleeping around with so many guys without success in a real relationship that I finally gave up on finding the right guy for me entirely. Perhaps it was because I needed more effort or the intention to focus on those relationships that led to its failure. However, I couldn’t help it. I needed to put my studies and my family’s financial stability first, so until I landed a full-time job, my love life had to take a back seat.

I didn’t realize it when I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. When I opened my eyes again, it was already morning. Looking towards my mother’s bed, I found it empty, meaning that my mother had already left for work. I stretched and yawned before slapping my cheeks with the palms of my hand.

Focus, Rina! Today’s the day that I go out to scourge the secondhand stores for the perfect suit, skirt, and blouse for my job interview. Although the invitation letter was for an interview, the first screening of the process was a written examination. I must pass it no matter what!

Regardless, proper business clothing was required because the interview was right after the written examination. I quickly showered, dressed, and headed for the nearby shopping district. It was the weekend, so the shopping streets were busy and filled with people. I quickly headed towards the secondhand clothing store that I had in mind. I knew the owner and had bought clothes from this shop before so hopefully she could help me find what I needed and give me a little discount.

“Hey, Rina! How are things? Looking for anything specific today?” the auntie who ran the store asked me cheerfully. It was amazing how she could be so energetic at her age.

“Yes. I have an interview, so it’d be great if I could get a suit and a skirt…a white shirt…” I replied with a smile.

--To be continued…