The Time of Lavender by Michelle McLaren

MICHELLE'S eyes enlarged when she saw a pile of paperworks over the desk. She massaged her temples, trying her best not to explode at any moment.

It had been two months since she got hired and they are giving her a hard time already. She couldn't even say no to Mrs. Stewart, the super strict owner of the Glow and Go Cosmetics, because she knew that the woman would never hesitate to fire her with just a snap of a finger.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she grabbed the papers and started on doing her job. She answered clients' queries and sorted incoming mails. Time seemed to fly so fast, and she didn't notice the time from the wall clock.

She almost nodded her head off but jerked awake, fighting the urges to sleep during the working hours. A few minutes later, she finished the last piece of paper and stretched her arms out while yawning.

Finally! The torture is done!

After placing the paperworks inside the brown folder and put it in Column D from the small locker beside her seat, she grabbed her bag and proceeded out of the building.

She looked upon the dark sky and emitted out a massive sigh, remembering why she entered the job as a clerk. It was tiring, but whenever the faces of her family registers inside her mind, she found the reason to pursue more.

She took out the car keys from her bag and went inside, starting the engine and driving away from the company afterward.

When she got home, she spotted her younger brother sitting over the rug while playing a video game.

She sat beside him and placed her arm around his shoulders. "Well, looks like it was worth buying that stuff anyway, Kevin." Her eyes scanned the living room then raised her eyebrow. "Where's mom?"

He glanced at her then back to the game. "Market."

She got her arm off him and gave a tiny nudge on his shoulder. "You're too focused on that game. You should have joined mom while I'm at work."

When he didn't respond, she shoved his shoulder once again that made him lose the game and gave her a frown—like his face turned into a destructive storm.

She waggled her eyebrows then laughed at his reaction. With that, he grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa beside him then chucked it to her.

She placed her arms out and palms forward while chuckling. "Hey! Stop it!"

It wasn't enough, so he grabbed the other pillow and tossed it to her, making him grin when she fell from her sitting position.

She stayed in that position while staring at the ceiling, taking in a deep sigh while calming herself. He sat beside her and stared up at the ceiling, too.

"I miss dad so much."

He turned his eyes at her and saw sadness in her brown eyes. It had been two years since their father died from a car accident, and it was the most depressing moment of their lives. So, moving on was a real hard choice for them.

He bit his lower lip then diverted his eyes on his lap. "Me too. He's a great father, and I won't ever forget how kind he was."

Silence ate the surroundings, but then it didn't take so long when the door opened and Martha came in with bags of groceries.

They both stood up and Kevin took them from her, marching inside the kitchen. Michelle, on the other hand, helped her to sit on the sofa and gave her a glass of water.

She took it. "Thank you, sweetie."

She beamed and rubbed her mother's back while she drank its content. Afterward, she started coughing in a harsh way with small droplets of blood pouring into the glass.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she grabbed it and took a better look. "Mom... Why are you coughing blood?"

Martha wrinkled her eyebrows as well and stared at it, making her eyes widen.

She plastered on a fake smile to calm her daughter, but Michelle gave her a worried look. She didn't want her children to stress themselves, especially, her daughter who was the breadwinner of their family.

"Don't you worry, sweetie. It's just blood." She masked her nervousness by smiling.

"Just blood? Mom, this is a serious matter! We need to go to the hosptal." She stood up and grabbed her mother's hand, but she took it back.

"I don't need to see the doctor, sweetheart. Besides, I can still do my chores! Stop on bothering yourse—"

Kevin entered in the living room with knitted eyebrows. "What's happening here?"

As Martha's eyes widened when she heard her son, her daughter turned her attention to him without removing her grip on her mother's hand.