CHAPTER FOUR: A SOLUTION

SAVANNAH'S POV

I made my way into the doctor's office that morning for the results of Sarah's checkup the day before. "Miss Andrews" The doctor smiled when he saw me but honestly I couldn't smile because there was nothing to be happy about.

"Good morning, how's my daughter doing?" I got straight to the point.

"Have you come up with the money Miss Andrews?" He asked

I nodded in refusal before letting out a sigh. "I couldn't raise the money yet but I will," I said

"I'm sorry but you don't have much time again, the cancer has spread through her internal organs," He said

"My precious daughter" I began to sob and he pulled out a tissue for me before continuing. "I'm afraid that if we don't operate on her soon, it might be too late to do anything in a few weeks," The doctor said

"What do you mean doctor?" I asked him, he couldn't possibly mean what I thought he did.

"I'm saying that your daughter will have less than a month to live if the surgery isn't done in the next two weeks,"

"My God" The tears began to roll down my face

"I'm sorry Miss Andrews"

*****

Later that afternoon, the babysitter had gone and Sarah had just finished having lunch when the doorbell rang. I rushed to the door to find Mrs. Thompson, her teacher at my doorstep. "I wasn't expecting you," I said

"I have dropped so many calls and text messages but you weren't replying and I was worried. The school had closed for the day so I decided to check in with Sarah" She said

"I'm so sorry, I have been so busy. Do you want to come in?" I asked her

"I have not been seeing Sarah at school, so I had to make sure you were doing well."Mrs. Thompson expressed this further while handing over a basket of freshly baked goodies as a kind gesture.

"Thank you so much" She came in and we had coffee together. The conversation that followed was warm and pleasant, and we chatted about everything from Sarah’s health to my lack of a job, I was finally happy that I had someone to confide in.

While we talked, she mentioned a job opening at a renowned restaurant, knowing my passion for hospitality. At first, I was reluctant and worried, but I eagerly followed her advice and promised to apply.

She said hi to Sarah, prayed for her, and promised to help her get back on her feet with schoolwork so she wouldn't be behind when she recovered.

Even though I was already losing hope, hearing her talk about a future with Sarah gave me a new one and I was glad she came by. After she left, I applied for a job at the renowned restaurant and hoped to get a positive response.

*****

The days that followed were filled with nervousness and countless worries while I awaited feedback, trying not to get my hopes up too much. When the call finally came, offering me the position of waitress, I was overjoyed that my hopes had come true.

I quickly settled into my new job at Rine's Gourmet. Thanks to my vibrant personality and impeccable service, I caught the attention of many customers and began receiving generous tips.

With the extra income, I was able to start chemotherapy sessions for my sick daughter. One beautiful afternoon, while working at the restaurant, I noticed a man giving me a stern look.

Sitting at one of the tables with his friends, he appeared lost in thought despite their lively conversation. His gaze followed me as I moved around the tables, attending to every customer with ease and confidence. I could feel his stare on me, and when our eyes finally met, goosebumps paved multiple holes in my skin, causing my hair to stand. It was as if we had already met, even though I had never seen him before.

Towards the end of my shift, he got up from his table and walked towards me, I wondered what he wanted to say as he came closer.

"Hi, I am Roman Rine, you are?" He introduced himself and asked me about my name

I didn't know if I should cross my hands or shake his hands but I just stood still. "Savannah Andrews, I just started working here sir"

"I like the way you look Savannah, can you tell me more about yourself? do you have any dreams or passions?" I didn't know if a stranger should be asking this of me.

"Honestly if I even had none, it's no use at this point" I frowned

"Tell me more about it"

"My fiance left me three years ago and on the same day, I discovered that I was pregnant. I tried to get to him but it was impossible since he had blocked me on all social media platforms. I had to raise my baby girl alone but early this year she fainted and I took her to the hospital not knowing that my life would change forever. She has cancer of the blood and is currently at the last stage, fighting for her life" I explained

In my naiveté, I found myself opening up to him in a way I never had with anyone else. He was a great listener, and I could tell he was genuinely interested in what I had to say.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that Savannah but I assure you that things will get better don't worry," He said and I nodded.

As we talked, he subtly revealed his true identity as the restaurant owner. It turned out I wasn’t talking to a typical customer, but Roman Rine, the owner of Rine's Gourmet.

But despite his wealth and success, he carried himself with charm and humility. I was thrilled to meet him and ended up talking with him for hours about the restaurant.

At the end of the discussion, he promised me that he was now a friend and I could come to him at any point when I was feeling down and lonely.

We exchanged numbers and later when I got home that night, I wondered if Roman Rine was indeed my solution.