Red Roses

Chapter One

(Song-Together by Sia.)
In Toronto,Canada

THERE WAS A STRONG SCENT OF BLACK coffee, roasted hazelnuts and human sweat as Belle walked down the busy streets of Toronto. She was walking quickly. She lost her job some hours ago. Her boss just informed everyone that he was selling the company in two weeks, so he had to start laying off some workers, and she was the first person he started with. She could still hear the voice of Mr Arnold, the company owner, calling her name as those to be laid off today. So today, the names I am about to mention are the first batch to go, we have Belle Bridges...... Her name was even the first. She wasn't surprised, after all, she was a mere receptionist.

Her father was just buried weeks ago, her mom wasn't going to her grocery shop anymore because she was in still grieving her late husband. And now she has lost her job, her only means of survival. What was she going to do? She wasn't thinking straight. She was walking too fast that she almost pushed an old woman.

"Qu'est qu'il ya?"

The fat old woman picked up her bag. Belle had no idea of what the woman said. This was because she's English. All she could make out was, "I'm sorry, really sorry ma." And she continued walking.

She reached home quite early and was surprised to see her younger siblings at home.

"Hailey, what happened today? You are back from school very early?" She drops her bag on the sofa.

"Belle, you're home already! Well the wild fires are really getting bad, you know. We were asked to go home and stay for some days." Hailey continued to eat her potato chips, looking back at the film.

"Wow, just wow!" She picked her bag and her shoes, ready to go to her room.

"And yes sis, you're back from work, were you given a day off?" Jason,her little brother asked her.

"Something bad happened today." Wiping off the sweat on her forehead, she went close to him as she touched his curls, "I lost my job today."

"Oh no, you lost your job, I can't believe this! What happened, sis?" With shocked eyes,Hailey turned to look at her. Jason gave the same reaction.

She touched her forehead, she was coming down with a fever.  Sighing a little,she said, "Mr Arnold decided to sell his company, so he started laying off some of his workers and unfortunately I was among the first batch to be laid off."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah." A whole lot of things were going on in her mind.  "I'm tired, just tired. Where's mom, and I haven't seen Emma."

"Mom is with Emma in her room." Hailey said, putting away the potato chips, she just lost her appetite. All these bad luck in one day.

"Okay." Belle yawned, trying to cover her mouth with her filled hand, "I'm very hungry, is there anything?"

"Yep, I made mashed potatoes and fried egg." Hailey replied.

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The days were going fast and the wildfires
worsened from time to time. Families were asked to leave their homes and of course Belle's family was one of them. They were given a week to leave their house. Things were really hard and stressful for her ever since she lost her job.