C18 SHADOWS OF THE PAST.

“I had no idea I’d get to see you again,” the female voice continued, dripping with an eerie tone as she stood before Laura and blocked her path.

The woman’s posture was confident, almost as if she were relishing the moment, and there was a sinister gleam in her eyes as she looked directly at Laura.

Laura came to an abrupt stop, a bitter wave of familiarity engulfed her.

This was one of the women who had conspired against her in her last workplace, the very same women who had accused her of stealing, resulting in her disgracing firing.

It seemed incredibly cruel that they would have to meet again.

The woman’s figure somehow interfered with the space that was supposed to be empty between them. She smiled with mischief all over her face, as if warming up to Laura’s discomfort.

Motioning step with one foot forward, she studied Laura with unsettling intensity and narrowed eyes.

“Did you have to stalk me again?” Laura lashed out her voice a little sharp, irritation painted on every word. The anger she had been containing all this while was beginning to spill over. “Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” She asked in an edgy voice. “First you get me fired and now you insist on living all over me? What else do you expect from me?”.

Laura’s vision blurred as rage filled her deeper feelings, pained by the fresh scars of gradual fatal embarrassments forged in the past that broke her chest.

She felt naked, weak before this lady who once had the ability to ruin her completely. And still, the feeling of steadiness at that moment was nothing compared to the rage that was boiling in her.

The woman merely lolled her head to one side and widened her smile as if finding entertainment in Laura’s display of anger.

“Relax,” she purred, her voice almost mocking. “I didn’t even know you’d be here, darling.” She leaned in slightly, her tone venomous. “But don’t worry, we’ll see each other again, won’t we?”.

A flash of heat burned in Laura’s chest, and she took a step back, feeling her blood boil.

"I’m giving you a warning," She snarled as she kept her voice low and steady but menacing. "Get away from me and everything that has to do with me!".

Her words were a desperate plea, but she knew deep down that the woman wouldn’t back down. The harm was irreparable, and now it appeared that Laura would be haunted by the ghost of this person for the rest of her days.

Laura cast a gaze on her brother, Daniel, who was positioned a few steps behind her, looking anxious and pale in face.

She turned to him with a sense of danger in her voice, saying, “Come with me."

She had to leave before this encounter escalated any further. But just as she began to walk away, the woman’s voice called after her, chilling and mocking.

“Being fierce doesn’t change the fact that you were kicked out of work, Laura!” the woman taunted. Her words stung like a slap, the reminder of Laura’s fall from grace settling in her mind like a poison. “See you around, Laura!” The woman’s laughter echoed in Laura’s ears as she walked away, her grip on Daniel tightening.

As they hurried into the hospital, Laura’s thoughts swirled with anxiety and dread, the past wasn’t just behind her; it seemed to follow her, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike again.

The hospital corridors felt cold, the fluorescent lights flickering overhead as Laura and Daniel made their way toward the ward where their mother lay unconscious.

Laura’s heart raced with every step, each moment stretching painfully as she prayed that her mother would wake up.

“Laura… we’ve been waiting for you,” the doctor said and stepped into her path as she and Daniel neared the ward where their mother was.

“I need to see my mother right now, please, take me to her,” Laura begged, gripping Daniel’s hand tightly.

“Right after you, miss,” the doctor responded, gesturing toward the room.

Laura and Daniel hurried inside, with the doctor following them closely.

“Mom… Mom!” Laura cried out as she spotted her mother lying motionless. “Mom… Please wake up,” she sobbed, leaning over her mother’s chest, her tears flowing freely.

“Take it easy, Laura. She’ll be awake soon,” the doctor reassured her. “We’ve given her medication to help bring her around. She should be up in about half an hour,” he added, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder to calm her.

“But please, hurry with the money,” the doctor continued. “We’ve already done all we can for you and your family.” He spoke in a measured tone, but his words carried weight. “We stopped taking collateral a while back because of problems with other patients, but I’ve made an exception for you.”

“I promise, sir, the money will be ready soon,” Laura pleaded, casting a desperate glance at her mother, whose eyes remained closed. She whispered softly, “Mom, please don’t leave us. Stay with us. You’ll be fine soon.”

“Please, just a little more time,” Laura begged the doctor once more, before pressing a gentle kiss to her mother’s forehead. With Daniel and the doctor at her side, she left the ward.

“I have to go now. I’m late for work, but I had to see my mom,” Laura said to the doctor, pulling Daniel close as she spoke.

“Daniel, please… I understand it’s a lot to ask at the moment, but please, just keep an eye on Mom. I’m doing all that I can to secure the funds and in no time, we are leaving this place. She will be fine, and we will be okay,” she uttered and embraced him fiercely before she departed with a wave.

“Goodbye, Laura,” Daniel whispered and walked back into the ward with the doctor.

Laura rushed out of the hospital and into a taxi as her mind raced.

***

On the ride to work, she made a decision. She would take the secretary job at the clothing company, the one that had been offered to her through an email. At that point, it was her only option.

