A beautiful betrayal

Chapter3

Sophie’s POV

The next morning I woke up with my head pounding violently. It felt like someone had been hitting my head with a bat. I groaned and buried my face in the pillow on the couch.

What the hell happened last night?

I slowly opened my eyes and my living room came into view. Whatever headache I was feeling with my eyes closed, had tripled with my eyes open.

I looked around. I could see the old curtains in my living room. The center table with one wobbly leg, the empty space where the tv used to sit. I had to sell it the first month my grandma fell ill to pay for her hospital bill.

I pushed myself up and was immediately filled with regret.

“Oh no” a wave of nausea washed over me. I covered my mouth and stayed perfectly still, till the feeling had passed

The taste in my mouth was horrible, my throat was dry and my body felt like I had been hit by a truck.

I looked down at my myself. I still had the clothes I left the house with yesterday.

I was home alright but how did I get here?

I swallowed hard and stood up. Ignoring all the pain and nausea I felt.

I walked to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water alongside a Tylenol. I came back and sat back down on the couch. As I was sipping the white envelope on my center table caught my eyes.

How didn’t I notice it before. I picked it up, and checked for a name or address. There was none. I opened it and froze. It contained money, a whole lot of money. I pulled out the bills and started counting them.

I counted it once. “No, that can’t be right”

I counted it again and it indeed was what I had just counted. $1500.

The envelope slipped from my hands onto the ground. This money wasn’t mine, I hadn’t placed it there, so who had?

Then it all came rushing down at me. Those ocean green eyes. Those strong arms that had caught me. Elise. The mysterious lady who had rescued me. Rescued me from the man who….

Disgust filled me as the image of the man grabbing me and forcing me his mouth on mine came back to my mind. The nausea was back.

I picked the envelope from the ground. She must have kept it there, but why? Then it all came back.

Me breaking down and crying on Elise’s shoulder. I groaned. Why did I have to embarrass myself like that.

The envelope had a faint black mark slightly above the stamped seal. The mark looked really familiar. I had seen it somewhere before but I couldn’t remember where.

I dropped the envelope back on the table but the cash was still in my hand. My first instinct was to put the money back. I couldn’t accept charity from a random stranger. I placed the money back in the envelope and left it there. I’d figure out how to return it back

Then my phone rang. It was the hospital. My heart dropped. I glanced at the envelope on the table and then picked the call

“Hello?”

“Is this Sophie Rodriguez”

“Yes, is everything okay with my grandma?”

“Your grandma’s condition is stable but I’m calling about the deposit. We didn’t receive any yesterday”

“Yes…yes, I know. Please just give me a little more time, I’ll get the money to you”

“I’m sorry ma’am but we’ve given you enough time. If by 4pm today you’re not able to make a deposit, we’d have no choice but to move her”

I looked at the money on the table again

“Okay, I understand”

“Thank you for your time, have a good day”.

Then the phone went dead. I stared at the envelope for what felt like forever and then finally picked it up again. I’d have to use the money to pay for my grandma’s hospital bill.

I hated this so much. I hated having to need money. And more than anything, I hated that I had no choice.

“I’ll pay this back” I said to know one in particular but with Elise on my mind. And I meant it, I was going to pay every dime back. I grabbed the note pad on my table and flipped open a page

Elise- owed $1500 by me

I closed the notepad and got up to go get ready. It was already 2pm. I had barely enough time to get ready.

I went into my room and hastily took off the sticky clothes I was in. Then I went into the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth. After that I got dressed quickly and headed for the hospital.

By the time I got there it was half past 3. I walked quickly to the administration office.

“Good afternoon ma’am, how may I help you today” the lady at the desk said politely with a smile on her face.

“Hi, I’d like to make a deposit for my grandma’s hospital bill”

“Okay, if you could just tell me her name”

“Sylvia Rodriguez”

“And what’s your relationship with the patient if I may ask”

“I’m her granddaughter”

“Okay, let me just check Sylvia Rodriguez…Aha, found it. She has an outstanding bill of $1500”

The exact amount Elise had dropped. Thank goodness

“Okay, where can I make payment?”

“ You could either pay by cash or card”

“I’d like to pay by cash” I said and the dropped the envelope on the desk

She picked it up and counted it.

“Okay, payment received, let me just get you your receipt” she said after entering the payment into the computer. Then she printed out a receipt and handed it over to me.

“Thank you, my grandmother would no longer be moved right?”

“No, she’ll remain in the ICU and would continue receiving adequate treatment”

“Okay, can I see her?”

“Yes you can but only briefly. Visiting hours are almost over”

“Okay, thank you”

“You’re welcome ma’am, I hope you do have a good day”

“You too” I said and walked away.

I turned round the corner that led to my grandma’s room. The hallway was empty and so I leaned on the wall.

For the first time all month I felt like I could breathe. Although I still technically owed the $1500, the pressure was off. And my grandma was still in the ICU, thank goodness.

After I had calmed down enough, I walked to my grandma’s room.

As I walked into the room I was met with the familiar sound of the beeping machines.

I walked over to her bed. She looked so tiny and frail beneath the white sheets. An oxygen mask was over her nose and several IV bags were connected to her. There was also a machine beside her that monitored her condition.

“Hey grandma” my voice came out as barely a whisper

I pulled the chair closer to her bed and sat down.

I grabbed her hand in mine. It was so warm. The warmth from her palms stirred something in me. I missed my grandma so much.

Her eyes remained closed as I ran my finger up and down her palm.

“I paid the deposit grandma, you won’t be getting kicked out anytime soon” I said squeezing her hand a little and smiling weakly

“I really need you to wake up, I miss you so much”

I brought her hand to my mouth and kissed her

“I have a lot to tell you, please come back to me” I said and with that I broke down completely

I let my self come undone completely. I cried for the loss of my job, for how unfair things were, for my grandma laying here weakly and for every other thing

After a few minutes I felt like I had cried my eyes dry and my chest felt lighter.

There was a knock on the door. A nurse walked in

“Sorry ma”am but visiting hours are over, you need to leave now”

“Okay, thank you I said to her. She nodded and left the room

I wiped the tears off my face and stood up

“Thank you for listening, grandma. I love you…so much” I said and kissed her forehead.

I stayed there for another minute, listening to the steady beeping of the machines and then I left

I stood outside her door trying to steady my heart and then I left the hospital

I didn’t feel like going home just yet and so I sat on the bench that was outside the hospital

I stared into space, thinking about nothing and everything at the same time

Then my phone vibrated.

I expected to see a text from Lucy but instead it was from an unknown number.

“Your father didn’t just disappear”