"It's 7:30. I think I should get up now."
Slowly, quietly, I slipped out from under the quilt. My mother and I share a bed, and the last thing I wanted was to disturb her peaceful sleep. I had a new job to dread, and it was barely my second day. It was at a car showroom, a surprisingly large one, full of glaring lights and countless polished vehicles. I wished, not for the first time, that I had found a quiet office job instead.
"Can you make me a cup of tea?" my grandmother called softly from the other side of the room. She was an early riser, as always, having already cleaned the front yard and waiting patiently for me to wake up.
"Let me wash my face," I replied, the morning grogginess clinging to me.
"I'll make tea for you pretty quickly."
Normally, I lacked energy in the morning, but the prospect of work forced me into a routine: wake up early, make tea for Grandma, warm water for myself, and get ready.
"Here you go, your tea."
I set the cup down for her before grabbing my things and heading out the door. The commute was short, just fifteen minutes from my home to the showroom.My shift started at ten and ended at six, though it often stretched to seven by the time I actually got home.