Chapter 2
1059 Words
“It should be done immediately,” he proclaimed.
“Can I see him now?” Alice pleaded.
“Of course,” the doctor responded. They dashed to the ward he was admitted to. Alice bent down close to her brother, staring at his motionless body. She held his fragile hands, tears flowed down her cheeks and her heart raced.
“We were chatting together brother, just last night,” Alice whispered in a gravelly tone. “Here you're lying today lifeless. You promised to be my backbone and strength, brother,” Alice said as she breathed deeply, her eyes still watery.
“The transplant should be hastened to save his life," the doctor echoed his final words to Alice and left.
Alice stood up; her eyes went round the hospital ward, and her heart was beating so fast. Contemplating how to raise such a huge amount of money within a short time.
No one to turn to! No hope! No help!
She gathered her broken pieces and crawled to the reception. “Please, I will be back soon. Kindly take care of my brother,” Alice pleaded with one of the nurses at the reception as she was about to leave.
Alice got home looking devastated and miserable. Her gaze drifted to her parents’ photo hanging on the wall, and her eyes turned teary. The night was extremely long for Alice, her gaze fixed on the ceiling, pondering on what step to take.
The next day, Alice woke up intending to take the bull by the horns. She must do everything possible to save her brother's life, her only surviving family.
She went to her brother's shop to start working there whilst preparing to resurrect her mother's business to make it strive again. Since she didn't want to raise eyebrows about her brother's condition, she only reasoned with his customers that he was on a break; that's why she took over from him.
A week later, she reinvigorated her mother's business and started running both businesses. Her mother's small struggling restaurant has been abandoned for a long time and needs much effort to revive it.
A customer beckoned Alice,she was dozing off at the shop. "Please, these are the items I'm purchasing.”
She panicked and stuttered, “What do you want?”
The customer paid for the items and departed whilst staring at her weirdly. “I hope she's ok.”
“I am exhausted and I need a break,” Alice murmured to herself, she yawned repeatedly. Her fingers were shaking as she scrolled her phone, trying to check the money she had saved so far. After running shifts for the two businesses for weeks now. “1000 dollars!” She yelled. “Then it will take forever for me to raise this money. My only brother is dying slowly,” Alice hollered in silence.
The next morning, she was very weak and tired. She planned to take the day off to go back to the hospital and check up on Henry's condition.
She got to the hospital and was panting heavily. “How's my brother doing?” She enquired from one of the nurse’s at the reception.
The nurse drew closer to her. “The doctor is attending to him currently. Kindly come back later and check up on him,” the nurse said and she left back to the ward.
Alice stood up to leave; her mind raced and she bumped into someone. His fingers were busy scrolling on his phone as he strolled into the hospital.
“I'm sorry, sir,” Alice apologized, even though it wasn't her fault.
“Can't you see properly, young lady?” He yelled in a husky voice.
He called on the guy following him to take his phone for him, which fell on the tiled floor.
“He looks very handsome with a muscular figure. Probably every woman's dream, but he sounds very rude,” Alice murmured to herself. She ignored him without uttering a word. He's certainly not her problem.
She arrived home and was astonished at what she saw. Luxurious cars were parked in front of their gate. The moment she got there, one man dressed in a suit got down and raced to open the white Range Rover car in the middle. As the door groans, a beautiful woman, probably in her late forties, tiptoes towards Alice. The corners of her mouth were full of smiles.
Her heart raced. “Who's she?” Alice whispered to herself. Her feet were fixed on the ground.
“Are you Mr. Smith's daughter?” She inquired, her voice nasal. She adjusted her spectacles and glanced at Alice keenly.
“Of course, ma'am. What do I owe this unexpected visit?” Alice asked, but her attention was on the able-bodied men behind her.
“I am his boss. He was one of my dedicated and committed staff,” she revealed.
Alice's eyes widened as she felt awful about her interrogations. “Come in, ma'am,” she hesitated. And she pulled their damaged gate for her.
Alice was distressed as she served her a glass of water, her hands shaking. “You're warmly welcome, ma'am.”
“I'm sorry, I couldn't make up time to come earlier to sympathize with the family. He's one of my dedicated and hard-working staff,” she pleaded, and she stared at Alice keenly. She handed over a brown envelope containing some cash to her.
“Thank you, ma'am,” she appreciated, and she stretched her hands to accept it, her eyes filled with tears. She used her palm to wipe Alice's tears from her cheeks as she was wiping nonstop.
“Take heart, my dear,” she pampered her, and she closed the gap between them. She embraced her to give her hope amidst her sorrows and pain.
“What's your name? What do you do? Do you leave here alone?” She questioned her in a low tone. Because she didn't see anyone in the house with her.
“I'm Alice. Yes, ma'am, I'm living here alone. I resigned from my job months ago after the demise of my mother,” Alice answered, her voice low and barely audible.
“What!” She yelled.
“Are you the only child of your late parents?” she enquired while looking at her keenly.
- Writer
