Till Bonds Do Us Part

Chapter three

Chapter 3

I laid down on the cold tiled floor and I felt dead inside. I had no will to do anything. I had no family aside my brother, I can’t afford to lose him to anything right now.I needed to ask someone for help because clearly I couldn’t shoulder the bill of my brother’s surgery alone.

It won’t be too long till bank notices roll around for the payment of rent which is long overdue. My brother’s school fees is also hanging on my neck.

I needed money, a lot of it and I needed it fast. My paycheck could barely cover our personal expenses let alone hospital bills.

I was going out of my mind; my head was about to explode just thinking and racking my brain on where to get money.

FLASHBACK

“Sit down young lady,” the doctor said.

I slowly perked my behind at the edge of the chair almost as if I was afraid to sit fully on the chair. And yes I was afraid to sit, clearly not because of the chair. I was afraid that I could not bear whatever it is the doctor will tell me because clearly, my brother did not look good.

“So I know we both don’t have all the time in the world, so I’ll keep it as brief as possible. Your brother is suffering from a rare heart disease called the ebstein anomaly”

“Come again doctor” I stuttered.

“What I said was that he’s been diagnosed with ebstein anomaly, what that “”

“What does even mean doctor ?” I cut in impatiently. I heard him the first time I just didn’t know what it meant.

“If you had waited for me to finish, you’d know what I meant.”

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

“So this is congenital problem, meaning it has been present at birth. It has been a mild case that’s why he’s not experienced any form of complications till now. Ebstein anomaly happens when the tricuspid valve does not form correctly resulting in the valve not being able to close properly. The blood flow then begins to move backwards making it harder for the heart to do it’s work. In such a case he’ll need to have a tricuspid valve repair to rectify the situation. He’s had a cardiac arrest now and what follows might be worse and by worse, I’m sure you know what I mean.”

Tears were streaming down my face at this point, I refused to believe that my brother could die at any moment from now if he didn’t get surgery.

“No, No, No, that can’t be doctor,” I sobbed.

“I’m sorry young lady, but that’s the unfortunate reality of it all,” the doctor added.

“But he’s so young. This can’t be happening doctor. This can’t be.” I felt like a fool repeating the same words over and over again but at this point in time, grammar has fled my mind. I couldn’t think straight let alone form a cohesive string of words.

“Doctor you have to save my brother, he can’t die like that. You need to save my brother,”

“Yeah we plan to do that, but we can only do that if you have your money in full and as early as possible,” the doctor replied.

“The surgery is a highly expensive one and at this point, time is of the essence and I’ll have you know that it’ll be in your best interest get up from that floor and gather all the money you can because your brother doesn’t have much time.” he stated matter of factedly.

“Way to be an ass doctor” I thought with disgust. I didn’t even realise the time I sank to my feet, I eas definitely going to go crazy this time around.

“It wouldn’t hurt to be a little empathetic doctor,” I fumed. If this doctor said another word, I’m afraid he’ll be at the receiving end of my wrath this fine afternoon. They really should add empathy to their whole six or whatever year course.

I was finally able to get my puny ass from the floor and stormed out the office. “There’s money to be gotten.”

****

I was fully wailing as I remembered what happened in the doctors office. I normally don’t allow people to see how vulnerable I could get sometimes. They tend to use it against you most often.

With all that happened today, my display at the doctor’s office was the least of what I could have done. This must be the worst day ever in the history of all worst days. Because how on earth could one human being go through all these shitty events at the same time.

****

“Lyon, you know you have to let that annoying little brat pay for what she did right?” Lucas said.

Lyon was deep in thought and seemed to be in another world as he did not even hear what Lucas said let alone give him a befitting response.

“Lyon, Dude, LYON!” Lucas shouted.

“Jesus Lucas you don’t have to scream my name like that,” Lyon retorted.

“I wouldn’t have to if you have responded to me the first time. What’s got you in such a mood anyway?”

Lyon let out a breath and said, “I really don’t know what to do about this whole board and marriage stuff. I mean how the hell could they think that marriage is the best solution.”

“You know Lyon, I really don’t get you sometimes. This shouldn’t be anything that’s should eat you up”

Lyon just stared at him blankly. Like really dude what’s your genius plan.

“Just get one of those girls who are so desperate for money and let her play pretend wife for a bit to throw the board off your back and you are good to go. But you need to sign a prenup so that she doesn’t run off with your fortune” Lucas said with a nod as if he just did the greatest thing in the world.

Lyon was clearly not having any of that. “Seriously dude, that’s the worst advice anybody could give. Well no one is getting married so you can get that idea out of your head and come up with something better.”

“Well you can say that today but I’ll have you know that that’s the best advice anyone could give you. Anyways, to much more important issues, we need to fix the car and get that little brat to pay. In case you’ve forgotten that car is “THE” Rolls Royce Phantom, the most expensive car in the US at the moment and no one just messes with it.” Lucas said with renewed anger.

“Lucas, just get the car fixed and leave me the hell alone, I need to think,” he annuciated like he was talking to a child.

Lucas just looked at Lyon with displeasure and stormed out of the office because obviously there was work to be done. He’ll definitely make that girl pay. Scratch that, he’ll definitely get Lyon to make that girl pay. Yeah, that’s more like it.

*****

My eyes felt so sore after crying for so long, my whole body felt so sore even.

I decided to tidy up my mess of a room to get my mind of the matter at hand for a little bit, anything to free my mind for a bit.

My first point of call was our tiny bathroom, my brother hated it when the bathroom was dirty so I needed to keep it clean. He’ll be coming home soon, that was how I chose to think because I’m going to get the money no matter what it takes.

From the bathroom, I came to tidy the beds and change the beddings and pick up the things I had so precariously thrown around.

I picked my side bag and decided to check on the phone I had damaged. I’ve been so busy wallowing in grief that I didn’t even have the time to check on the phone. Something fell from the bag as I did that. I picked it up and it was the business card of the handsome asshole.

I took a good look at it and OH MY GOD, I am doomed.

My eyes were bulging out of my sockets as it registered that I might even see my death before my brother ever did.