Between Love and Sacrifice

CHAPTER TWO: SISTER'S SACRIFICE

After getting home from work, I plopped down on my bed, weighing my next move. I had just spoken with the doctor, who told me Andrew's health was deteriorating daily. I felt utterly lost; the motherless home was no longer functioning. The only person I could reach out to right now was Sarah, but I hadn't contacted her since she left us at motherless home. I knew she would have tried my old number, but I had changed it after losing my phone.

Sarah was a close friend from the motherless home. We grew up together, but she left before I and Andrew could plan our move out because she found a good job. It had been five years, and I hoped she would have been boomed. I knew she was a hardworking lady. I sifted through a stack of notebooks until I found one with her phone number. The stack of the notebooks were a prize I won in a quiz competition back in high school.

I dialed her number, my heart raced as it connected. I prayed she would pick up. It rang twice before she answered.

“Hello, who is this?” Sarah's voice echoed through the phone.

“It’s me…” I sniffled.

“Amelia! It’s you!I knew that I could trace your voice even among thousands of people. I tried calling several times, but it didn’t go through. What happened? Andrew doesn’t have a phone, if so I would’ve called him. You know I don’t talk to anyone else in the motherless home!” she explained.

Sarah was amazed to hear my voice again. She was a jovial and intelligent lady, but I couldn't understand why the other colleagues at the motherless home didn't like her. I didn’t respond to everything she said; I was too overwhelmed. After she finished speaking, I broke the silence.

“Sarah, I’m doomed!” I exclaimed.

“Doomed!” she exclaimed.

“Yes, Sarah. Andrew was diagnosed with acute kidney injury and has only two weeks to raise ten thousand dollars for dialysis. According to the doctor, I’m at a loss, where will I get that kind of money?” I explained.

Silence fell on the line.

“Hello…” I reassured myself, hoping she was still there.

“I’m there, Amelia. This is so heartbreaking,” she sighed.

They both sat in silence for a moment before Sarah broke it.

“How is he now?” she asked.

“He's in the hospital, really sick…” I burst into tears.

“Amelia, stop crying. Give me two hours, and I’ll call you back.”

“Okay!” Sarah hung up.

Instinctively, she hung up. My stomach gurgled; I hadn’t eaten since morning, and I didn’t want to develop an ulcer. I remembered Sarah, was an ulcer patient, and remembered the pain she felt when she didn’t eat on time. So, I quickly found remnants of yesterday's food. I couldn’t cook because I was too unhappy about the situation I was. After I finished eating, I put on my dress and rushed to the bus stop for the hospital.

While in the bus, my phone rang. Sighted an unknown number on the screen, I quickly picked up. It was from the hospital, telling me that Andrew's health had seriously deteriorated and he had been placed on oxygen.

Instantly I called Sarah's number back ceaselessly, but she didn’t pick up. I got off at the next bus stop, grabbed a cab without caring about the fare, and headed straight back to Mr. Alexander's house. It was already a quarter past eight, and I prayed he would be home.

I arrived at Mr. Alexander's place exactly five minutes after nine. Fortunately, he was home, as confirmed by the gatekeeper, Mr. Robin.

I knocked at the entrance door, and Mr. Jack, his errand guard, opened the door for me. I climbed the staircase and headed straight to his room and knocked. He opened the door immediately. I kneeled on the tiles.

“Sir, I’m begging you. My brother has been placed on oxygen ” I pleaded, tears streaming down my face.

“Amelia, I’ve told you before that I’ll help, but you have to give me your body in return,” he insisted.

“But I’ve begged you, sir! My brother is dying!” I cried, my voice breaking as I coughed, watery mucus mixing with my tears.

“Amelia, you know you owe me a debt, and your brother's life is at risk and this is your chance to pay it off and to save your brother's life,” he said in a low tone.

Suddenly, Andrew's state flashed in my mind. I couldn’t lose him, he mustn't die, he was my father, my mother, my family ,my everything.

Out of desperation, I blurted out, “I will do it.”

He rested his side at the hinge of his room door,crossed his legs, smirking, and with arms crossed on his broad-shouldered chest “Now you’re talking,” he said.

“You’re most welcome,” he added.

I knelt there, tears streaming down my cheeks, my eyes red and feeling helpless. Reluctantly, I stood and followed him into his bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed with half my weight resting on it.

My heart raced as he began removing his clothes without a second thought. I sat there, frozen.

He lay in bed while I cried and shook, and later lied beside him like a log. He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingered on my skin, and his breath hitched slightly. With each tentative movement, he went slowly, his hands trembled as if they might break the delicate moment. He paused to catch my eye and gave me an encouraging smile.

"Just breathe," he murmured, his voice steady as he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer. That night, Mr. Alexander made me a woman by taking my virginity.

Afterward, he went straight to the bathroom to shower, but I was busy crying and staring at myself from head to toe, unable to believe this had happened to me. I sold myself for money, but I knew I was helping Andrew. After a few minutes he emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, staring at me intently.

"Amelia, I don't know that you are a virgin?" he said in a playful tone.

I looked up and shot him a disgusted glance, regardless of what his position was to me.

"You are heartless!" I yelled.

"After all the begging I did, you still did what you wanted," I sniffled, wiping the tears streaming down my cheeks. "Where is the money?" Extended my right hand out.

He stared at me with a confusing gaze for seconds without uttering a word.

I insisted, "Where is the money? You've satisfied what you've been thirsty for, so give me the money and let me go." I demanded.

"You're talking to me like that?" he asked in a low tone.

I didn’t respond. He shook his head to me, but I ignored him, and he later requested my bank account details, which I provided. A few minutes later, I received a notification: twenty thousand dollars had been transferred to my account, he doubled it.