Dear Diary,
Eager!
Anxious!!
Excited!!!
Those were the three words beating in my chest this morning.
Today was the day.
The day I had prepared for, labored for, lost sleep over. The grand opening of D’ Vine Restaurant. Guests streamed in—one after another—laughter filling the room, heels clicking on polished floors, children tugging at their parents’ hands.
And there it was.
My masterpiece.
I called it “The Heritage”—a dish passed down through generations, perfected with patience, love, and fire. I was sure they would love it. I needed them to love it.
They did.
As the waiters served families, dressed in elegance and expectation, I caught their smiles after the first bite—the kind that tells you your hard work wasn’t in vain. For a moment, I stood still, almost in disbelief. This was happening.
Then I heard it.
“Did you eat?”
A soft whisper. Easy to ignore.
Who has time for food on a day like this?
I hadn’t even stocked my fridge, yet I had poured everything into this place. I watched each plate leave the kitchen. I watched faces light up after the first bite. Satisfaction. Approval. Success.
“That was great,” I whispered to myself, smiling.
When the doors finally closed, I sat alone in the quiet.
“Maybe you should eat now.”
“Oh no, no,” I said aloud. Today was record-breaking. Tomorrow had to be even better.
And so the cycle began.
Each day, I pushed harder. Each night, I planned more. Each time the whisper came, I silenced it with the same excuse: Just one more day.
Until my body made the decision for me.
One afternoon, during the lunch rush, as I moved from table to table—checking plates, asking questions, making sure everyone was satisfied—my vision began to spin.
I tried to shake it off.
We were closing soon… or so I thought.
The next thing I remember, I was waking up to white walls, beeping machines, and an IV in my arm.