CHAPTER EIGHT

"I'm so sorry I'm late." I apologized seeing I was an hour late as I quickly took out an apron and put on.

"What happened, your usually early?" Ulanda asked as she quickly shoved food trays onto my hands since it was a morning rush hours.

"Sorry my son is sick so I had to get him drugs and stay with him till he slept. My mom begged me to come to work so she could look after him." I explained as I headed towards the door.

"You better get on the move ladies! It's a battlefield out there!" Swanti shouted as we laughed.

Morning rush was no joking matter and the worst time of the day but it was  the most profitable. It had everyone exhausted when the restaurant was almost empty.

The guys started joking around then one final customer for the morning rush stepped in making Ulanda and Min ho shut up as they opened their mouth in disbelief.

I walked up to the lady whose sense of fashion was amazing.

She wore a grey suit with thick sneakers, clear squared glasses with black frames, her wavy dirty blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders with a white designer's handbag that could possibly buy you a house in Beverly hills with change.

She smelt expensive that I wondered what expensive was doing here.

"Good morning. Are you ready to order?" I asked as I took out a notepad and pen. 

"Quesadilla and a bottle of Limon Jarritos." She ordered brilliantly as I wrote down her order before collecting her meal.

The squeal I got from a few Ulanda and Min ho the moment I told Dimitri the order almost deafened my ears.

"I can't believe you actually had the balls to talk to her?!" Ulanda said in excitement as Veronica scoffed, walking out and sitting opposite the customer.

"She's her girlfriend." Min ho explained as I stared back at both Veronica and the older lady laughing.

"Who is she anyway?" I asked as everyone except Dimitri gasped like he was used to it.

"Katherine Argent is a famous fashion designer and editor of the Beauty is Pride magazine. It's the first rated and popular magazine in the world and if she takes an interest in you, you become a success." Ulanda gossiped as she dropped in my hands a pride magazine which I lazily opened and dropped.

"Is it me or do I think you mostly buy the magazine as a fapping material because all the guys are sex on sight." Swanti said as Ulanda collected the magazine with a proud blush and a mischievous smirk proving Swanti right.

"How did Veronica end up with her?" I asked as I packed my head into a messy ponytail and collected the order from Dimitri.

"V's elder sis is Katherine's best friend." Min ho explained and I nodded before leaving.

Veronica passed me by with a smile on her face as I walked to Miss Katherine's table and dropped her food.

I was going to leave when she pointed at the chair opposite her.

"Sit." She commanded and I sat. 

"You have a nice figure and talent. I've been watching you and Rony put a lot of good words about you when I asked. Would you like to be my model? The pay is good and the experience is one not to forget." She said with a straight face as she pointed her knife at me then smiled.

"Uhm but I don't really have any experience and knowledge about modeling. Hell I still confuse Adidas for Nike!" I panicked at the offer as she laughed and took a bite of her food.

"I like you and I want you. I always enjoy playing fresh meat in the business and cooking it to the main course."

"But I also love my work here." I confessed as she nodded to my confession.

"I'm aware. How about this? You can continue to work here but when I need you, you drop work for the day and dedicate yourself to the shoot. Each shoot you take, I'll pay you for it and I guarantee you won't regret it." She said with a lot of enthusiasm as her eyes sparkled, showing her passion and crave for her job.

I paused in thought thinking about it. I needed the money plus modeling gives me the opportunity to wear new clothes for free and who knows, it could be the change I was looking for.

This wasn't been the first time I've been scouted for the job but the circumstances then were different from now.

Also this company was legit and if Veronica put in good words for me, it meant it was actually a great place to be.

"Okay. I'll do it." I said as I heard shouts from the kitchen before silence as I covered my face in embarrassment.

"You won't regret picking me. When Veronica showed me a picture of the staff outing, you really caught my attention. Give me your phone." She demanded and I brought my phone out and gave it to her.

She quickly dialed her number and called her phone. Saving her name as Katty in my phone before paying for the meal and leaving. I kept on staring at the cat emoji she added beside her name. Opposites do attract in Veronica and Miss Katherine's case.

