Chapter 2

Audrey woke up to the clatter outside her room and looked at the clock, it was twenty minutes past seven in the morning. Shocked, she scurried to the bathroom to get ready for work. Quickly, she brushed her teeth, showered and just as she was wearing her black pencil skirt, she just realized that she had quit her job and there is no work as of today or any other following days. Stepping out of the room, she saw Ava sitting at the dining table in her fitted suit and long black pants. She was eating her sandwich when she looked up to see Audrey who was taking a seat across her.

"Hey, what's your plan for today?" Ava asked taking a bite of her sandwich.

"I'm planning on the catering business stuff. All the legal documents and patents. It's not fun at all doing the documents parts. But I am excited. God, I hope this goes well. For starters, Mila has been asking me to cater for her parent's wedding anniversary next month." Audrey took a bite from the extra sandwich that Ava made earlier.

"That's great Dree, I know you can do it. You'll do just fine. You are born to be a chef, girl. Tell me if you need anything alright cause I got to go now before Mr Russell starts yelling again. I'm so jealous you don't have to deal with all the yelling and screaming from your boss anymore." Ava stood up, carried her handbag towards the door.

"Remind yourself that he's the charming, good-looking, handsome whatever else again you said yesterday dear. Mr Russell is one of the hottest and wanted bachelor too, right?" Audrey smirked chewing her sandwich.

"Damn right he is. Although he's nothing compared to your ex-boss. Still, what are the odds that we get to work for two wanted bachelors! Oh, its one girl now. Bye!" She closed the door with her footsteps faintly disappearing.

Audrey decided to clean up and start focusing on her catering business. She recalled her visits to her parents' house two weeks ago.

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"What? Since when? When did you go for the check up? Why didn't I know? What did the doctor say? What are the treatment? Mamie,you can't keep this from me. I should have known when you start feeling even the slightest discomfort." Audrey bombarded her grandmother, looking at her with worry.

"Je vais bien, ma chére. J'rai bien." Her grandmother replied calmly as she watched her granddaughter's paled face.

(I'm fine, my dear. I will be fine)

"So tell me what did the doctor said?" Audrey sounded concerned as her mother walked into the living room carrying a slice of cake that her grandmother baked last night. Her mother replied.

"The doctor said it was stage 2 lung cancer. The best possible options for now is probably chemotherapy, and hopefully it can help with the cancer. Another option is thoracotomy."

"Surgery? With Mamie's condition, do you think it's the best solution?" Audrey asserted.

"Hopefully we don't have to go through that, but either way, it is still an option." She caressed her mother lightly and left Audrey alone with her grandmother to prepare dinner.

Audrey hugged her grandmother tightly and started to sob quietly while reminiscing how her grandmother has always been there for her when she was young. Audrey's mother had always doted on her brother while her father loved them both, she knew her father favoured her a little though his lack of expression leads to her mother dominating on the family's decision most of the time. Audrey's grandmother was the mother figure and the voice of the family that Audrey needed. She taught her to be kind, gentle, strong and most importantly she taught her how to cook and bake. They spent most of their time either cooking or baking together. Her grandmother knew about her passion in cooking, while she tried to hide them and wanted to make her parents proud by working at the prestigious office, earning a prodigious amount of salary.

"C'est juste un cancer, je peux me battre." Her grandmother knew Audrey's soft sobbing eased slowly as she gently stroked her long wavy brunette hair.

(It is just cancer, I can fight it.)

"Mamie, promise me that you will inform me on any update or progress of your health. S'il vous plaît Mamie. Just because I work almost every day doesn't mean that I am one of those people who are too consumed at work and forgets about their family, Mamie." She explained realizing that she might have been preoccupied by her work that she visited less than usual which should be at least once a week.

(Please grandma)

"Oui, mon cher, bien sur je comprend. Maintetant dis moi comment tu vas?Êtes-vous toujours en train de cuisine?" Her grandmother asked knowing that her favourite grandchild had been busy especially with the new project at hand.

(Yes dear, of course I understand. Now, how are you doing? Do you still cook?)

Audrey's grandmother requested her once again be brave enough to pursue her lifelong dream and hoped that she can live long enough to see her granddaughter actually achieve it. She even told her parents the reasons why she had been working at Loyd's Corporation which was to make them proud. Her parents were supportive and understanding convincing her to do the things that she's passionate about.

"We are proud of you nonetheless. Go and do whatever makes you happy. We support you no matter what. Please don't feel burdened by what you thought we want from you, because as every parents, we just want you to be happy." Audrey's mother hugged her while her father listened, nodded and sat emotionless, all the while, setting his eyes on the newspaper.