“What does he need?” a younger woman asked.
“Patience. He’s paralyzed from the neck down. Wealthy… and unbearable.”
“And the pay?”
“Very generous. That’s the only reason anyone stays.”
My heart started pounding. I should’ve walked away. I had no experience, no training, nothing but desperation. But before I could stop myself, I stepped inside.
“Excuse me,” I said, my voice shaking. “I couldn’t help overhearing. You need a caretaker?”
The older woman looked me over carefully.
“This isn’t simple work.”
“I understand.”
“Do you? He requires everything—care, attention, patience. Most professionals quit.”
“I can learn.”
“Experience?”
I thought of Bruno. Of the empty fridge.
“I have children,” I said quietly. “And I don’t have the luxury of quitting.”
Something in her expression softened.
“Your name?”
“Emma Reyes.”
“I’m Beatrice Langley. This is Nora. The position is temporary.”
Temporary still felt like salvation.
“Can I meet him?” I asked.
She handed me a card. “One-thirty. Don’t be late.”
I clutched it like it mattered more than anything I owned.
At home, I told Bruno I had an interview. Mrs. Alvarez agreed to watch the kids, as she always did without asking questions.