The phone's vibrations pierced the peaceful ambiance of the cozy room, causing the slumbering figure on the bed to stir and shift.
"Answer the phone, Ethan. It's interrupting my sleep," Leilani Hernandez grumbled, keeping her eyes shut.
If only she remembered that she had an important job interview today.
A blonde teenage boy, dressed in a brown heart-shaped neckline, wheeled himself into the small room and shook his head at his sleeping sister.
Without haste, he made his way to the wooden cabinet and picked up the phone.
"I don't think Lani really needs the job, Hannah," Ethan held the phone to his ear and spoke loudly, staring at his sister's sleeping face, "She's still enjoying her slumber."
At his words, Leilani's eyes opened wide and she jerked upright in bed, realizing it was already morning.
"Gosh, Ethan! Why didn't you wake me up? I'm going to be late!"
As she questioned her little brother, she ran her hand through her disheveled brunette hair in frustration before jumping out of bed carelessly, throwing the covers aside.
"She's wide awake now, Hannah. I'll talk to you later," Ethan ended the call and turned to face his sister, who was now frantically selecting her outfit from the wardrobe.
"I hope you won't blame me if I don't get this job, Ethan," Leilani mumbled, sifting through her clothes.
Ethan remained quiet, observing her in silence.
"Lani?" Ethan's voice was hesitant as they got out of the room.
Leilani simply hummed in reply, busying herself with considering their breakfast.
"Can you please avoid getting fired this time? I beg of you, Lani." He asked, his lips shivering. "I want to stand on my own two feet again and it feels difficult to see you sacrificing everything for me. I also want to work and support us financially."
Leilani paused her actions, but didn't turn to face her brother right away. She was all too familiar with the tears welling up in his amber eyes.
"Ethan, it's not entirely my fault that I got fired," Leilani clenched her hands, which were hanging at her side. "Shouldn't my supervisor have given me a heads-up about the arrival of the Dwarf CEO? How was I supposed to know he was the big boss when he barely reached my knee?"
Dave that asshole did that on purpose. He didn't give her full information about the CEO, just because she refused to get laid with him.
"Here we go again. Why would you call someone you've never met a dwarf in the first place?" Ethan's voice cracked as he scolded his sister.
He knew well that his dear sister was not born to be rude. Lani just had to arm herself like that when she had a disabled brother to take care of. He was a burden to her, Ethan couldn't help but start sobbing.
Leilani turned to face Ethan, her heartbreak was evident in her expression. She hated to see her brother in tears.
She would rather swallow all the difficulties alone than see Ethan sad. All they had left was each other.
Removing the tears from her face, Leilani knelt before her brother, saying, "I sincerely apologize, Ethan, and I vow to behave impeccably today in hopes of winning their approval. I will do whatever it takes to secure a stable job this time around."
She gazed at Ethan's once muscular legs, now withered and decaying. Despite trying to wipe her own tears, they continued to flow down her face in a steady stream.
"You will walk again soon, Ethan," she struggled to speak, "I promise you."
Ethan saw the determination in his sister's eyes. He nodded continuously, tears threatening to fall from his own eyes.
"I believe you, Lani. Please don't cry. You know how much it pains me to see you in tears," Ethan gently wiped the tears from Leilani's face, while tears of his own streamed down his cheeks.
Leilani gently reached up and brushed away her brother's tears with a delicate hand. "Now, give me a smile, my dear," she said softly.
In an instant, Ethan's cheeks lit up in the widest grin Leilani had seen from him in a while, causing her own face to light up with joy.
Leilani wheeled Ethan into the cozy living room and left him there.
"Stay put, my love. I'll be back shortly," she said before disappearing into the kitchen.
Ethan's gaze remained fixed on the entrance to the kitchen, filled with pure adoration for his sister. In his eyes, she was not only his caretaker but also the best sister one could ever dream of having.
