Chapter 4 ~ Rachael’s proposition

 ~~~~

I stared at Rachael, my brain running in circles trying to process what she just said. A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, like a high-speed chase where every thought had its own getaway car.

Was she seriously suggesting what I thought she was suggesting? Although, at this point, even that was confusing.

She must have noticed the skepticism plastered all over my face because her grin widened to an almost cartoonish level. “Trust me,” she said, practically bouncing on the bench with excitement, “it’s not as crazy as it sounds. And hey, if it is, you know I’ve never shied away from a little crazy.”

“What kind of proposition could she possibly have?” I thought, trying to make sense of the dizzying amount of possibilities. From becoming a royal farmer for the British food company to possibly running away with the circus, my mind was already imagining all sorts of crazy possibilities.

Just when I was starting to dread the impending pitch, Rachael dropped the bombshell. “How about you come with me to London and work with my mother in her restaurant? Well, stepmother, to be precise.”

I blinked, like a computer processing a corrupted file. Did I just hear that right? My tray of thoughts clattered to the ground, and I shook my head as if to clear out a bad radio signal. “What did you just say?” I asked, confused.

Rachael’s grin was now so wide it looked like it might actually slip off her face and land on the pavement. “I said you could come with me to London, get a fresh start, and work in a top-notch restaurant.”

When I didn’t respond immediately, as if anyone could at that point, she went ahead. “Well, I told you my family owns a restaurant. Technically, it belongs to my stepmother. Since the staff that used to handle our vegetable garden left, she’s been searching for someone. I think you'd do a great job, given your experience with farming. You could work in the restaurant and live with us at the same time. That’s if you’re interested.”

I blinked rapidly, as though trying to clear out some imaginary dust from my eyes. “Oh, God!! You’re joking, right? No, or I must be dreaming right now?” I blurted out, my voice filled with disbelief.

“Well, I wish I was joking, and you were dreaming.,” Rachael replied with a mischievous smile, “You just have to say the magic words and voilà...” She made an exaggerated, magical gesture with her hands, as if conjuring a rainbow.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you kidding me? Why wouldn’t I be interested?” The idea of leaving behind my mundane existence for a fresh start in London sounded like a dream. But then a more practical thought hit me. “But do you think she’ll agree? Your mother, I mean, I don’t want to get my hopes up and then have them dashed.”

“Of course, she’ll agree,” Rachael said confidently. “The last few staff members she hired were from all over the world. I’m sure she’d love to have someone with your background. Especially when I tell her about your experience managing a vegetable stand—she’ll be thrilled!”

I raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress my excitement. “You think so? I mean, I can see it now: me in London, trading in my farm boots for a chef’s apron. It sounds almost too good to be true.”

Rachael rolled her eyes playfully. “Yes, Mary. It’s true… and I promise, this isn’t some elaborate prank. I’m serious about this.”

I let out a breath, almost like I’d been holding it for years. “Oh my God, if I can leave this place and do some real work, it’d be a dream comes true! But when are you leaving? I’ll need time to sort out my papers and everything else… probably a month or two.”

Rachael's eyes widened. “Whoa, whoa, ‘a month or two’? Mary, I’m only here for another two weeks.”

“What? So soon?” My heart sank. This was bad—real bad.

Rachael sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ve been here for nearly two months already. Dad’s been hounding me to come back, and honestly, I’m on borrowed time. He threatened to fly down himself if I don’t show up, and Mom’s practically planning a rescue mission to drag me home. But hey, why are you freaking out about the time?”

I forced a smile, trying to hide the worry that was gnawing at me. “Oh, nothing really…” But internally, my thoughts were spiraling. If she’s leaving so soon, there’s no way I’ll be able to pull everything together in time. Getting the paperwork, the funds—how on earth would I manage that in just two weeks?

Rachael must have caught the flicker of doubt in my eyes. “Mary?” she called, her voice snapping me back to the present.

“Oh, yes!” I gasped, breaking out of my thoughts, feeling like I’d just been caught daydreaming in class.

“What’s going on? You went all quiet on me.”

“Oh, it’s just... I might need more than two weeks to get the papers ready, and then there’s the money for the—”

She cut me off with a lighthearted scoff, giving me a friendly pat on the back. “Don’t even sweat it, Mary. I’ll see what I can do to help.”

I hesitated a bit. “Oh, it’s all right; I don’t want to bother you with it.”

Rachael burst into laughter, the kind that was both reassuring and mischievous. “Ha-ha-ha nonsense, Mary! You and I are best friends, remember? And besides, I’m not doing it for free—you’ll pay me back, of course.”

I couldn’t help but smile, shaking my head at her unwavering spirit. “It’s comforting to know that you haven’t changed one bit.”

“I know, right? Some things never do,” she said, grinning.

We sat together, reminiscing and laughing about the old times—the days of sneaking out after curfew, the silly pranks, and those carefree afternoons we thought would never end. Before I knew it, the day had slipped away, and the sky was painted with the colors of a setting sun.

The realization hit me—Ah, I need to get home before Mom starts wondering where I’ve wandered off to.

“It’s getting late. I should start heading home,” I said, reluctantly standing up.

“Me too,” Rachael replied, standing up as well. She glanced around, and then looked at me. “Where’s your phone? We need to exchange contacts so we can reach each other later.”

I stared at her like someone straight out of a movie who’s just realized they’ve been transported to another century. “Phone, you say? Ugh, don’t even ask.” I blurted, waving my hand dismissively. “That’s a story for another day.”

“Wait, you don’t have a phone? You’re kidding, right? How do you keep in contact with friends?” she asked, her eyes widening in disbelief.

“Oh, Rachael,” I said, brushing off dust from my skirt. “You should’ve asked if I had any friends to begin with.” I smiled sadly, a small laugh escaping despite myself.

Rachael’s eyes softened, then she quipped, “Now I’m really starting to get why you need to be exposed to the outside world. Otherwise, you’re going to end up like someone’s mom without ever giving birth.”

I rolled my eyes, unable to suppress a laugh. “You’re such a bitch. You know that, right?”

She grinned, clearly amused. “Oh great, you’ve picked up cursing now. I’m so proud.”

Ahhh! I almost forgot that she can be such a pain in the ass. “I’m going this way,” I said, pointing down the street. “What about you?”

Rachael pointed in the opposite direction, her smile fading just a bit. “I’m headed this way. But hey, Mary—don’t forget about what we talked about, okay?” She reminded me, as if I could ever forget. “Discuss it with your parents, and in two weeks, get prepared—I’ll be coming for you.”

“Ha-ha-ha, what?” I couldn’t hold back my laughter at her choice of words. Rachael had always been terrible with phrasing.

“What’s so funny that it made you tear up?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Nothing, it’s just—you sounded like a prince coming for his princess.” I chuckled again, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye.

Rachael rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. “Seriously, Mary, your sense of irony is always the worst. But anyway, see you in two weeks.” She gave a little wave and turned, heading down her path.

I watched her retreating figure until she disappeared into the shadows cast by the restaurant's light. Turning on my heels, I started my walk home, my heart thumping wildly in my chest at the thought of telling my parents about Rachael’s proposal. This was going to be one hell of a night.

My parents will freak out.

“No, Mary, everything is going to be okay,” I whispered to myself, trying to calm the flutter of nerves that threatened to spiral out of control. I had faced worse, after all, and this was just another bend in the road.