Writers 
Honestly, I was very afraid to go back to the company the next day. I kept telling myself, “Calm down. Relax. Don't tell anybody anything. Just try your best to avoid Adrian.”
I got to the company late, and Adrian was already addressing the employees. I quietly walked in.
Surprisingly, he didn't react. He saw me, but he did not allow himself to be distracted. It was almost as if I was nothing more than a fly passing through the room.
As soon as the meeting was dismissed, I thought I was safe. Then he called my name.
“Amara, our intern. See me in my office.”
I almost lost myself. I wished the ground would open and swallow me. I was certain he was going to end my internship, and that would have a terrible effect on my education.
I returned to my work desk, shaking. Rachel tried to calm me down.
“You were just late. You've never had any record of coming late before. This is your first time. He wouldn't do anything much.”
My problem was the previous night. I gathered the little courage I had left, walked to his office, and knocked.
“Come in.”
I entered and stood opposite him. Adrian was writing something on the table. The silence was killing me. He said nothing for almost five minutes.
Finally, I spoke.
“Please, sir, don't end my internship. It will have a very bad effect on my education.”
He looked at me and laughed.
“Why would I end your internship?”
I thought he would dismiss me immediately.
But he behaved as if nothing had happened.
I decided to act as though nothing had happened either.
Then he smiled.
“Amara, you are a very, very beautiful lady. You're quite adorable, and it looks to me that we could be useful to each other. Do you know what I mean?”
I didn't understand or maybe I did.
Then he pushed a rectangular sheet of paper across the table.
It was a cheque.
I had never seen that much money in my life.
“No, sir. I can't take this.”
He took the cheque back, wrote another one, and increased the amount.
Then he stood up and came towards me.
“The other night was good.”
My heart started beating faster.
“Amara, we could be useful to each other. You being useful to me, and me being useful to you.”
“I don't need the money,” I said, even though I desperately needed it.
He smiled.
“Come on. Pick it up.”
Eventually, I picked up the cheque.
I turned to leave, then stopped.
“This money you're giving me, I hope there won't be any bad consequences?”
He laughed.
“As I said before, you being useful to me and I being useful to you. That's your reward.”
“Isn't this too much?”
“Don't worry. I take care of anybody who is useful to me. Just keep being useful.”
The money was useful.
Very useful.
Immediately after I got back home, I took Mama to the hospital, and this time, she received the best care we could afford. I was relieved to see her getting the attention she needed.
I used the little money that remained to buy some foodstuff for the house.
For once, we had enough to eat.
The next day, I went back to the office as usual.
Towards the closing hour, I suddenly received a message from Adrian indicating the time and venue. Unfortunately, at that moment, I needed to be with Mama, as she was going to be discharged from the hospital. So, I decided not to meet the boss and instead go to Mama.
