From Promise To Betrayal

14.

Note that there might be huge grammatical errors as I haven't had the time to proofread it.

Another day...

In her hotel room, Maria sighed, realizing a week had passed without finding a job. It was tough, and she couldn't stay in the hotel forever. The stress was getting to her. Tired and burned out, she just wanted a break. But, her savings were diminishing, reminding her of the harsh reality.

Maria thought, "This job search is way harder than I expected. The market is tough." Seeking solace, she dialed a familiar number, her father's.

"Hello...?"

"Hi, Daddy." Despite his history, she found comfort in being Daddy's little girl.

♧

Sitting at her desk, Maria faced the weight of a crucial decision. The email she needed to send held the potential to alter her circumstances. After moments of contemplation, she hit send, the weight of her decision sinking in. She moved to her bed, laying down to contemplate the impact of her action.

Feeling the need for support, Maria picked up her phone and messaged her best friend, Charlotte.

Maria hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button on her phone. Is it too early to bother Charlotte? she wondered. But then again, she's always been there for me. The phone rang, and Charlotte's cheerful voice answered, breaking through Maria's swirl of thoughts.

"Hi Charlotte, mind if we chat for a bit?"

Charlotte's response was immediate, "Of course not! What's up?"

Okay, Maria, deep breath, she thought. You can do this.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Maria's voice betrayed the fatigue she felt after a day of disappointments.

Not great, she admitted to herself. It's like every job application is a gamble, and I keep losing. But I can't burden Charlotte with that.

"You sound a bit off. What's going on?" Charlotte's perceptive nature cut through Maria's attempt to conceal her struggles.

Maria sighed, "It's this job hunt, Charlotte. I thought it'd be tough, but this is like navigating a maze blindfolded. Online applications feel like sending messages in a bottle, hoping for a reply."

Charlotte chuckled in response. Maria appreciated the familiar sound. It provided a brief reprieve from her internal turmoil. "Tell me about it! Job hunting is practically a full-time job in itself. But hey, we'll get through this. What happened today?"

Today, Maria reflected, was just another battle in this war against uncertainty. Dad's questions felt like arrows, probing for weaknesses. Does he think I'm not trying hard enough? That I'm not doing everything I can to secure my future?

"Called my dad," Maria admitted, "and it turned into an interrogation. He fired more questions at me than a detective in a crime drama."

Her thought reflection back to her conversation with her Dad.

But Dad, I'm trying, she silently pleaded. I'm navigating this storm as best as I can, barely holding onto the fragments of stability. Can't you see that?

Charlotte's laughter rang through the phone, "Dads and their investigative skills! Classic. So, spill the beans. What did he say?"