The hospital expenses required a more significant amount of money, and it was becoming a matter of urgency.

When Laura entered the cafe, she was burdened in her heart and her face was overshadowed with darkness. She stepped inside almost totally exhausted as if the last drop of energy had been drained out of her.

The very sight of her mother in such a state had traumatized her to the very depths of her soul, an unforgettable mark carved into her.

Her thoughts trailed off as Jerry’s voice interrupted. The concern in his voice pulled her out of descending into a spiral of overthinking.

“I’ve been so worried, Laura,” “Where have you been? You haven’t been answering my calls.” His eyes searched hers, filled with a quiet desperation. “Did I do something wrong?” He asked, as though their conversation the day before still lingered between them.

Laura swallowed hard, her throat tightening. She had no time for this right now. There was only one thing on her mind, the state of her mother. But she owed Jerry an explanation. She had to say something.

“W - Well... I got a message from the hospital very early this morning,” she pointed out, her voice quaking with noticeable emotion. She inched her palm towards her eyes to dry them and continued, “The doctor said that my mother was not responding. That I needed to get there as soon as possible.”

Jerry looked over at her and displayed a look that was a balance of sympathy and worry.

“Oh my God, I am really sorry,” he muttered and waved his hand over to her in an attempt to console her. His hand was warm, yet due to the chilly nature of the cafe, the warmth seemed far off. “How is she now?” He inquired softly.

“She’s still unconscious but the doctor said they have done something to revive her,” Laura said, her voice very thin and fragile. “They also mentioned that she should break out of her slumber in about an hour.”

She took one long breath and squeezed her eyelids shut for one second, attempting to take comfort in the doctor’s statement, although it was difficult to be comforted by since her mother was lying still in the hospital bed.

“Jerry… I have made up my mind,” she stated, her voice low and almost noiseless. The words were hard to utter, but it had to be done. “I am taking the position of secretary. The one that came in that email”.

An abnormal skip occurred in Jerry’s heart and he halted his breathing. The dread that had been rotting inside of him from the moment she spoke of that employment came flooding back.

“The secretary job?” He repeated, his voice strained. His mind immediately went to Fred, the man who had offered her the position. He couldn’t imagine Laura working for someone like him. It terrified him.

“Yes, that one,” Laura confirmed, her eyes distant as she spoke. “I have to take it, Jerry. I need the money. My mom’s bills… they’re piling up, and I don’t have any other choice.”

Jerry’s brow furrowed with worry. He knew what kind of man Fred was. He didn’t want Laura anywhere near him. “When are you going for the interview?” He asked, his voice tight with concern.

“Tomorrow,” Laura replied, nodding. “The address was in the email. “ I know I'll locate it. At this point in time, it is the only thing that seems logical to me.’’ There was a fragile quaver in her voice while she spoke, making decisions was never straightforward.

Jerry caught the meaning in her words. There was an urgency in them, but there was nothing he could do to ease her discomfort and that made him uneasy because there was no way he could bear that.

Jerry asked, clearly doubtful, “But what are you going to say to our boss?” “I mean, you have only been working here for a while, or rather, for a short time. What will he say?”.

More tears surged in Laura’s eyes as she turned to him, the conflict on her face a mix of fear and determination. “I don’t know, Jerry. I don’t know if he is going to buy it. I just… I don’t want to leave a bad impression on another job again.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Jerry said and put his hand on her shoulder. “I will speak with him. I will sort something out and everything will be alright. Just remember to take care of yourself and do what you have to, we will sort the rest out later.”

“Thanks, Jerry,” Laura said, almost choking on the words in her attempt to be normal. She even managed to thank him with a small, strained smile. “I appreciate it.”

As they both were readying to go back to work, the sound of quiet coffee cups touching each other was heard. Jerry got back to the counter and took the cups to arrange them on the shelf because the worry that was eating him was unbearable, and he was trying to fight it.

Laura stayed in silence and remained still, tucked in her thoughts.

She hardly registered the entrance and exit of customers as she was already overwhelmed with other tasks that had to be accomplished. They were heavy on her.

And then all of a sudden, her confusion was pierced by a voice almost as if the voice was cutting through every other sound in the background.

“Excuse me, can I also have a cup of coffee with some cinnamon in it, please?” The voice intoned confidently.

Laura turned in the direction of the sound, her heart almost stopping when she realized that the voice was uncomfortably recognizable. She looked up and gasped.

In front of her stood a person she never believed she would encounter once more. Her hands balled into fists at her waist as she was overtaken by emotions of surprise and partial disbelief.

The same face she knew so well, the same arctic look.

The man who had caused all her troubles.

A strangled breath remained imprisoned in her windpipe, and without her permission, the steaming mug of coffee in her hand slipped out of her fingers and crashed on the ground.

The sound was distinct as it echoed around the cafe, a harsh portent that signaled her world was on the verge of crumbling once more.