Page 84 of SnowBound

Miranda came to me the moment I entered the house. “Abby, where have you been?” she asked. “You looked sadder than you did a few days ago. How is that even possible?”

I was about to go to my room to avoid this conversation when she tugged at my arm. “Come on. I made pastry and tea. I was on kitchen duty today. Let’s chat.”

I swallowed. “I’m not really in the mood for a talk right now.”

“No getting out of this. I’m sure I can help you.”

Too tired to protest, I followed her to the kitchen. She made me a plate and poured me some tea before we sat on old wooden stools beside each other at the kitchen counter. The cupboards had been painted a soothing teal hue. The black and white checker floor gave the room a retro vibe. A large window opening to the backyard let a lot of light in. The faint scent of lemon floated in the air, bringing a touch of freshness to the entire house, reminding me of cold lemonade on summer days.

“Still looking for a job?” Miranda asked.

I sighed, and my shoulders slouched forward. “Yeah. Nobody wants to hire a pregnant nineteen-year-old college dropout.”

She squeezed my hand. “Been there. I was twenty-three, but I get it. Ever thought of working from home?”

“What do you mean?”

“Virtual assistant. It’s like a personal assistant job, but you do it remotely. You can take as many clients as you wish, as many hours as you want, and fit your schedules around your obligations.”

“Can I make enough money to afford an apartment and stuff?”

“Yes. As I said, you choose what works best for you. One of my clients, a food truck owner, is looking to add hours and I’m overbooked, I can’t take any more. I could give him your name if you want. The salary is decent, and all you gotta do is update his social media feeds every day, sometimes thrice a day, reply to his emails, and answer customers’ inquiries. Once a week, you fill out orders with his suppliers. He has just bought two more trucks, so he needs all the help he can get during the day, as he’s busy cooking and dealing with all the accounting stuff and employees.”

“You serious? You would refer me?”

“Totally. You look like a girl with a head on her shoulders who needs a break. To make some money to get out of here, you gotta be organized, efficient, and reliable. And the more clients you get, the more money you make.”

“Wow. When can I start?”

“Let me talk to him. Since I already work for him, I could help with the transition. I’m sure you could be fully set by next Monday.”

I clasped my hands together, and for the first time since I moved here, something resembling happiness clung to me. And the sky—and my future—didn’t look so dark. “Thank you. It means a lot to me. Can I hug you?” I asked, unable to contain my joy at the prospect I could have a job and start making my own money soon.

“Girl, you can hug me anytime you feel like it.”

I jumped to my feet and wrapped my arms around her. She returned the embrace.

“I’m glad I could help you. Want to give me a hand in the kitchen tonight? We’re making lasagna. This way you’ll meet everyone. It’s much easier when we help each other out around here.”

“I’d be happy to.”

“All set then. Meet me back here at four. I gotta go now. I have work hours to put in.”

As soon as I got back to my room, I shot Ellie a text message.

Me:Elles, I may have gotten a job. Virtual assistant. If it all works out, I should start Monday.

Ellie:Yay. I’m so happy for you. I was about to set a foundation in your name and convince my parents to put money into it and pretend it was to save the squirrels in the Amazonian Forest.

Me:You think there are squirrels in the Amazonian Forest?

Ellie:No, but who cares? They would have done it just to make me happy.

Ellie:Can we talk later when I get back from work? The internship is not as much fun as I thought it would be, and I am dreading every second of it.

Me:Sure. I need a nap, or I’ll faint. Sleep has been rough since I moved here.

Ellie:Take care of yourself and my niece or nephew.