Cherished Hatred

“Alice!!” Mom called out. “What are you doing?” She knocked on the door, which made me jump. “Get up, Honey?” 

I got off the bed, stretching my body. “I’m coming, mom!!” I yawned and headed towards the door before I answered it. “Good morning, mommy.” I instantly pulled her into a hug because I always started my day with her warm hug. 

She hugged me back, smiling. “Good morning, honey. I’ve been trying to wake you up for fifteen minutes. You know very well, today is the first day of your work at Robinson’s.”

The second I heard Robinson, my heart fluttered in excitement. I pulled myself back, looking into her hazel eyes. “I know, mom. You don’t have to worry about it. I’ll get ready on time.”

“Yeah, you better do,” she said before leaving.

I sighed, feeling thousands of butterflies bursting in my tummy. I was extremely excited to work at Robinson Fashion House. 

Robinson Fashion House!

I dreamed of becoming a fashion designer since childhood. I remembered the day I had designed my mother's clothes for her seventeenth anniversary. At that time we did not have enough money to buy new clothes. My family background had always been disappointing. My father was a laborer in the company and my mother was a housewife. Despite this, they had managed everything for me.

I would never forget how much my family had sacrificed for my dream. My father never took care of his needs but kept mine. He had borrowed a huge amount from his company so that I could make my dream come true.

And finally, the day had come when I had time to prove myself as a good daughter. I got a chance to give a better life to my parents. I could proudly say that I am a fashion designer of Robinson’s. 

The Robinson fashion house was the most popular across the country. They were mostly designed for celebrities and highly rich people. Their designs were classy, elegant, and modern. If we made an appointment, we had to wait for six months. And this fashion house was owned by Mr. Henry Robinson. He was one of the youngest billionaires in the country. I heard he was just thirteen when he started his modeling career. And after that, he had become a fashion designer at sixteen. 

Ugh, Alice, relax!! Don’t overthink!

I sighed and went into the bathroom. Peeling my clothes, I stepped into a warm shower. It might relax my overwhelming brain. For the past few days, many thoughts were running through my mind. How do I work there? How will I react when I face Henry Robinson? How will I be able to modify myself in such a multinational company? 

Pushing the thought away, I wrapped a towel around my body and got out of the bathroom. I put on a pair of jeans and a white top and pulled my long brown hair into a tight bun and kept my face free of makeup. I found myself a bit boring when I checked my appearance in the mirror. I always like to keep my look natural and simple.

I walked downstairs and entered the kitchen. “It looks like you’re not ready yet!” Mom studied me from head to toe.

“I’m ready, Mom.” 

“Are you being serious? Look at your clothes.”

I looked down at myself. “Yeah, what’s wrong with these clothes? These were gifted by dad and I promised him I would wear them on the first day of my job.” 

“I can understand, honey! But you also need to understand that you are going to work in the biggest fashion house in the country.” She stroked my cheek. “My daughter is so beautiful and I want people to notice her. Alice, don’t hide your beauty. You’re only twenty-three and you’re living like a sixty-year-old granny.” 

“What rubbish are you talking about, Kate!” I heard dad’s voice. “Our daughter is naturally beautiful. She doesn’t need any expensive clothes and makeup to look beautiful. Don’t you know how many boys are chasing her? But she always chases our British boy Evan.” He laughed, pulling my leg.

“Dad!” I snorted in annoyance. Evan was my ex-boyfriend, and I had recently broken up with him as he shifted to his hometown in England. Sometimes I missed him because he was the only person who could make me laugh.

I brushed his thoughts away and smelled the aroma in the kitchen. “Mom, are you cooking anything special?”

“Yup, your favorite cheesy pasta and chocolate cake.” She smiled, showing me her pearl white teeth.

“Wow! Is there anything special today?” I inquired.

“Yeah, your dream is going to come true. That’s why we are celebrating today.”

“Aww,” I grinned and sat down in a chair next to Dad. “My best wishes to you, Alice,” he said with a warm smile. 

“Thank you, Dad.” I gave him a side hug. “And one more thing, you don’t need to worry about money, clothes, and any accessories. From now on, you both are my responsibility,” I said proudly. 

“Aww, I didn’t know. My daughter has grown up. I remember the day when you used to roam the entire house just in a diaper.” He broke into a laugh at those memories. 

“Dad!” I gave him a soft punch on his shoulder. “You never miss a chance to pull my leg.”

“You punch me really hard, sweetie.” 

“Come on, dad you’re not that weak.” I punched him again, and we both laughed. “I know you have a lot of muscles under this shirt.”

He grinned widely. “That was the only thing your mother used to love in me. But I’d lost it.” 

“Joe, what does it mean used to?” Mom chided and folded her arms across her chest, glaring at him. “I still love you as much as I used to.” 

Stifling my smile, I lowered my gaze to the plate. They were talking about their love life and I felt awkward at that moment. They had completed twenty-five years of their marriage, but still; they loved each other like a teenage couple. 

I quickly finished my breakfast. “I gotta go, you know today is my first day, so I don’t want to be late.” I stood up and grabbed my handbag. “And you two continue your romance.”

Both of them snapped their eyes at me. When they didn’t speak I said, “What? Did I say something wrong?” 

Dad cleared his throat. “No, not at all.” 

“Dad can tease me, why can’t I?” 

They both broke into a smile. “Come here, sweetie.” Dad hugged me softly.

“I’m going to miss you two.” Tears welled up in my eyes. “I’m nothing without your support.”

“We’ll miss you too, sweetie,” dad whispered. 

“You two are talking as if she’ll never come back home,” mom said and we all broke into a laugh.

*********

“Miss, here you go.” The driver informed me when we arrived at Robinson’s fashion house. I climbed off the cab and headed straight towards the building. 

I gasped, mesmerized by the black-gray and tall building. It was highlighted in the middle, ‘THE ROBINSON FASHION.’ It looked just great in person and had a stunning view.