Chapter 5

ANNA

The following weeks are a whirlwind. I’m pulling extra shifts to cover the hospital bills, but it’s like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in the bottom.

With Liz tied up at the bakery, Olivia’s been spending more time at the daycare. That’s another expense eating into my extra earnings.

And then there’s the cost of a babysitter for the nights. It’s a never-ending cycle.

I’ve been up for eighteen hours straight now. I managed to snatch two hours of sleep after my night shift at the cafe ended at three in the morning. But with the bakery calling me in at five, sleep was a luxury I couldn’t afford.

At least when I’m at the bakery, Olivia can come with me—Liz has a room for her in her apartment. After my shift, I drop her off at the campus daycare.

It’s a relief that it’s affordable. Well…more affordable.

“Hello, Olivia,” Claire, the daycare worker, greets us when we arrive. Olivia gives her a little wave.

“I started work at five this morning. Could you put her down for a nap?”

“Of course. You look exhausted, Anna. Did you get any sleep?”

I shake my head. “Had to work.”

“You need to look after yourself too, Anna.”

I let out a sigh. “Hospital bills,” I explain.

“I understand, but try to get some sleep today.”

I nod. “I will.”

“What classes do you have today?”

“Business and economics, same classrooms. I don’t have my phone, so if there’s an emergency, come find me.”

“Will do,” she assures me. I hand a drowsy Olivia over to Claire and head off to class.

By one o’clock, I’m in business class, struggling to keep my eyes open. But I refuse to give in to sleep. Thankfully, it’s my last class for the day.

“Anna?” the professor calls.

“Yes?” I respond.

“Are you okay?” I nod.

“Okay then.”

She’s about to continue the class when James walks in.

“Ah, James. We were expecting you,” she says. I give her a puzzled look.

“Mr. Brown is here to take over the rest of the class. We’re discussing marketing strategies.

“Since his company specializes in that, I thought it would be beneficial to hear about the practical side of things, rather than just the theory.”

James chuckles. “The theory is crucial, but it’s something you can learn from a book. The practical side is different—you need to learn to hold your own.

“You can’t accept a no when you’re after a yes. You have to fight for it,” he declares.

“And remember to stay focused during any debate. Stick to the facts and never let your emotions cloud your judgment.”

I jot this down, feeling surprisingly comfortable with him in the room. Maybe it’s the exhaustion, but I’m actually learning something from him.

“Let’s put this into practice. Miss Johnson,” he calls.

I look up at him and he seems a bit surprised. I roll my eyes. Yes, I look tired. Get over it. You should’ve seen me two years ago. That was a whole other level of exhaustion.

“Yes?”

He composes himself and beckons me over.

“Come up here, please.” I rise and join him at the front.

“We’re going to have a debate.” I nod.

“The class can suggest a topic. You can choose the side you’re comfortable with, and your task is to convince me.

“Let’s start with something simple, something we can all relate to. It doesn’t have to be business-related.”

I nod.

“Yes, you,” he says, pointing to a girl who had raised her hand.

“Breakups,” she suggests.

“What kind of breakups?”

“The painful ones. Let’s say you’ve been together for a few years and you break up as you’re heading off to college.”

“Okay.”

“Anna, you can start.”

I roll my eyes.

“Breakups—yes, they hurt. But sometimes the future is more important,” I tell him.

“But why? If you love each other, you could make long-distance work.”

“Long distance? The statistics on long-distance relationships are far from encouraging.

“Sure, you could try it, but then after two months of not seeing each other, you get a call saying he’s met someone else. They just don’t work.”

“Fair point. Point for you.”

“What about staying friends and keeping in touch?”

I glance around the classroom and see most of the girls shaking their heads.

“Look at your students,” I say, gesturing to the crowd.

“Staying friends with someone you loved is impossible. It’s too painful. Eventually, one person moves on and finds a new partner, and the other gets upset because it hurts too much.

“It’s the same with getting back together after someone cheats. It’s a recipe for disaster and heartbreak.”

Most of the girls in the class nod in agreement.

