His Lost Love

Chapter 5: A generous proposition

"No, Em, I'm not mistaken but the thing is..." She paused with a sigh as if she had difficulty saying what it was she wanted to say.

"I'm so sorry, Em, but we have to let you go" She continued as I just blinked at her, surprised.

Was she trying to tell me that I no longer had a job?

"You know the diner has not been doing too well and I can no longer afford to keep this many employees" She said with a sad look on her face.

And you decided that it would be best to lay me off because you knew that I was the only one who would leave without saying even a word to you.

"But Carla, it was a bit crowded today in the afternoon" I said, my voice almost cracking as I tried convincing her that the diner might do well in the future and she could afford to keep me.

"Such days are exception, Em" She replied as I just nodded trying to keep my tears at bay before leaving without saying another word any further.

As I walked out of the diner after grabbing a free sandwich, which the chef gave me as a parting gift after knowing that I won't be returning the next day, I realized that it has started to snow outside. It was quite dark and if that wasn't enough to scare the shit out of me, the streets were empty too.

Not wanting to stay out too long, I quickly walked upto the nearest bus stop, hoping that the bus would arrive soon.

I was so freaking tired working all day long...working not just my shift but my friend's too. I wonder if Cindy already knew about this arrangement...I mean if she did then that says so much about our friendship, doesn't it?

My tiredness and the fact that I didn't have a job anymore...the fact that I would wake up the next morning and wouldn't have anywhere to go or anything to do, was finally taking a toll on me.

How was I going to tell my parents that I lost my job? How would they take it? We barely make a living out of mine and my father's salary, we have numerous bills to pay. My mother used to work but due to her health conditions, my father suggested that she has worked all her life and now it was time for her to stay back home and rest.

And since then all the financial burden has fallen on mine and my father's shoulder.

I'll have to look for a job as soon as possible, starting tomorrow morning as it would be stupid to sit around and mope over the fact that I was now unemployed.

My stomach grumbled, snapping me out of my thoughts and it was just then that I realized that I haven't eaten anything since this morning. Looking down at the sandwich in my hand, that was now cold due to the weather out here, I smiled.

Well, at least I got a free sandwich.

As I devoured the sandwich, I couldn't help but wonder that why was it taking so long for the bus to arrive? And was it even going to come in the first place?

I would have reached home by now if I walked instead of sitting here and waiting for the bus. But then there's also this fact that I was scared to walk home alone.

As I finished having my sandwich, a black coloured car passed by in a rather less speed before taking a halt a few steps further from the bus stop and that got me alarmed.

As scary as it was walking home alone at this hour, it was equally dangerous and stupid sitting here alone, waiting for the bus that was most probably never gonna arrive.

Deciding to walk home instead, I got up and started walking in quick steps when the car that had stopped a little further from the bus stop, began moving backwards.