Snowbee's successful treatment turned out to be a small turning point, bringing a breath of fresh air to Wanda's modest pet-grooming business. Word of mouth spread quickly through the local cat-lover community. Ms. Siska, who was extremely satisfied, did not hesitate to share photos of Snowbee's transformation on social media, along with a heartwarming story about Wanda's "healing hands."
Over the next two weeks, the four-by-five-meter garage became livelier than usual. The roar of the hair dryer, the trickle of water, and the meows of her furry patients calling back and forth colored Wanda's days. The results were immediately apparent; Wanda could finally breathe a little easier when paying the monthly electricity bill and slipping the remaining bills into the education savings can for Noni and Nana.
That afternoon, the garage had grown quiet again. Wanda had just finished sweeping up the fur left on the floor and rearranging the shampoo bottles that were beginning to run low. A faint smile curved across her weary face as she watched Noni sitting at the patio table, patiently helping her little sister, Nana, with a drawing assignment from school.
Mochi strolled over, then leaped into Wanda's lap as she sat in a plastic chair. Wanda gently stroked Mochi's head, savoring this small moment of peace that she was deeply grateful for. It felt as though the wheels of life were slowly beginning to turn in a better direction.
However, the peace in the garage abruptly shattered when a white SUV stopped right in front of the gate.
Wanda recognized the vehicle instantly. Her heart pounded, and the warmth she had just felt evaporated in an instant, replaced by a chill creeping to the tips of her fingers. The car door opened, and a neatly dressed man in an official uniform shirt stepped out.
Krisna. Her ex-husband.
The man who had abandoned Wanda in a pool of tears and devastation eight years ago now stood behind the gate. Krisna surveyed the modest garage with an unreadable expression—a faintly contemptuous curve touched his lips when he saw the handmade grooming sign hanging slightly crooked.
"Noni, Nana, go inside the house for now, okay? Take your books," Wanda whispered quickly to her daughters. She tried to keep her voice calm, though her hands trembled faintly on Mochi's back.
Noni seemed to understand the situation. Her cheerful expression turned tense. She immediately took Nana's hand, carried the card game they had been playing, and led her through the inner door, closing it tightly behind them.
Krisna walked in without being invited. His firm footsteps sounded stark against the silence of the patio. "It's nice to see you're still hanging on in this little place, Wanda," Krisna began in his deep voice. There was no friendliness in it, only cold formality.
"Why are you here, Krisna?" Wanda asked firmly. She stood straight and crossed her arms over her chest to hide the trembling in her fingers. Mochi stood beside her feet, hissing softly at Krisna—as if recognizing the threatening foreign energy disturbing their home's peace.
Krisna let out a long breath and glanced at Mochi with disgust before looking back at Wanda. "I'm here about something important. The owner of the land this house and garage sit on... Mr. Burhan. He's a business associate of my new boss."
Wanda stiffened. "And?"
"Mr. Burhan plans to sell this entire property next month. An investor wants to build a row of shop-houses along this road," Krisna said flatly, without a trace of empathy in his eyes. "As your ex-husband, I just wanted to let you know ahead of time so you wouldn't be caught off guard. This little business of yours will have to be demolished. And honestly... you won't be able to afford buying this land from Mr. Burhan, will you?"
Krisna's words struck Wanda in the chest like a blow from a blunt object. Her breath caught. This house and garage were the only fortress she had to shelter both their children. This was where she had gathered the scraps of her dignity and rebuilt her life from scratch.
"This is our rental home, Krisna. Our lease is still valid through the end of the year!" Wanda insisted, struggling to keep her voice from breaking.
Krisna gave her a faint smile, one that cut Wanda deeply. "Mr. Burhan is prepared to pay compensation for terminating the lease. Legally, he's entitled to sell his property. I suggest you start looking for another home... or perhaps hand over custody of Noni and Nana to me if you can no longer afford a decent place for them to live."
Krisna's final sentence pierced Wanda straight through the heart. This was not merely a notification; it was an implicit threat to take away the most precious things in her life.
"Get out of my house, Krisna," Wanda whispered, her voice heavy with restrained fury. "Get out. Now."
Krisna looked at Wanda for a moment, adjusted his collar, then turned away without another word. The white SUV drove off, leaving behind a thin cloud of exhaust and an overwhelming emptiness on the home's patio.
Wanda collapsed into the plastic chair. Her knees felt boneless. The hope and small steps she had built over the past few weeks seemed to crumble into pieces within minutes. The crushing despair that had once imprisoned her eight years ago now crept back, poisoning her chest with fear.
How could she find a new home and a new place for her business within a month? Where would she get that much money? And most frightening of all: what if she really lost Noni and Nana?
The tears she had held back for so long finally spilled down her cheeks. Wanda covered her face with both hands, her body shaking with silent sobs.
Amid the darkness of her fear, Mochi slowly leaped into Wanda's lap. The thick cream-colored cat rubbed its warm head against Wanda's tear-damp wrist. Mochi's soft purr returned, steady and full of devotion. At the same time, the front door opened slightly; Noni and Nana peeked out hesitantly before finally running over and hugging their mother from the side.
Wanda held both her daughters and Mochi tightly in the middle of the garage that was threatened with disappearing. A new storm had arrived, but deep in her chest, the last embers of her fighting spirit refused to go out so easily.