Ever since their father had abandoned them years ago, Leilani had taken on the role of their provider, never once complaining or showing any signs of exhaustion. Ethan longed to be able to walk again so he could repay his sister's unwavering love and kindness.
"Ta-da!" Leilani exclaimed, her grin stretching wide as she re-entered the room, balancing a plate with two sandwiches and a mug of water.
"Thank you, Lani," Ethan plastered a smile on his face as he took the plate from his always cheerful sister.
To be truthful, he was growing weary of the plain sandwich, but he didn't want to complain to Leilani. He could see the effort she put into preparing their meals.
"Oh, and if that grumbling sack of potatoes comes around, let her know she'll receive her money this week," Leilani instructed Ethan before dashing over to the old television set, grabbing the remote, and switching it on.
"Don't let boredom consume you, Ethan. Watch television, play games, and study. It's imperative. You know that. I'll return before lunch, but in case you get hungry before then, there are still some delectable chocolate cookies left in the kitchen from Hannah's visit yesterday," Leilani reminded him.
Ethan savored each bite of his meal, leisurely consuming it as he followed his sister's daily instructions.
"Lani loves Ethan," she whispered under her breath.
"Ethan loves Lani even more," he responded, smiling at his sister's affection.
Leilani leaned in to give Ethan a quick kiss on his forehead before rushing towards the entrance. She quickly turned back for a last glance at her brother, then grabbed the doorknob and stepped outside.
She hoped that today's job interview would go well. Yet soon, her mood was ruined.
"Fuck!" Leilani silently cursed as she locked eyes with a short, full-bodied woman with green-tinted, low-cut hair.
The woman was dressed in a black, round t-shirt and denim pants that made her look indeed like a sack of potatoes.
With her sturdy arms folded across her chest, she scowled at Leilani who responded with a sheepish grin.
"Good morning, Madam Bassey," Leilani cheerfully greeted, adjusting her black shoulder bag and making her way towards the woman.
"Drop the fake act and give me my bloody money, Leilani Hernandez!" Madam Bassey's frown deepened, her eyes blazing with anger as she stared down at the woman in front of her, almost like she wanted to burn her to ashes.
However, Leilani's smile continued to grow, her determination overriding any potential for upset this morning.
"Madam Bassey, you’re too cute to be frowning this way, you know. Don’t be surprised when your face grows wrinkled by tomorrow morning,” Leilani's soft words caught Madam Bassey off guard, her usual stern demeanor giving way to surprise at this uncharacteristic display of leniency.
But soon, Madam Bassey's senses returned and she took a step back from Leilani, her expression turning to one of annoyance.
"Save your theatrics, you insolent child! If you don't have my money, then get out of my house this instant!" she bellowed, her gaze shooting daggers at Leilani.
In response, Leilani let out a frustrated sigh and met her landlady's fiery eyes with a wordless stare.
As the silence stretched on, Madam Bassey's narrowed gaze held a heated intensity, until finally she spoke up again. "So now you've lost your tongue?" she taunted.
"What do you expect me to say, you insensible woman!" Leilani's good mood from before had completely vanished, replaced with a fiery rage.
"I've been unemployed for two weeks now, and you know it. I'm on my way to a job interview right now. So if you want your money, you should start praying for me to get this job!"
Madam Bassey gave a curt nod, recognizing the Leilani she once knew. Not the one who had been putting on a façade of politeness moments ago.
"Why should I offer prayers for a badly-mannered lady like you? In fact, I hope your job interview turns out to be a disaster," retorted Madam Bassey.
Leilani remained unaffected and stepped closer to her. "Then I'll have to show my devilish side. Don't even try to barge into my house and forcefully remove us. Or you won't like what I'm gonna do."
Madam Bassey was shaking with anger but this aggressive air from Leilani made her speechless. Leilani was happy to see that.
"Talk to you later, Fatty," she quipped before heading away.
Anyway, she would kick away anyone who tried to stop her from getting this job today!
