C1 You are strong and brave

Five days later

"Why don't you stop crying Tara, look at what you have turned yourself into, come over here and eat your meal" Mrs Maria said.

"No I don't want any food, I don't want anything else apart from my Pa, I want him." I cried

"20 thousand dollars, 20 thousand dollars, where on earth can I get such an amount of money from... " I asked myself.

"Don't worry yourself too much, we will figure it out okay....., your Pa will be fine, nothing bad is going to happen to him, he will be fine okay... " she said.

"Just come up here, stand up okay and stop drooling yourself over it." She added.

She made me stand up and sat me on the sofa. I have been crying and have starved myself for days, from the day my Pa was taken to the hospital.

All thanks to Mrs Maria, who has been on our side the day my mom left my dad and I. My dad was traumatized and from then it has been from one illness to the other.

And now he was diagnosed with Cancer of the lungs. It's eating him up already, he has been in the hospital for about five days, to be treated and getting ready for a surgery, but there is still a bigger problem.

"Tara?" Mrs Maria called.

I looked up to meet her gaze

"Don't worry we will sort it out okay, just clean up your eyes"

"I have some little money in my savings, I have saved that for years but I can give you so we could look for other money and add up for your pa's surgery. "

"I have 5 thousand dollars, that's my life savings" She added.

"Thank you so much Mrs Maria" I smiled, she came close to comfort me.

She is such a kind woman, how much does she earn? She is just a high school teacher, and I am sure she has other responsibilities, but that money is so huge, she just made this sacrifice for us.

"I have an idea of how to get the remaining balance from...." I paused

"So where do you intend to get it from?" She asked curiously

"Do you intend to get a loan from a government firm, or a private firm?" She asked again

"No....none of that," I gestured

"I saw an advertisement about a job that would pay at least 1 thousand dollars for 6 hours everyday. At least if I could do that for a few days, I will be able to get what I want. "

"What!!" She screamed

"Who would pay such an amount of money for every 6 hours, that huge, are you sure this job is good? It might be an agent trying to train young people for assassination"

She came and sat close to me.

"Listen, I have been in this city for over 25 years and I know most of the organizations here, none can afford to pay that kind of huge amount of money to a staff member in a month, that's huge... " she added.

"No.......it's not in this town, I found it in the internet, its located at las Vegas, I saw the advert two days ago" I replied

"And have you made some inquiry about it......" She swung her hands

"I mean what kind of job is that?" She asked.

"I don't really know the kind of job that would give such huge amount of money, but it's a good one am sure of that, it's just a club maybe I will employed as a bartender or something else, as a matter of fact I can do anything to make sure my dad gets well."

"Yes I know you are such a strong and brave girl, I am sure after this your father will be proud of you." She replied and patted me

"Com on here, take... eat it" She offered me hot dogs

"Thank you" I replied after taking it in.

"So when do you intend to go to Las Vegas, and do you have a place to stay for the days you will be working?"

"I will be leaving tomorrow, but the agency will give me a house to live, that was what I was told"

"Okay very good then I will give you some amount of money so that you can use it to get some clothes, you know you need to look real good when you are going for a job for the first time." She offered.

"Oh my God, you don't have to do all that for me, you have done so much already, we have been living with you for the past 3 months, just after my mom's funeral, you fed and clothed us, how can I thank you for all this."

"No, don't have to thank or repay me for all of this, your mom and I have been good friends from childhood, I knew very well how the death of your mother affected you and your dad, but this is the best way I can help you."

"Can I ask you for something?"

"Sure you can Tara..."

"Give this to my dad when next you go and pay him a visit at the hospital." I handed her a letter I wrote for my Dad.

"What? I hope you are not trying to commit suicide, are you?"

"No..... Am not, I don't want to go and see him again, I always get too emotional when I see him lying helplessly on that bed, I don't want to lose anyone again, I can't imagine how my life would be without my Dad......" A tear came down from my eye.

"Com on.... Don't do this to yourself, your father won't be happy if he finds out you're still sad about everything, just cheer up, I can assure you everything will be fine, cheer yourself up and make your father proud." She advised

"Get up.... up up...., on your feet Tara, go in and shower" She took me up and started pushing me upstairs to freshen up.

I missed mom so much, this past three months has not been really nice without Mom. This is always what she does whenever I am sad. I promise you Mom things will become better, and I promise you Dad, I will make sure you get back on your feet again.

"Com on now Tara..... Hurry up." She screamed when she realized I have begin to take a long time in the bathroom