The Pretender and The Prince novel Chapter 7

That afternoon, Ondine got a call from her best friend, Zaria.

“Ondine!” Zaria’s voice was buzzing with excitement. “I land at Riverdale North Airport on January fourth at nine p.m. Are you going to come pick me up? I’ve missed you so much!”

Ondine paused. “I don’t think I can, Zaria. I have to be at the hospital with my mom.”

The excitement in Zaria’s voice vanished instantly. “Your mom’s sick? Is it serious?”

Ondine didn’t try to hide it. “It’s stomach cancer,” she said, her voice thick. “It’s already mid-stage.”

“Oh, Ondine,” Zaria said, her tone sinking. After a moment of silence, she added, “I’m so sorry. I had no idea. And here I was asking you to come get me.”

“It’s not your fault,” Ondine said softly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I’m going to contact the most experienced cancer specialist I can find,” Zaria said, her voice now full of determination. “Mid-stage is still treatable. Try not to worry too much.”

Easy for her to say. How could she not worry? The thought of her mother’s illness brought fresh tears to Ondine’s eyes. She sniffled quietly. “Okay. Thank you, Zaria.”

“I’m on it right now. And Ondine? Make sure you take care of yourself, too. You can’t afford to get sick. Got it?”

Ondine managed a soft, “Okay.”

After hanging up, Ondine walked to a small, deserted grove of trees on campus. She sat down on a stone bench, buried her face in her hands, and finally let go, sobbing uncontrollably.

…

As soon as Zaria got off the phone with Ondine, she dialed Seth.

…

Ondine’s shift at the diner started at five p.m. Wanting to have dinner with her mom first, she called her boss to ask if she could come in a couple of hours late.

“Are you kidding me?” he barked into the phone. “We’ve got a reservation for five tables tonight, a party of fifty, and they’re eating at seven on the dot. We’re already short-staffed, and you want to take time off? You always pick the busiest damn times to pull this crap! If you’re not here by five, don’t bother coming in at all!”

He hung up before she could say another word.

Ondine sighed. It was already four o’clock. If she didn’t want to get fired, she had to leave now. She desperately needed the money, and as bad as the pay was, it was better than nothing.

She went back to her mother’s room, said a quick goodbye, and rushed to catch the bus. On the swaying bus, she fought back waves of motion sickness while scrolling through a group chat for student part-time jobs.