For Better And For Worse
Chapter 4

Tomorrow morning, very early, Krist gets up and gets ready for work.

Krist: hello darling, slept well?

Isabelle: yes, today at least I slept well. And you ?

Krist: yes me too. However, if only the boss lets me have this job, I won’t spend any more time with you.

Isabelle: it doesn’t matter, what matters for now is replaceing the means to build our own house and we’ll see the rest later.

Krist: yes you are right. Well I gotta go.

Isabelle: good luck my love.

They k**s and Krist goes to work. He arrives and goes to dress with the others then they go to the meeting. After the meeting, the boss asks to see him behind closed doors.

Krist: yes boss!

Felix: who are you?

Krist: uh… I… I don’t know what to say boss.

Felix: what’s your name?

Krist: My name is Kristian.

Felix: show me your ID.

He gives him his coin and he checks. Kristian is truly his name.

Felix: who told you that you have to come work here yesterday?

Krist: no one, I came to look for work.

Félix: who told you that you will be paid 10,000 f per day?

Krist: You told me that yourself. What’s going on boss?

Felix: well, one of my friends called me to tell me that I would have to help him by giving a job as a waiter to his brother who came to live with him. His brother should come this morning. I hadn’t seen him yet, he simply gave me his description so when you arrived, I took you for him, and coincidentally, you have the same first name.

Krist: It’s surely God’s work. But where is the person in question?

Felix: Well, he’s in a coma in the hospital.

Krist: oh, that’s sad news.

Felix: Therefore, you can continue to work here. You do a really good job and I really need people like you.

Krist: oh, really thank you boss, thank you very much.

Felix: Come on, get to work!

Krist: Right away.

This is how he kept his job. He was diligent at work and above all, he loved his work and did it very well. At the end of a month, he receives 300,000 francs and more. On his wife’s side too, there are better days as well as bad days. However, his hair salon is thriving. On her husband’s side, he has earned the esteem of his boss. After three months of work, he gained the trust of his boss. The restaurant continues to receive customers because of the good service offered by its employees, especially Krist. So his boss decided to make him head of all the other waiters and his salary increased. On his wife’s side, his salon has a great reputation in the city and even in the country. That night, Krist and his wife pray to thank the Lord. Afterwards they discuss.

Krist: God has been with us until now, but we must not think that our work is guaranteed, we must have our backs.

Isabelle: you’re right, I think about it too. I thought about buying a fridge to put in my salon and fill it with non-alcoholic drinks to allow clients to cool off while I braid them.

Krist: That’s a great idea. You would also have to replace a girl who will serve them because you can’t braid them with just your hands and serve them at the same time. So she can also watch how you do it and learn how to braid. That way, when she gets a little better, she can even pick you up.

Isabelle: but yes, I should have thought of that a long time ago, thank you darling for this idea. The only problem would be replaceing a girl who wants that.

Krist: let’s always pray, nothing is impossible with God.

Isabelle: you are right.

Krist: I myself want to open a store but I don’t know where to replace someone who can look after and manage it.

Isabelle: let’s submit all this to God and it will be fine.

They therefore pray together and submit their project to God. A week later, an 18-year-old girl named Stella comes to Isabelle’s salon. At first she thought she had come to braid herself.

Isabelle: hello miss, how are you?

Stella: very good ma’am.

Isabelle: go, take a seat and choose the model you want. Look at this one, no man will be able to resist your charm with this.

Stella: thank you, but in fact I didn’t come to braid myself.

Isabelle: oh, what are you here for then?

Stella: Well, my name is Stella. I had lost my father when I was 13, my mother managed to enroll me in school but she had also just died last year when I was already in first grade. There was no one to help me so I couldn’t do the final year. I have two brothers who already work but they have completely forgotten about family. I didn’t know what to do, I had become a maid in a rich family but their children treated me so badly that I had to give up. Please, you are the tenth person I have turned to. I know a little about braiding and I would like to learn more about it but I have nothing so no one wants to train me. Please allow me to train at your place and I will later work for you for as long as you want to pay you, please.

Isabelle heaves a sigh.

Isabelle: Stella, I am sincerely sorry for everything you had to endure. You do not deserve that. And don’t worry, you can train with me and you don’t need to pay me. I just want when you know better, you’ll be my second.

Stella: really!

Isabelle: yes, do you want to?

Stella: yes ma’am, yes, yes,

Isabelle: oh, don’t thank me yet. My name is Isabelle.

Stella: thank you very much Ms. Isabelle, I feel that you are a wonderful person.

Isabelle (smile): thank you. I feel like you too. Okay, excuse me for a minute, okay?

Stella: Okay.

Isabelle leaves her money on the table and goes out to test it. Stella gets up and looks at the braid models displayed on the wall. She sees the money but doesn’t touch it. Now a customer arrives.

Customer: hello miss, where has Madame Isabelle gone?

Stella: she just went out but she will be back soon. You can wait for him for a few moments.

Customer: OK, I’m in a hurry, I can’t wait. I came to repay his debt. Here and tell him that it was Yvette who came to settle her debt, that’s 25,000 francs.

Isabelle: okay ma’am. Good day to you.

Yvette: thank you, have a good day.

Yvette leaves and Isabelle returns a few minutes later with food.

Isabelle: I wanted to go to lunch but since you are here, you will accompany me. I don’t like eating alone.

Stella: that’s nice of you, ma’am. In fact, while you were gone, one of your clients came by, a certain Yvette.

Isabelle: ah, I know her very well, she’s my loyal customer.

Stella: she gave me 25,000 f for you, to repay her debt. Here they are !

Isabelle: ah thank you very much, I feel that you will help me a lot Stella. Come on, let’s eat now.

So, they eat and then they drink sweets. After that, since no customers show up, she decides to braid Stella by choosing a beautiful hairstyle model. She finishes after a few hours.

Isabelle: that’s it, it’s over. It suits you perfectly, look how beautiful you are!

Stella: Thank you.

Isabelle: do you also agree to serve drinks to customers?

Stella: of course ma’am.

Isabelle: It’s perfect.

They stay together to chat while waiting for customers. When a customer arrives, Isabelle braids her hair and Stella observes. At 6 p.m., her husband joins her. She introduces her to him and also introduces Krist to Stella. So, Stella began following Isabelle’s training from that day on. With determination and will, she learns quickly and sometimes, she braids certain simple models. She really helps Isabelle by lightening her workload. She is the one who serves drinks and yogurt to customers while observing. After two months, she had assimilated enough knowledge and began to weave together with Isabelle. She gives her a share of the money they earn every day and she keeps this so she can continue her studies later. On the other hand, Krist also normally works as a waiter and after a year, they finally build their house together. They settled there and Stella with them. Isabelle was able to build a larger salon and Krist was able to open a shop which he leaves to the management of a young boy to continue his work as a waiter. So the rent story is over, the hassle is over. However, their trials are not yet over.