For Julia

Anna’s POV

As I walked down the alley, I was deep in thought, wondering where I would find a new job and how I would take care of my children.

I was already late on this month’s rent and with all the money I had saved up, I was still two hundred dollars short. I needed to find a job quickly, so I pulled out my phone and searched through my contacts for anyone I could call for help or a job opening, but there was no one. However, just as I was about to put my phone back into my purse, an ad popped up on my screen,

[Become a Maid for the Greyson Family - $1,000,000 Salary! 

The Greyson family is looking for experienced and dedicated maids. Enjoy a high reward of $1,000,000. Don’t miss this unique opportunity. Apply today!]

As soon as I saw the ad, a lightbulb lit up in my head. If I could get this job, I’d be able to take better care of my children, guaranteeing more than the basics for them, and also handle all my financial problems. Finally, I could give my kids the kind of life they always deserved.

I thought about sending in my application when I suddenly froze. That name sounded too familiar. Quickly, I searched the internet and just as I thought, it was him, my old boss Mark Greyson. Immediately, a sudden fear gripped me. I had already lost my car model job because his girlfriend assumed I was hitting on him.

Even if I sent in my application, what were the chances that she wouldn’t get me fired again, considering I was even accepted in the first place. 

The ad clearly said they needed an experienced maid, and I had no experience.

I was still contemplating what to do when my phone suddenly beeped, interrupting my train of thought. I quickly answered, seeing it was my home phone.

“Mom! Julia fell and her body is burning up…” my son Derek said, sounding very anxious

“What?! Is she okay?” I asked, panicking, “I'm coming home right now sweetie. Take care of your sister and stay on the phone with me until I arrive.” 

Immediately, I hailed a cab and returned home, paying the driver a little extra to wait for me.

I rushed through the front door of our small apartment, hurriedly picked her up with a few items, and returned to the cab.

As soon as we arrived at the hospital, I rushed to the registration desk, and in a short while, a doctor attended to us “Mommy, is Julia going to be okay?” My second son Donald asked with teary eyes.

I crouched down and held his face in my palms, my heart breaking to see him cry.

“Yes honey, your sister is going to be just fine, the doctor is going to take good care of her alright?” I said, pressing my forehead against his and wiping his tears away.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the doctor to get back to us.

“You’re her mother?” The doctor asked as he approached me.

“Yes, is my baby alright doctor?” I asked, worriedly.

“She’s fine,” he answered, and I felt an air of relief.

“Her temperature had gone up to 39.3 degrees, but I’ve given her some medications and she’s stable now. I’ve also treated the little bump on her head she got from falling. You’ll be able to take her home shortly.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

After going through the report, the doctor adjusted his glasses and lectured me sternly,

“Ms. Anna, you do realize that the reason your daughter fainted and was running a high fever is because she’s not feeding properly and does not have enough strength in her body, right? If you got here a little later, who knows the worse might have happened.”

“You need to feed her with more healthy and nourishing food,” he added, shifting his gaze towards my boys, acutely observing them.

“I know it might not be easy, but you need to do better” 

“I’m sorry doctor, I’m doing my best. I promise I’ll take better care of her. Thank you,” I replied fervently

However, deep down my heart was breaking. I was failing as a mother and things had just taken a turn for the worse. I had no job and was down to my last paycheck with medical bills and rent to pay. How was I going to take care of three children all by myself?

Without even realizing it, a tear slid down my cheeks as my fears overwhelmed me.

“Mommy, are you okay?” Derek asked, looking at me worriedly I quickly wiped off my tears, “Yeah baby, mommy is fine,” I said, willing myself to believe it was true. The truth is I was far from fine, I was drowning in a mess of my mind.

Soon after we returned home, my phone buzzed again It was the same ad from the Greyson family. This time I didn’t feel like there was much to consider, I needed a job, any job. Even if it meant working for my old boss.

However, if I was going to do this, I needed my children to be fine with it, so with that I crouched and gazed directly at their faces,

“Hey babies, there’s this new job mommy is thinking of taking. It’s going to give us a lot of money and we can have everything we want, but she’s going to be working as a maid and I don’t want to do anything that will cause you to be embarrassed of me. 

I know how mean kids can be and I don’t want them to make fun of you because of mommy. So, is that something you will be comfortable with?”

My first son, Derek smiled warmly and placed his hand on my cheeks, “It’s okay mommy. You told us that no job is too small, so if this new job is going to let you take care of Julia so that she doesn’t get sick again, then you should take it.”

At that moment, I beamed with joy. It felt like in the midst of everything that had gone wrong in my life, I had done one thing right raising fine and beautiful children. I couldn’t be prouder, and I no longer felt like a failure.

I patted his head, smiling proudly.

“Wait here, let me go get your sister’s medicine.” 

I went into the kitchen and came back a few moments later with Julia’s medicine and a glass of water

“Mommy I want to watch cartoons on TV,” she asked, fidgeting happily as I sorted out her pills. She was an adorable little girl with beautiful blue eyes that I couldn’t say no to, even though it was a little past their bedtime.

I turned on the TV and went back to organizing her pills, unaware of what was displayed on the TV.

However, shortly after, I heard her voice and it immediately drew my attention,

“Derek, is that our dad? He looks like you.” 

I quickly looked at the TV, my heart racing with curiosity and as soon as I saw his face, I froze in shock.