Love Came Along

CHAPTER 1: THE OFFER

"Are you in for it, Miss Roosevelt?" Watson, a bulky man in his fifties asked. He carried a pair of glasses on his forehead as his intertwined fingers crossed on the bridge of his nose.

"Think about it well, Kate." Watson cajoled, one more time. He waved his hands dramatically and said, "You won't find any like this anywhere."

Kate sighed, unable to decide. What he was asking her to do was, if not inhuman, illegal. Yet, she was tempted to say yes.

Instead, she asked, "Sir, may I ask?"

When she saw Watson's almost bald eyebrow raise up in question, she knew he was still listening to her. So, she asked away.

"Why?"

Watson frowned at the redhead before him. She asked too many questions, sometimes he was forced to wonder how he had been able to work with her for three years without losing his sanity.

"Pardon?"

Kate readjusted her sitting and looked her boss straight in the eye.

"Why would you want me to do something like this? I mean, who in the world is so jobless - no offense..."

"None taken" Watson quickly replied to hear his most treasured writer nod and continue.

"... To want to slander someone else's name? It is childish and unreasonable. Whoever it is, if they have a grudge against the other, why don't they settle it amicably?"

She felt a gush of wind over her tiny pink heart after asking the one question that was beginning to haunt her.

Try as she would, Kate could not really understand why someone - a human - would want to bring someone else.

"Ms. Roosevelt, I believe that doesn't concern you. Your job, as I have stated before remains the same." Watson replied.

"Meet the man. A position would be secured for you once you accept this job so as to enable you work with him everyday. That gives you access to him and his daily life. It'd also give him the time to grow softer and loosen his guard around you.

"When that is done, you find secrets - ones you know would be able to end his career and reputation in Chicago - and that's it! Your job is done." Watson remind for the umpteenth time that day. It was barely noon and Amber was sure that Watson didn't mind going over the details of the job a thousand times again. As long as she would agree to it, he did not mind at all.

Kate sighed. Her eyes shutting and opening to reveal her black obsidian pupils.

Just when she opened her mouth to reject the job, Watson beat her to it.

"Your mother, I believe needs the funds."

Those were the only words it took for Kate's indestructible surface to crumble.

Her mother...

Her eyes shut close as her mind drifted back to her poor mother who was lying down in the house now. Probably sleeping under the influence of the painkillers she had been taking for months now.

The poor woman had been diagnosed with a faulty kidney and needed a transplant. As unfortunate as the family couldn't afford the cost of treatment, there had been no donor. Maybe because they didn't have the funds now.

Amber bit her cherry coloured lower lip to push back a sniffle. Her demeanor always crumbled when her mother was mentioned. It was no lie that the poor woman had seen all sides of life ever since their father went AWOL thirteen years ago.

Could he even be called a father?

His presence was akin to his absence as he was just invincible even when he was with the family.

"Miss Roosevelt? Miss Roosevelt?" Watson called out to her but it was as though she was no more in the room for she heard him not.

Watson sighed and banged his fist on the table loudly.

"AMBER!!!"

Kate almost fell off the side of her chair.

"Sir!"

Her hand flew to her chest in a bid to calm her racing heart and her head hung in - was it shame for spacing out or self pity for her predicament? Watson couldn't tell.

"I'd take the job, sir."

It could barely pass off for a mutter as it came out as a whisper but, Watson heard. Yet, he leaned towards her and raised a brow.

Kate bit her lip and looked him in the eye.

"I'd take the job." She repeated. Something shone in her eyes - a glow of determination.

Taking this job was against everything she had ever known or believed in. But, who did morals help?

Her poor mother was writhing in pain with the passing of every second. She had kept her morals and didn't sell her body, yet, nothing change.

Now, if she had to sell her sould to the devil to have her mother up on her feet, Kate would do it without batting an eyelid.

Watson smiled, pleased to hear her response. He'd always knew Kate was sensible and had the interests of others at heart - especially her family. It was no wonder he had mentioned her mother before she could reject the job.

"Nice choice, Miss Roosevelt. I knew you were not going to let me down." Watson seemed to be feeling beyond ecstatic at her choice.

"You may return to your cubicle. The contract for the job would be sent to your desk before closing hours. I expect it on my desk by morning."

Kate nodded. She pushed her chair backwards and stood up. A step away from the door, she stopped and turned to face Watson.

"What would happen once I sign the contract?" She asked, curious to know, although, she had her own high hopes.

Watson couldn't help smiling at the girl's curiousity. All the same, he did satisfy it.

"Once that is done, rest assured that your mother would be transferred to one of the best hospitals in LA. Also, you don't have to worry, your mother would be assigned a private nurse and residence in your name."

Kate bit her lips, feeling a little relieved at his reply. Without another word in reply to the smiling man she had called boss for the past three years, she walked out of his office.

Once in the comfort of her cubicle, Amber slumped into her chair and placed her head in the table.

She didn't want to do this but, she had no choice. Right now, she was at crossroads and has to make a choice.

'Whoever you are,' she thought, 'when all this is done and over with, I hope you can forgive me.'

*****

Kate busied herself in the kitchen, preparing dinner while her mother slept in the living room of their shabby little home.

She stood before the cooker where a pot of plain pasta was burning, but she wasn't aware.

A lot spiralled through her mind.

Did see really have to sign this contract? And if she did sign it, what would happen? Also, if she didn't sign it, what would happen to her mother? This young man, who did he offend? What did he do?

She was still searching for answers when a shrill cry crept into her ears.

"Idiot! What's wrong with you?" Mia screamed as she rushed to turn off the cooker.

Kate broke out of her trance and scrunched up her nose, coughing and going out of the kitchen.

She could have sworn she didn't perceive any foul smell when she was standing before the cooker.

Mia came out a few moments later looking pissed. She cocked her hips to the side and folded her arms afro her chest, demanding an explanation.

"Kate, what the heck just happened in there?" She yelled.

Kate shrugged with a faint smile. "I don't know, mi. I swear."

Mia sighed heavily. She grabbed Kate and led her to the bedroom and closed the door.

"Talk to me, Kate. You haven't been yourself since you came out of Watson's office." Mia said sadly. "Did he do something to you?"

Amber smiled faintly but it came out too awkward. She didn't even know where to start. Mia needed to know.

Mia was her only friend and colleague. She was a woman who loved, and cared for Kate liked a mother hen.

Mia hissed, starting to get frustrated by Kate's silence and constant spacing out. She grabbed Kate's shoulders and shook them violently.

"Would you talk to me, you idiot!?" She yelled. "Don't keep me quiet for heaven's sake, I'm worried about you "

"You know you can tell me anything right?" Mia's voice had softened and was laced with a certain kind of warmth and comfort.

Kate nodded.

"Good! So, start talking!" Mia snapped once again.

*****

"Do you have to go?"

Kate smiled softly. She took her mother's palms in hers and squeezed them lightly. Her eyes closed for a while to push back the tears that stung her but that didn't help, they still fell.

"Yes, mum," Kate replied, lightly brushing her thumbs against her mother's skin.

"When would you return?"

"It won't be long but, by the time I return, you'll be fine and all better."

Her mum smiled. "Thank you, child. I love you."

"I love you too mum," Kate replied.

Just then, the door opened and m entered with a few bags of takeout. Since Amber decided to ruin dinner, they had no choice but to have takeouts.

Rhea placed the food on the table and yelled, "it's time for dinner people!"