“So you’re saying a breakup is necessary when you go separate ways?”

I shake my head.

“I don’t know, it’s a personal decision. But looking at the facts, that’s what I would do. I’m not saying it never works, I’m sure it does for some people, but I wouldn’t risk it.

“I prefer a clean break and moving on. After some time, you can try to be friends, but you need to let the wounds heal first.”

He nods in my direction. “Good. Okay, next.”

“Let’s have something more business-related,” he suggests.

“Taking a risk like that could cost you your company. It’s a gamble, and if it doesn’t pay off, you could lose everything,” someone warns.

We continue to argue, but this time he comes out on top. I know he’s a fan of taking risks, but I’d never put my company on the line like that. I prefer to play it safe.

I return to my seat. Suddenly, the door bursts open. I’m jotting down some notes from our discussion when I hear a voice I recognize.

“I’m looking for Anna Johnson.”

I look up to see Claire, Olivia’s caregiver, looking worn out and deeply worried. Claire’s gaze meets mine, filled with distress.

“Claire? What’s the matter?”

“You need to come right away!” she exclaims. Her voice is laced with anxiety.

“What’s happened, is she okay?” I ask, not caring that the entire class can hear. I need to know what’s going on. I hear whispers around me, but I tune them out as Claire shakes her head.

“Where is she?” I ask, fear creeping into my voice.

“Just outside,” she replies, gesturing towards the hallway. I quickly gather my things and leave the classroom to find my little girl.

“Anna?!” I hear James call after me. I can hear the worry in his voice, but my child needs me right now.

“Not now, James. I have to go.”

I close the door behind me and rush to my daughter. She looks ill, very ill.

“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” I can hear her breathing, it’s shallow and uneven. I place my hand on her forehead.

“Damn it, she’s burning up.” I sigh.

“Her temperature is 104.”

I whip around. “Her temperature is what?!” I yell.

“Her temperature started rising about an hour ago, but since she was sick recently I thought it was just lingering effects. But it spiked about fifteen minutes ago, so I came to find you.”

“Claire, we need to get her to the hospital,” I say, and she nods in agreement.

“Damn it.” I don’t have a car. I rush back to the classroom and fling the door open.

“Anna, are you okay?” the teacher asks. I shake my head, fighting back tears.

“James!” I call out. He turns to look at me, and I can see the shock on his face at my state.

“I need your help. Did you drive here?” He nods.

“Can you take me to the hospital?”

His expression turns serious. “What happened?” he asks.

I close my eyes. “I just need you to drive me there, there’s no time to explain.”

“James, go!” the professor instructs.

“Thank you.” I leave the classroom and scoop up Olivia.

“Thank you, Claire,” I say to her. I cradle Olivia against me like a baby. I know she likes to be close to me when she’s sick, and this is the closest I can get her to me right now.

“Anna?” James asks from behind me. He looks at me with Olivia in my arms.

“There’s no time to explain. I need to get her to the hospital, she’s burning up.”

His face turns pale. “You’re a mom,” he says, stunned.

“No, you idiot, she’s just randomly carrying a child. Just get them to the hospital, will you?” Claire retorts. James nods and starts moving.

“I have a car seat for her right outside.”

“Thank you, Claire.”

“You don’t need to thank me. Just make sure she stays awake. I don’t know if she can handle another bout of pneumonia.”

Tears start streaming down my face. “I know.” We rush to his car—thankfully, it’s a regular one. Claire installs the car seat, and I secure Olivia in it.

“Sweetie, you need to stay awake,” I tell her. I can feel her tiny heart pounding wildly.

“James, go!” I yell at him, tears streaming down my face. I’m sobbing now, but I don’t care. He needs to get moving.

He glances in his rearview mirror at Olivia and me.

“Livvy. Let me see those beautiful eyes I love so much,” I ask her as calmly as I can. Despite the tears rolling down my cheeks, I don’t want to scare her. She smiles and opens her eyes to look at me.

“Momma, it hurts,” she says, rubbing her chest.

“I know, baby, we’re almost there.”