"You spoke to your dad on the phone yesterday," my mom pointed out, and I choked on the noodle I'd just shoved into my mouth. A violent cough hit me, and for a brief moment, I could barely catch my breath. When I finally caught my breath, I put down my fork—my appetite had vanished.

"How do you know?" I asked nervously, looking into her brown eyes, which had given me so much comfort my entire life.

"You weren't exactly quiet," she remarked, smiling briefly, but the smile quickly disappeared from her face when she realized the seriousness of the situation. "Why did you call him?"

I couldn't look her in the eye anymore and lowered my gaze to the table, which was covered in scratches and scrapes. Why did I feel so guilty? I had only made the phone call to help her.

"I thought maybe he could pay or lend us the money for your chemotherapy," I murmured quietly, convinced she heard, as she had damn good ears.

She, too, put down her cutlery, and the food was forgotten. We both knew this conversation would take a while.

"Oh, honey," she sighed, and I could feel the tiredness in her voice. "We'll figure this out somehow; we don't need his help. I'll just work a few more hours over the next few weeks and maybe get a second job. The money will come in somehow."

I looked at her in shock. My mum wasn't the youngest woman anymore. Aside from the cancer, her health wasn't good either. She had always worked so hard and cared for me that I didn't want her to put any more strain on herself.

"No, Mum! You especially need to take it easy now, after all, you have cancer. I'll take care of the money. I promise you!" The determination in my voice was strong, but deep inside, the fear that I wouldn't make it gnawed at me.

The idea of raising that much money in a few weeks was virtually impossible, unless I wanted to rob a bank. But I was willing to do anything in my power to save my mom.

Even robbing a bank. But that was my Plan Z.

I knew time was running out, and as I stared at the empty plate, despair overcame me. I had to come up with a plan—and fast.

"Have you looked at the job posting I sent you?" Lacy asked over my laptop, her voice patient and supportive, but I could hear the frustration she might also be feeling in her words.

"Yes, but they only hire people with experience in the field," I sighed as I browsed the online pages. Every time I read an ad that seemed like a ray of hope, I was brought back to reality by the requirements.

Lacy was my best friend, ever since we were little kids. Our mothers both worked as cleaning ladies at the same company and were close friends. It was nice to know we were a kind of family, even though our childhood circumstances were often anything but easy.

Only, I hadn't seen Lacy in a few months, ever since she was studying law in Europe. She had seized the opportunity for a better future, while I was stuck here in America, trapped in the reality of my worries. Surrounded by plants that always wilted after just a few days. But I was glad that at least one of us was learning something real and pursuing her dream.

When I told Lacy that my mom had cancer and chemotherapy was very expensive, she immediately started searching for job listings online. We'd been talking on the phone for more than two hours, tirelessly searching for a position that would allow me to earn money quickly without requiring any special training. Because I didn't have any, even though I was 23.

"What about the job in the cafeteria?" she suggested.

"I saw they've already hired a few new people. The ad is probably out of date... or they already have enough applicants," I mumbled, nervously chewing on the pencil, the tip of which had long since broken. It was an old habit I barely noticed anymore, but in moments like these, when uncertainty overcame me, I always reached for it.

After school, I did a voluntary social year in a nursing home, which meant a lot to me. It was a time in which I learned a lot about empathy and caring. After that, I actually wanted to go to university, but my father left us, and my world was turned upside down. I had to earn enough money for my mum to make ends meet and pay off my debts. Since then, I've been working in a small café here in the city.

"We'll find something, I promise you," Lacy said, her voice filled with confidence, but a deep skepticism stirred within me. I wanted to believe her words, but the reality often looked bleak, and the gravity of the situation weighed on my shoulders like an invisible weight.

"Thank you for being there for me, Lacy."

"Did you find anything else?" I asked her after another half hour, hoping she had discovered something I had missed.

My gaze wandered over the countless job postings on the screen, all written in a similar tone: "We are looking for motivated employees," "Experience required," "Minimum wage"—all of which felt like yet another obstacle placed in my path. I needed a second job that paid a lot of money and... and maybe without pushing me in a direction I really didn't want to go. Like stripper, for example.

"No, I'm sorry. I've really gone through everything. It looks really bad," she sighed, and I could hear the despair in her voice mingling with my own. In that moment, I felt like we were both in the same boat, trapped in a storm with no way out.

After a few more minutes of searching, my eye fell on a rather inconspicuous job posting that was easy to overlook amidst the abundance of others. When I looked at the posting date, I realized why I hadn't noticed it sooner—it had only been uploaded a few minutes ago.

The headline read: "Caregiver wanted for one month." My heart skipped a beat as I clicked on it, not expecting much.

"Uhh, I think I found a pretty good ad. Wait, let me read it out loud," I said, feeling a spark of hope rise.

" We are looking for a caregiver for our nephew, who is ill and requires long-term care . Since we are going away for several weeks, we need someone to take care of him during this time. The person should live with us during this period and will be provided with their own room and meals."

I paused. A room and food? That sounded almost too good to be true.

"In return, we expect the caregiver to keep an eye on the house and ensure cleanliness . We offer approximately one thousand dollars per day for care and cleaning. Of course, this is a demanding task, but more precise details will be discussed in person."

My heart beat faster. A thousand dollars a day! I never thought I could earn that much for a job. But what did that mean in practice? Would they really entrust me with that much responsibility?

"The requirements are that the person is of legal age, has experience in the care field, and is highly reliable. If everything fits, send your application to the email address below."

"A thousand dollars a day?!" Lacy and I exclaimed simultaneously. A relieved smile flitted across my face. If this article was really true and I was actually accepted, everything could still turn out well.

"Jack Point," Lacy added. "You have to write to them immediately, or someone else will grab this job!"

But as my excitement grew, I suddenly felt a queasy feeling. Something wasn't right about this job posting. Who would offer so much money for so little work? Were they just rich, or was there a catch?

I imagined what the family behind the ad looked like. What kind of illness did their nephew have? Why did they have to be away for so long? And most importantly, what about the young person who needed care?

"What is it, Lea? Do you have any concerns?" Lacy asked, her voice sounding worried. I looked at her and knew she had doubts too.

"I don't know," I muttered. "It just feels... too easy. A thousand dollars a day? What's the catch?"

"We could at least try," Lacy suggested. "Write to them and ask for more details. You have nothing to lose."

I nodded hesitantly. It was a risk, but maybe it was the only chance I had to help my mom.

With a deep breath, I sat back down at the laptop and tried to write the email. But my fingers froze over the keys.

"I'd be away from my mom for a month. I can't leave her alone for that long, especially now," I sighed, my worries wrapping themselves around me like a heavy cloak.

"Leora, you won't miss your chance to win the money! Don't worry about your mom," Lacy replied immediately, without hesitation. "I can call my mom and ask her to come by your house every day. She can also help her with the housework if necessary."

Her words hit exactly the right note. The burden on my shoulders suddenly felt a little lighter, and my mood noticeably improved. Lacy was right—this opportunity was too important to let pass. The money was the only chance to help my mom.

"Lacy, you're simply the best," I said with a small smile finally emerging from my lips.

"I know," she replied with a playful grin in her voice. "Now finally write that stupid application!"

I nodded, even though she couldn't see it. Without wasting any more time, I started typing the email.