Raven Branwen was a woman who had worked really hard to get to where she was. A nice four bedroom house, a good car - a Jaguar and an expensive hobby in fish collecting. Her only daughter, Yang Xiao Long went to the best schools.
Sadly, not all was well. Her job where she had held a senior position, had fired her. She sold her car and got a used Kia Soul in navy blue. She had dismantled her aquarium and cleaned it all up only keeping a twenty gallon long tank with male guppies.
She sighed looking at her electric bill, wifi bill, water bill and the other bills as well as Yang's college tuition. Thankfully Yang had decided to go to Vale Community College that was fairly cheap but not by much and she had a scholarship so that helped, but even so getting a lousy job at the local food market wasn't what she had thought she'd be doing after being the manager for five years at a big company. She sighed and looked over at Yang who was drinking a glass of OJ.
"Yang, how would you feel about getting roommates? Think maybe some of your college buddies would be interested. They'd have to be well behaved and not into weird shit." Raven said to her.
Yang's eyebrows raised in question. "Mom, are we going to have to move is it really that bad?"
Raven shook her head. "No my love, we don't have to move if we find renters, I'm finding it hard to keep the bills up for such a big house and also your college tuition, which thankfully has been paid for this year but you still have three years ahead that's not saying if you want a master's"
"I'll get a job then. I'm sure if I also get a job, even if it's part-time that might help."
"No, no need, just help me put up some fliers and maybe that might help".
Yang nodded and hugged and kissed her mother's cheek.
They went to different places. Yang in her college to put up the fliers and Raven put them up in the Supermarket she worked at. Lucky for her as she was putting them up that afternoon a Mother and her daughter came in to go shopping and they saw what Raven was putting up and they asked her if they could go to her for an interview, the woman mentoning how their current lease was going to be up soon.
"I don't see a problem, Hi my name is Raven Branwen." Raven extended her hand to the woman.
"Hi I'm Summer Rose, and this is my daughter Ruby Rose" Summer said introducing them. Ruby simply waved.
Raven was happy at the prospect of having the mother and daughter as her roommates. Her day at Sunny Supermarket started with her making resets. She had a lot of work to do with putting things in place and everything that needed new tags and such. She did five isles of this in the supermarket and afterward she cleaned the floors and the bathrooms. Her day was long and hard but after she was done she went home to see her fish tank. She knew that Yang would be home soon, which meant she started making carbonara for them to eat tonight with a bit of cheap white wine for both.
Yang came home from classes. "Mom I'm home" she said as she went to her room to put away her bag. Raven replied. "In the kitchen love." Yang rolled her eyes her mother could be embarrassing at times but she loved her either way.
Once she found her mother in the kitchen Raven told her to serve herself and she saw that her mother had given her half a glass of white wine. "What's the occasion you don't let me drink unless is something big."
"Nothing much, we may have found possible roommates, but that's to be seen in the interview tomorrow, I'm going to Bread and Sweets to interview her." Raven explained as she sipped her wine and served her and Yang their carbonara.
Yang and her mother sat at the kitchen table that held four chairs. They ate in relative silence. "So how were your classes today. Can you find some tutor for your English class and your math class."
Yang finished eating what she had in her mouth before answering. "I haven't yet mom" she sipped from the wine that he mother gave her. But I'm sure I will sometime soon.
"Okay I just want you to do well, I know those two are your hardest subjects". Raven said they both looked at themselves and nodded. "Movie and couch?" Raven asked.
"Movie and couch." Yang answered as they took their plates and started watching a movie together.
The next day was much the same way Yang went to school and Raven went to work. She had a voicemail and she listened to it after her job was done with.
"Hello, this is Summer Rose calling to let you know I'll be at Bread and Sweets at around 5:30 pm. I think I'm going to be a bit held up at work which, is just me writing, but anyways see you then!"
With that Raven gathered her purse and took off her work vest and went to Bread and Sweets. Once there, she ordered a croissant and a hot chocolate and sat at a table near the window to make sure Summer saw her. It was already 5:20 when Summer came in through the door of the establishment and went to sit in front of Raven. She offered her hand and Raven shook it.
"Hi glad you could make it." Raven said with a smile.
"Thank you, mind if I get myself a drink?"
"No, go right ahead."
Summer came back with a passion fruit and mango lemonade.
"So where do we begin" Summer said as she sat down with her drink.