Work was hell because everyone except Veronica, chief and Dimitri kept bothering me.

They hosted me a congratulation party as though I was leaving but I don't think I could because it was fun and I loved everyone here as though they were family.

It was nice seeing Dimitri drunk and cheerful and the chief was motivated enough to take him home. Note, I don't drink alcohol or alcoholic related beverages.

"I'm home!" I shouted as I took off my shoes, entering into the house in my flip flops and quickly going to my room where Ren laid. 

Edith was at his side as she changed the cooling pad while Ren struggled to breathe.

His face was painfully flushed, his eyes closed in exhaustion as his tiny chest swelled up and down. Ren looked like he was in pain that I had to drop everything in my hands and go to his side.

"His not improving, we'll have to take him to the hospital." Edith weary voice hit my chest hard as I checked the time.

Finding a vehicle this late was going to be extremely difficult.

Ren wasn't even looking better and if anything happened to him, I would simply stop existing.

"I'll see if I can find any help." I said as I bolted out of the room, taking my coat and forgetting to put on shoes.

I ran the pavements searching the road for a vehicle. Even when I saw a few and waved for them to stop, they kept on driving like it didn't matter.

I felt helpless as tears fell down my face and the closest hospital was ten kilometers from here. It wouldn't help if Ren was exposed to the cold.

I fell on my knees in the centre of the lonely road as I cried, praying to God, anything out there to help my son.

I lost my family, my husband so I couldn't lose my only son. He was all that I had from my dead husband.

It was then my phone rang and I quickly answered without checking the ID.

"Hello." I cried as I cleaned my eyes.

"Sora. Your crying? Are you hurt? Did something happen?" Elias asked as I stood up from the ground, cleaning my cold face.

"Ren. I need help, please help me." I begged as I clung to the phone.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at home. Please come quick, Ren is sick." I begged and he instructed me things I should do while assuring me to calm down.

I quickly ran home, getting heating pads and placing it underneath Ren's lungs. 

We heard the doorbell as Edith went to get the door for Elias who sighed in relief when he saw I was okay.

The moment he saw Ren, he switched to doctor mode as he dropped his briefcase. 

I watched as he set up a drip stand with a hanger in the room as he injected the needle into Ren's vein.

He brought out a stethoscope and started to check out Ren's chest with so much dedication.

If I wasn't a worrying mess, I would comment on how hot he looked with his messy hair and serious face while he was in doctor mode.

"Sora you need to calm down, he just came down with a bad case of pneumonia and the drugs prescribed weren't for pneumonia. He'll be better by tomorrow and stronger in a few days." He explained as I and Edith sighed in relief.

"I'm gonna watch my grand sugar while you both can talk." Edith said as she pushed us both out of the room and closed it behind her.

I bowed my head and closer my eyes while Elias blinked in confusion.

"Thank you so much for helping us. I know I should have called the ambulance but I panicked and everything was so unclear but I'm grateful you drove all the way down here for my problem." I said as I slowly rised, looking at Elias who smiled.

"To be honest, I'm glad you actually told me. I wish for you to rely a little more on me after all, before friends we're family." He said as I blushed in response.

"Well is there anyway I can repay you? It wouldn't sit right with me if I just let you leave with nothing in return." I offered and quickly wished I didn't when his eyes sparkled in joy.

"Go out with me."

"Like a date?"

"Yes. I'm not saying like a couple or something just as friends and if you like it, you'll go out with me again." He said as I hummed in thought.

"Well you did save my son's life so why not. You pick a date, time and location and I'll be there." I responded as I scratched my hair nervously.

"Okay, I'll text. I better get home, I left a sleeping Asa with my brother alone." He said and I walked him to his car.

"Have a great night. I'll see you soon." Elias said as he started the engine

"Goodnight. Greet Asa for me." I replied as he drove off while I walked into the house, closing the door behind me when his car was out of sight.

Thank you God for creating a man like Elias. Felicia has no idea how fortunate she is.