the Debit Bride

Chapter Three: Six Days

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the black envelope lying on our dining table.

One week.

Those two words had turned our home into a prison.

The next morning, I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to convince myself that everything was normal.

It wasn't.

I splashed cold water on my face before forcing a smile.

It looked fake.

There was no point trying again.

When I walked downstairs, the house was unusually quiet.

Mom was standing at the stove, stirring a pot she clearly wasn't paying attention to. Dad sat in his wheelchair by the window, staring outside without saying a word.

Bella was the only one pretending life hadn't changed.

She looked up from her cereal and smiled.

"Morning."

"Morning."

I ruffled her hair as I passed.

She groaned.

"Sofia! I spent ten minutes fixing it."

I laughed softly.

"Then it only took me one second to ruin it."

She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"I can't wait until I get taller than you."

"In your dreams."

For a moment, things almost felt normal.

Almost.

Dad cleared his throat.

"How's work today?"

"I've got the morning shift."

He nodded absentmindedly.

No one mentioned the letter.

No one mentioned the debt.

No one mentioned the six days we had left.

The silence somehow said more than words ever could.

After breakfast, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

"Have a good day," Mom called after me.

"I'll try."

As soon as I stepped outside, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

The walk to the bus stop felt longer than usual.

Every black car made me glance twice.

Every stranger made me wonder if they were watching me.

Maybe I was becoming paranoid.

Or maybe I finally understood just how dangerous our situation really was.

By the time I reached the hospital, I was mentally exhausted.

The familiar smell of antiseptic greeted me as I walked through the entrance.

For the first time in days, I felt a tiny sense of relief.

Hospitals made sense.

People got hurt.

Doctors treated them.

Patients recovered.

Real life wasn't nearly that simple.

"Sofia?"

I turned to find Dr. Marco balancing two takeaway coffees.

"You look like you fought a bear."

Despite everything, I laughed.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"It means you definitely need coffee."

He handed one to me.

I accepted it with a grateful smile.

"Thanks."

We started walking toward the nurses' station together.

"You've been distracted all week," he said.

"I've noticed."

"I've just been tired."

"Tired enough to nearly call a patient by the wrong name this morning?"

I winced.

"I did that?"

"You did."

I covered my face with one hand.

"Please forget you saw that."

"I'll consider it."

His tone turned more serious.

"Everything okay at home?"

For a split second, I almost told him everything.

The debt.

The letter.

The fear.

Instead, I forced another smile.

"Just family stuff."

He studied my face for a moment before nodding.

"If you ever need someone to talk to..."

"Thanks."

I appreciated the offer more than he knew.

But this wasn't the kind of problem anyone could solve with a conversation.

The rest of the morning was a blur of patients, medications, and paperwork.

Normally, work helped me forget everything outside the hospital.

Today, my thoughts kept drifting home.

Six days.

How could anyone possibly find one million pounds in six days?

It was impossible.

I knew it.

My parents knew it.

The people coming to collect certainly knew it too.

That frightened me more than anything.

Because if they knew we couldn't pay...

What did they really expect to happen?

A sharp cry from one of the rooms pulled me back to reality.

"Nurse!"

I blinked, realizing I'd been staring blankly at a patient's chart.

"I'm coming!"

The next few hours passed in a blur. I checked IV drips, changed dressings, took blood pressure readings, and reassured anxious families that their loved ones were in good hands. It was the part of my job I loved most. No matter how difficult life became outside these walls, I could still help someone inside them.

Near the end of my shift, I finally had a chance to sit down for a few minutes.

I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes.

"Long day?"

I looked up to see Dr. Marco standing beside me with a tired smile.

"You could say that."

He folded his arms.

"I've never seen you this quiet before."

"Am I usually that talkative?"

He chuckled.

"You usually have at least three complaints before lunch."

"I do not."

"You absolutely do."

"I'll have you know my complaints are completely justified."

"Oh? Like when the coffee machine stopped working and you declared it a hospital emergency?"

I couldn't help laughing.

"That was a serious situation."

"It survived."

"Barely."

For the first time in what felt like forever, I genuinely smiled.

Marco noticed.

"There she is."

"What?"

"The Sofia everyone knows."

My smile faded slightly.

"I don't really feel like myself lately."

He nodded sympathetically.

"Whatever you're dealing with, don't carry it alone."

"I'll be okay."

"You keep saying that."

"Because it's true."

He looked unconvinced but didn't push the subject.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you."

As he walked away, guilt settled in my chest.

Marco was kind.

If circumstances were different, maybe I would have told him the truth.

But this wasn't something I could drag him into.

The fewer people who knew about my family's situation, the better.

After changing out of my uniform, I left the hospital and caught the evening bus home.

The city bustled around me as though nothing had changed.

Street vendors called out to passing customers.

Children chased one another through the sidewalks.

Couples laughed as they walked hand in hand.

I watched them through the window and wondered what it felt like to have ordinary problems.

I had six days before my family's world fell apart.

When I reached home, the front door was unlocked.

I stepped inside quietly.

"I'm home."

Bella came running into the hallway.

"You're late."

"I know."

"You missed dinner."

"I'll eat whatever's left."

She crossed her arms dramatically.

"There isn't much left."

"Then I'll steal yours."

"You wouldn't."

"I absolutely would."

She gasped.

"I can't believe we're related."

I laughed softly and nudged her shoulder.

"Where are Mom and Dad?"

Bella's cheerful expression faded.

"They're in the kitchen."

I walked toward the kitchen and stopped just before entering.

Their voices were low, but I could still hear them.

"We can sell the house," my mother whispered.

"It won't be enough," Dad replied.

"What about the jewelry?"

"It was sold months ago."

"The car?"

"We sold that before Sofia graduated."

A heavy silence followed.

Then my father's voice broke.

"I've destroyed this family."

My chest tightened.

I couldn't bear listening any longer.

I stepped into the kitchen.

Both of them looked up in surprise.

"Oh, Sofia," Mom said quickly, wiping away her tears. "You're home."

"I've been home for a minute."

No one spoke.

Finally, I walked over to Dad and gently squeezed his shoulder.

"We're going to find a solution."

He gave me a sad smile.

"I wish I had your faith."

That night, after dinner, Bella knocked on my bedroom door.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course."

She climbed onto my bed and hugged one of my pillows.

"I can't sleep."

"Neither can I."

She looked at me for a long moment.

"Do you think we'll still be together this time next week?"

The question caught me completely off guard.

I reached for her hand.

"Why would you ask that?"

"Because everyone looks scared."

She lowered her eyes.

"And whenever adults get scared..."

"...something bad happens."

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

I wanted to tell her everything would be fine.

I wanted to promise her that nothing would ever separate us.

But promises were dangerous when you weren't sure you could keep them.

Instead, I wrapped my arms around her.

"No matter what happens," I whispered, "you'll always be my little sister."

She buried her face against my shoulder.

"And you'll always be my favorite big sister."

I smiled through the tears gathering in my eyes.

"I'm your only big sister."

"Exactly."

We stayed like that for a long time, neither of us saying another word.

Outside, rain began to fall against the windows once again.

I stared into the darkness, listening to each drop hit the glass.

The countdown continued.

Six days had suddenly started to feel far too short.