A Glimmer Of Hope

Chapter Five

Nolan leaves my house, visibly shaken and unable to decide after hearing my son’s words.

As he steps out the door, his movements are slow.

Suddenly, he turns back, his eyes searching mine. "Marie," he says quietly, his voice filled with uncertainty, "I need time to think about everything. I wasn’t expecting... this, let me have your number” We exchange numbers.

His words trail off as he glances at Simeon, who stands behind me, watching him with innocent curiosity.

I nod, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Take your time, Nolan. This isn’t easy for any of us."

He hesitates for a second longer, his gaze lingering on me as if there’s something more he wants to say. But instead, he simply nods and turns away, walking slowly to his car.

"Mummy, is Mr. Nolan okay?" he asks, his voice soft with concern. "Mummy, did I say something wrong?"

I crouch down to his level, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. "No, sweetheart. You were just being honest. Sometimes adults have things they need to figure out, and it takes time.”

I hold Simeon's hand as we walk down to the living room, the silence between us heavy. His small fingers wrap tightly around mine, seeking comfort.

"So, how do we get money now?" Simeon asks, his voice hesitant but curious. "Now that Daddy isn’t sending the allowance, and I’m not sure if Mr. Nolan will let you work in his office after what I said."

I give his hand a gentle squeeze, forcing a reassuring smile. "I'll call him tomorrow and talk about it. Nolan is a nice man; he will surely allow me to work in his company."

Simeon looks thoughtful for a moment, then nods slowly. "I see."

I can sense his lingering worry, but I keep my voice steady. "Everything will be okay, Simeon. We just need to take it one step at a time.”

I wake up, expecting the usual morning tea to be brought by the chef. I begin to get worry as the minutes pass, no one comes.

Frowning, I decide to head to the kitchen to find out what’s going on.

When I get there, the staff is huddled together, their faces tense. "Why hasn’t my tea been brought?" I ask, my voice sharper than intended.

One of the chefs glances at me apologetically. "I’m sorry, ma’am, but we’re out of foodstuffs. And... we’re still waiting on our salaries."

I pause, the weight of the situation sinking in. Of course, the money issues were affecting everything now. I hadn’t realized how bad it had become.

I head back to my room, unhappy. I wonder how I am going to pay them all. He stops paying their salary and I think I need to sack them all, as I don't have any means to pay them.

I dial Nolan's number

"Hello, Nolan, how was your night?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady as soon as he picks up the call.

“I’m fine,” he replies, his voice calm yet distant. “And how’s Simeon?”

“He’s fine,” I say, pausing for a moment before continuing. “Nolan... What about the work? Can I still work at your company?”

"I don't need to interview you or check your CV because I already know your capability," Nolan replies with a slight warmth in his voice. "Marie, you can resume tomorrow as my secretary."

A wave of relief washes over me, but I can't help feeling a mix of emotions. "Thank you, Nolan. I appreciate this, really."

"Just take it one step at a time," he adds softly, "We'll figure out the rest as we go."

I nod, even though we are only talking on the phone. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"See you tomorrow, Marie.”

Feeling a surge of excitement, I rush to Simeon's room, unable to contain the news. As I enter his room, I find him sitting on his bed, playing with his toys.

"Simeon!" I call out, grinning widely. "Guess what?"

He looks up at me, his eyes wide with curiosity. "What is it, Mummy?"

"I got the job! I'm starting tomorrow as Mr. Nolan's secretary!"

Simeon's face lights up with a big smile. "Really? That's great, Mummy! So we can have money again?"

I nod, kneeling down to his level. "Yes, sweetheart. Things are going to get better now.”

“Mr. Nolan is such a good man then, I never knew he's going to accept you after the words I said”

“I understand. You are a loving person, the fact that your father didn't care about us, you still care about him, and you don't want us to revenge, I love this”

“Mr. Nolan is such a good man then,” Simeon says thoughtfully, “I never knew he was going to accept you after the words I said.”

I smile softly, brushing his hair back. “I understand, sweetheart. You’re a loving person. Even though your father didn’t care about us anymore, you still care about him, and you don’t want us to seek revenge. I love that about you.”

Simeon looks up at me, his eyes shining with innocence. "But, Mummy, you deserve better."

I pull him into a hug. "We’ll be okay, Simeon. We'll move forward, and with this new job, things will start to change for us.”