Chapter 3
1033 Words
Chapter 3
"So, how will you get the money now for grandmother's surgery?" Laura asked, her eyes filled with concern and pity.
Alessia stared at her friend with a deadpan expression, trying to hide her desperation. "That, I don't know. I just pray for a miracle."
They stood up, and as they approached her grandmother's ward, Alessia noticed the doctor checking on her grandmother. She quickly turned to leave, not wanting the doctor to see her here empty-handed.
But it was too late. The doctor had already seen her.
"Ms. Alessia, see me in my office." The doctor spoke and left.
Alessia felt a surge of anxiety and frustration. She didn't know how she would face the doctor, who had been expecting her to bring the money for the surgery.
As she walked towards her grandmother's bed, she saw that the old lady had opened her eyes. Alessia's heart swelled with emotion as she saw her grandmother struggling to breathe.
"Ah, Alessia, you're here," her grandmother said, her voice weak but full of love.
Alessia tried to hide her emotions, but tears began to slip down her cheeks. She hastily wiped them away, not wanting to show her vulnerability.
"Of course, who do you think will be here? Do you have another annoying granddaughter other than me?" Alessia asked, trying to use humor to cover her emotions.
But her grandmother's next words cut deep. "Why can't you just leave me to die, Alessia? You know I'm so old and I'm just a burden to you..."
Alessia couldn't let her grandmother finish. She felt a lump form in her throat as she held her grandmother's hand and glared at her playfully, trying to hide her tears.
"Oh, you wanted to quickly escape because you're tired of raising a granddaughter like me, right? But don't worry, I won't let you escape. I will look for money and pay for your surgery."
Laura, who had been watching the exchange, also wiped away tears from the corner of her eyes. "Yes, grandmother, nothing will happen to you. I will also look for a job and assist Alessia. We will pay the money for the surgery, and you will soon be fine."
The old lady breathed heavily, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and gratitude. "But..."
Alessia cut her off, not wanting to hear her grandmother's words of defeat. "There is no but, grandmother. The doctor asked for me. I will go and see her."
As Alessia turned to leave, her grandmother's words echoed in her mind. "I'm just a burden to you..." Alessia knew she had to prove her grandmother wrong. She would do anything to save her, to show her that she was not a burden, but her pillar, her everything.
Alessia stood outside the doctor's office, her heart racing with anxiety. She took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and knocked on the door.
"Come in," the doctor replied from within.
Alessia clenched her fist, opened the door, and entered the office. The doctor looked up from the files she was reading, her expression expectant.
"Ms. Alessia, you're here. Go and quickly deposit the money so we can start the surgery for your grandmother," the doctor said, her voice firm but kind.
Alessia smiled cunningly, trying to think of a way to trick the doctor into starting the surgery without paying. "Yes, go and quickly start the surgery. I will pay," she said, trying to sound confident.
The doctor raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "What do you mean by you will pay? Does that mean you didn't bring any money despite boasting when you left that you would bring the money?"
Alessia shifted uncomfortably in her seat, knowing she had been caught. The doctor sighed, her expression a mix of frustration and understanding.
"Your grandmother's life is at stake here, Ms. Alessia. We need to perform the surgery before a week, or else you will lose her," the doctor said, her voice firm but gentle.
Alessia felt a lump form in her throat as she realized the gravity of the situation. She didn't know what else to do. She couldn't afford to pay for the surgery, and she knew that if she started working, it would take too long to earn enough money.
She left the hospital, feeling defeated, and walked to Laura's house, which was just a short distance away. She had been living there since her grandmother fell ill, and Laura had been a constant source of support.
As she entered the one-room apartment, she changed into a faded jeans trouser and a tacky hoodie, feeling a sense of desperation wash over her. She knew she had to think of something, and fast, or risk losing her grandmother forever.
Alessia kept the dress she removed inside a polythene bag and sighed before taking it to the next street from the shop she had borrowed it from. As she approached the shop, she fidgeted with anxiety, knowing she hadn't paid anything to the woman and had lied about sending the half payment.
"Ms. Alessia, you are here," a voice called out from inside the shop. It was the voice of the woman's little boy.
Alessia's heart skipped a beat as she hesitated, wondering if her luck would hold out. "Where's your mom?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
"Mom has gone out," the little boy replied, his eyes fixed on the polythene bag in Alessia's hand. "Are you here to return the clothes you borrowed?"
Alessia forced a cheerful tone, trying to hide her nervousness. "Yes, take it."
The little boy took the bag from Alessia, and she turned to leave, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. Her luck was good; the woman wasn't at home.
But as she took three steps away from the shop, a voice boomed from behind her.
"You, this useless lady, wait there! Do you think you can cheat me? You lied to me that you paid the half, but it was a fake alert I received!"
Alessia's heart sank as she turned to face the woman, who had appeared out of nowhere, her face twisted in anger. Alessia's luck had just run out.
- Writer
