The King Of My Heart

Emergency Room

***Esther***

Victoria lives with her mother and two of her brothers, Nate and Andrew.

She is off duty today and, lucky for me, I will have plenty of time to spend with my friend and her brothers.

When Victoria is not working she loves to play poker with her family. It's her favorite game.

‘’You wish to watch?’’ Nate made room for me on the bench.

‘’I'd like to play— but I don't have any money.’’

‘’You can play poker?’’ Andrew asked.

I smiled and nodded. ‘’It's amazing what you learn when you are waiting backstage between shows.’’

‘’I will lend you some money.’’ Nate pushed some coins towards me.

‘’But I can't pay you back if I lose.’’

‘’Maybe you'll be lucky.’’ He shrugged.

I was dealt in, and I noticed that Nate and I were playing with Swedish coins, Andrew with Australia and Victoria and her mum with British, but there was no bother about exchange rates— they just tossed the coins in the kitty.

I enjoyed playing cards and I learnt to watch people's faces when they played, and to read their body language so that I could often tell when someone was bluffing.

I noticed Victoria's Mum always rubs her nose if she has a good hand and Andrew always gives himself away by making his face go blank. Victoria and Nate, however, are more seasoned players, and it was difficult to tell with them.

The stakes were very low, but I gradually began to win, and I eventually had quite a pile of money in front of me, over and above what Andrew had lent me.

Not that it mattered though, because I couldn't possibly take their money and intended to give it back at the end of the game.

‘’You really are lucky!’’ Andrew exclaimed after I had outbluffed him again. ‘’That's the fourth time you have done that.’’

‘’Not really. It's because you always…’’ My voice died as I noticed that Victoria's phone has been ringing incessantly.

‘’Vicky your phone is ringing,’’ I called her attention to it.

‘’Oh!. That. It's one guy I just met. Don't worry about him, you know how I roll, I'm playing hard to get for now. I'll call him when I am in the mood to.’’ we all chuckled.

I went to finish what I had been going to say to tell Andrew how he gave himself away.

‘’I need to up my game if so and I think I have found my teacher already.’’

Andrew said as we all laughed and dispersed.

Nate is the oldest in the house and works with a construction firm. I like him a lot, maybe a little too much, but he sees me as his sister and is always protective of me. He is a slim man of a little above average height in his late twenties. A lock of light brown hair fell over his high forehead, his hazel eyes were watchful, his mouth firm and full, but frugal with his smiles. His appearance is attractive and he always dressed impeccably.

Since we finished the game, I have been trying to avoid his gaze. I didn't want him to talk about my breakup with Matthew, but he was smart enough to notice.

‘’Esther, If I don’t know better I would say you are avoiding me—Are you avoiding me?’’ he asked in a soft tone.

‘’Oh! No, I have no reason to.’’ I felt my cheeks colored.

‘’Is it about the break-up with Matthew?’’ He asked in a calm tone, now holding my hand.

‘’Victoria cannot keep a secret, I'm sure she must have told you about that.’’ I smiled.

‘’You deserve better than that guy, I always tell you, but you just didn't listen.’’

‘’I know right? But it's not just about Matthew, it's about me, I'm so confused and don't even know where to start from.’’

I said feeling downcast.

‘’You know what? You are going to be fine, I strongly believe that.’’ He squeezed my hand and patted my back.

‘’Hey! There you are.’’ Victoria walked towards the living room where I was seated with Nate.

‘’Yes dear but I will soon be heading out as I need to be on the site by twelve pm. I got a text from one of the Engineers asking me to come over and that it's urgent.’’

‘’You had better get going. This is 11 o'clock already,’’ Victoria said, looking at her wristwatch.

‘’You know we need the money, and we can't afford to do anything that will make you lose that job.’’ Victoria reminded him.

‘’I know Sis, just take care of yourself and take good care of Esther— we will continue our discussion when I return.’’ He said with an open grin as he hurried to his room.

I smiled and could feel myself blushing. For a moment, I imagined myself as his girlfriend and wondered how it would feel. Nate is so caring and…

‘’You still haven't gotten over your likeness for Nate.’’ She snapped her fingers, jerking me back to reality.

‘’Oh! Victoria, Nate is a handsome and caring man, it's normal to like him. If he was not your brother, I am sure you would have been dating him by now.’’ I chuckled.

‘’Dating who? Nate! Phew! He is not my type.’’

‘’Of course, he can't be your type, he is your brother.’’ We both laughed.

‘’What are you girls talking about? You know I'm a girl too, and I can be included in your conversation.’’ Victoria's mum said, smiling, as she walked into the living room with a glass of juice in her hand.

‘’Mummy, you are old,’’ Victoria said, rolling her eyes.

‘’Esther, do you agree with her?’’

‘’Of course not, you are the youngest…’’

Before I completed my statement, I noticed Sarah clutching her abdomen.

‘’Are you alright?'’ I asked in fear.

‘’I'm fine, it's just that, my vision is blurry, and it is… it's like the room is spinning…’’

In that instance, Sarah ‘Victoria's Mum’ stumbled backward, and knocked over a chair before collapsing to the ground with a loud thud.

‘’Mom? Mom! Andrew! Nate! Victoria began shouting as panic surged through her.

Nate, ‘already dressed up for his outing’ rushed down the stairs only to see his mother lying unconscious on the floor. Andrew also rushed out of his room and was shocked to see the sight of his unconscious mother.

‘’What happened?’’ Nate asked, looking at me and Victoria.

‘’She just fell.’’ I answered him.

He took out his phone and dialed 911. Within minutes, the paramedics arrived, their faces calm and reassuring as they assessed her condition and placed her on the stretcher.

We all offered to go with Sarah but we were told that only two family members could go in the bus with them, so Nate and Victoria went with the paramedics to the hospital asking Andrew and I to join them as soon as we can.

At the hospital, the emergency room was filled with activities, the smell of antiseptic filled the air, Doctors and nurses were moving around performing tests and scans to determine the reason for Sarah's collapse.

We were now all waiting at the hospital nervously for the news, Victoria was crying while I was petting her, Andrew was pacing around and Nate's leg was bouncing nervously as he awaited the Doctor's arrival with the news.

After what felt like an eternity, a doctor approached us, his expression stern but compassionate.

‘’Nate, I need to talk to you about your mother's condition.’’

‘’Talk to all of us, will she do it or not?.’’ Victoria pleaded with the Doctor.

‘’The tests and scans have revealed a mass on her adrenal gland, and we believe she has adrenal cortical carcinoma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer.’’

The words hit Nate like a moving vehicle, and he whispered ‘’Cancer?’’ his voice trembling, ‘’Is she going to be okay?’’

‘’Will my mother make it? Andrew asked.

‘’Doctor, please don't lie to us,’’ Victoria said with her voice shaking.

‘’We will do everything we can, but your mother needs more tests and a treatment plan, since we have caught it early you need not worry. We will fight it together.’’

The Doctor placed a reassuring hand on Victoria.

Nate nodded and tears welled up in his eyes as he knew further tests and treatment plans meant they had to start planning on how to get money — a lot of money at that.