Sold to the Mafia Boss

Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Good morning Colorado Springs. It's a beautiful day here for this time of year in April. Today will have a high of 60 degrees with a low of 34. The alarm sounds, waking me out of my four-hour sleep. I hit the snooze button, hoping to get just five more minutes, but the sound of my mother's coughing had me throwing the blanket off of my body. This is my life, getting between four and five hours of sleep before I head to my first job of the day. It's a tiny coffee shop just on the corner of Weber Street that I live on. I work from five thirty a.m. to eight fifty am. That gives me four minutes to get to college. I'm studying education, to become a teacher. I want to teach kids the importance of life values, as well as finances. I didn't get that luxury, since my dad got into gambling, and gambled all of our life savings. Mom won't leave him because she's too sick, so I stepped up at the age of ten, a very young age. I started dog sitting, mowing yards, helping the elderly with anything to make a buck to help with rent and utilities without my father knowing. I kept up with all the finances and school. I was able to take care of my mother's medical treatment and help keep a roof over our heads. I was awarded a full scholarship to Colorado College, to further my education. I quickly brush my teeth, and pull my hair into a high ponytail. I grabbed my mom's medication and headed to her room with a glass of water. "Good morning momma, how did you sleep last night?" I asked, handing her the medication. "Just fine, my sweet pea. You had better head out before your late again." My mother said. I give her a kiss on the forehead and grab my bag, keys and my books before I head out. My name is Maria Rebecca Cecil. I'm twenty years old and this is my daily routine. I get up, take care of my mom and head to work before school. I have another job. At a little diner, where I am a waitress from three thirty to nine at night. As soon as I get outside, I take a deep breath and make my walk to the coffee shop. My boss there is nice, he hired me when I turned fifteen. Don't get me wrong, he's made passes at me, but I'm not interested in relationships right now. My focus is taking care of my mother and the bills. "Maria, you're five minutes late!" I turned to see Brandon, my boss, with his arms crossed, and his foot tapping the ground. "Brandon, it was an honest mistake. It won't happen again. I can cover Friday morning if you let it pass." I said, tying my apron around my waist. "Fine, but don't let it happen again." Brandon said, turning to walk into his office. It's not like he really works anyway. He sits in the office watching reruns of 'Friends'. I got started by taking over the drive-thru. No one likes un-caffeinated people in the morning. I take many coffee orders while multitasking and filling up the supplies. I finished my shift and quickly headed out. Once in my classroom, I take out my books and get right to the work written on the board. I looked at my watch and saw that class was about to be over. "OK class, don't forget that your semester finals are coming up. So study, get plenty of rest, and I will see you Monday morning." I grab my belongings, heading towards the door, but the professor suddenly calls me over. "Maria, your summary on the world education for the less fortunate is absolutely what the world needs. I'm proud of you. Keep up the good work." "Thank you, professor." I left, running to make it to the diner on time for my night shift. As I enter the diner, the familiar scent of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee fills the air, instantly energizing me for my shift ahead. I made my way to the back of the diner, greeted by the clatter of dishes and the friendly chatter of my coworkers. Placing my bags in my locker, I take a moment to appreciate the jobs I have. Changing into my crisp uniform, I felt a sense of exhaustion wash over me, knowing that I was about to embark on another busy yet fulfilling day of serving customers. The diner is not just a place of work for me; it's a second family. My boss, Elaine, has been there for me since I started. She helped me write my essay to get the scholarship to the college I'm attending. Carol, the cashier, is like the aunt I never had. She listens to me vent about my bad days and good days. I'm halfway through my shift when a tall drink of water walks in and sits in my section. He's not my typical customer. I can tell that by the suit he's wearing, and the gold chain hanging around his neck. "Welcome in sir, can I get you anything to drink?" I asked, holding my pad and pen. "I'll take water with lemon and a cheeseburger. I'm a bit in a hurry. Can I get it to go?" The man asked. I took his order and repeated it to the kitchen staff. I grabbed him a water with a lemon and headed back to his table. He's looking at his phone when I sit the water down. The bell rings, indicating that the order is up. I rushed back, grabbing his food, placing it in a bag. "How much do I owe you?" The man asked. "Fourteen fifty." I said. He hands me fifty and walks away with his food. I'm in total shock. "Sir, your change?" "Keep it." He responds. That's a thirty-five dollar tip. Holy crap. I looked at my watch. I have fifteen more minutes before I lock up with Elaine. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket for the last twenty minutes but didn't have the time to answer it. I made a quick check to see the many missed calls from an unknown number. I shoved my phone back in my pocket and started to clean, but stopped when Elaine came out with a sad look on her face. "Maria, the hospital just called. Your mother just passed." And now the real pain is about to begin.