Chapter 3
1836 Words
Good day, Miss Sofia , the voice on the other end of the line said , unfamiliar and unsettling.
“Good day , I responded, my brow furrowed in confusion. I’m sorry , who am I speaking to ?”
“My name is Dr Allison. I’m calling regarding your father. I tried reaching Mrs.Juliet Williams your mother , I assume but her number isn’t reachable. I decided to call you instead .
A wave of anxiety washed over me . “Is everything alright?” I managed to ask , heart pounding.
“You need to rush to the hospital as soon as possible”, the doctor urged , his tone grave.
“Okay, Dr. Allison . I’m on my way . I got stuck in traffic , but I’ll be there soon .
“Alright. See you then”.
The drive from home to the hospital felt like an eternity , each minute stretching into an agonizing hour. The traffic was relentless, mirroring the chaos in my mind . I tried to stay calm , reminding myself of my vow to think positively—after all, the universe only responds to our thoughts. But as much as I tried to control it ,fear gnawed at the edges of my mind .
Finally, I arrived at the clinic, a place I had grown to dread . If someone paid me to never set foot in a hospital again , I’d accept without hesitation. There’s something about these sterile walls ,the smell of antiseptic, and the sound of quiet despair that makes my skin crawl. Pain , blood , tears— this place was a repository of everythingI feared most .
“Good day, ma’am . My name is Sofia Williams. I’m here to see Mr Francis Williams, “I informed the nurse at the reception.
“Just a moment,”she replied, flipping through the page of a large register .”Yes , he’s here , but you can’t see him at the moment. He’s on oxygen”.
“Oxygen?” I gasped, my voice trembling. “Please, why can’t I see him ?”.
“I never said you couldn’t see him”, she corrected , her tone flat . “I only said you can’t at the moment”.
“But the doctor called me not long ago and told me to come to the clinic “, I argued, my patience thinning.
“If that’s the case , let me call the doctor and inform him you’re here”. She dialed a number, but no one answered. “Miss Sofia”,she said , “I think you’ll have to wait . The doctor might be attending to a patient”.
I sighed and sat down in the waiting area, trying to keep my nerves in check . Just then , a young man was rushed into the clinic , blood covering his body . The sight of it made my stomach churn, and I ran to the restroom to throw up . When I returned, the nurse pointed me out to the doctor who had just arrived.
“That’s Miss Sofia Williams,”she said .
The doctor walked towards me , his expression serious . “Miss Sofia,please follow me , “he instructed, leading me to my father’s ward . My heart sank as I saw my father lying there ,lifeless, hooked up to machines that breathed for him . He looked like a shadow of the strong man I once knew , and I feared he might slip away at any moment.
“Follow me , Miss Sofia , “the doctor said again , guiding me to his office. For a few seconds , I was lost in my thoughts, barely aware that I was standing instead of sitting.
“You can sit , Miss Sofia , " Dr. Allison said gently, pulling me back to the present.
“Oh ,thank you , “I replied, dragging the chair closer and sitting down , my mind racing .
“How are you , Miss Sofia ?” he asked , his tone filled with concern .
How was I supposed to answer that ? The past 48 hours had been a whirlwind of emotions , but I knew he was only trying to make me feel at ease . “I’m fine,sir, “ I lied , forcing a smile .
“Ms. Sofia , your father was brought into our clinic yesterday,”Dr. Allison began, his tone calm yet. “I advised your mother, Mrs. Juliet, to allow him to stay so we could conduct some necessary tests”.
She paused briefly before continuing. “While we were running the tests this morning, your father experienced a respiratory distress episode, making it difficult for him to breathe. As a result,we had to place him on oxygen support.”
As Dr.Allison explained the situation, my mind began to wander . All I could think was ,Please, just get to the point.
“Ms. Sofia , are you with me?” Dr. Allison’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Yes, Doctor .Please continue, " I replied, trying to focus .
“As I was saying, “Dr Allison continued, the tests we’ve conducted so far haven’t provided us with a clear diagnosis. Because of this , it’s crucial that we keep him here under close observation. I wanted to inform you in advance ,in case his condition changes.
“You mean all the tests are inconclusive?” I asked , my voice tinged with frustration.
“Yes, unfortunately,” Dr. Allison confirmed, his expression sympathetic.
“So ,you’re saying my dad won’t be leaving the clinic anytime soon ?” My voice wavered as I tried to hold back my tears .
“Yes , Miss Sofia . It’s for his own good”, he confirmed. “And I’ve prescribed some medication for the reception, and the pharmacy will handle the rest”.
“Thank you , sir . Can I see my dad now ?”.
“No, Miss Sofia . I think tomorrow will be better “.
“Tomorrow?” I echoed , anxiety creeping in . “But tomorrow is supposed to be my first day at work…”
“I’m sorry, but it’s for the best ,” he insisted.
“Thank you , sir,” I said again , leaving his office. I collected the prescription from the nurse , paid at the pharmacy, and was told the drugs would be delivered directly to the nurse. As I drove home , I kept praying that things wouldn’t get any worse.
The next day was Monday , my first day at work at The Elite Nightclub. The moment I stepped inside, I was struck by the opulence. Everything screamed luxury , and it was clear that only the wealthy and influential would frequent such places .
As I entered , I was greeted by a particular handsome man , his hair perfectly styled , his warm hazel eyes inviting. His height and presence were equally impressive. “You must be Miss Sofia Williams “, he said ,smiling.
“Yes”, I replied ,nodding shyly.
“Our boss told us about you . It’s nice to meet you in person”, he said warmly.
“The pleasure is mine “, I responded, smiling back .
He waved over two women. “This is Victoria Lucas , and this is Felicia Wilson”, he introduced “ And this is”,he said to them , "is Sofia Williams , our new colleague”.
Both girls welcomed me with a smile , and the place instantly felt like home . After work , the three of us would gather in the back room, kicking off our heels and chatting about the night’s customers .
“Did you see Mr.Tall, Dark and Handsome at the bar?” Felicia started , grinning. “He ordered that pricey whiskey again. His wallet must be endless”.
Victoria rolled her eyes. “Please , he’s just showing off . Last week , he tipped a hundred bucks like it was nothing to impress some girl . Meanwhile, his Rolex was practically screaming fake”.
We laughed , and I added, “He was with a different girl last night , and she looked barely out of high school.”
“That’s his type,” Felicia smirked. “ Young and impressed by anything shiny.”
Victoria grinned. “If he’s a CEO , then I’m the Queen of England . What’s with these guys thinking money will make us swoon?”
“It’s ridiculous,” I agreed. “And that guy who keeps asking for my number? He just doesn’t get the hint.”
“Oh, that guy ,” Felicia snorted. “He tried the same with me last week, slipping me a note with his number like he’s in middle school.”
“Some men just don’t know when to quit,”
Victoria shook her head . “But watching them try so hard is kind of fun”
We all laughed again, the stress of the day fading as we shared stories .
“Oh, did you see that couple in the corner booth?” Felicia whispered. “The woman looked ready to explode.”
“Probably a cheating scandal,” I speculated.
“You could tell something is off.”
“Definitely, Felicia agreed. “It’s always the quiet one”.
In those moments, our gossip turned work into something more—a bond that made the long night bearable.
Working at The Elite felt like a slice of heaven on earth. Aside from my dad’s health issues, nothing seemed to get me down . The tips from customers were generous, enough to help me save money and take care of my dad’s needs . I hadn’t even touched my salary yet , and for the first time , it felt like the universe was finally smiling on me .
But just when I thought things were finally looking up , everything changed. Felicia and Victoria, once so warm and welcoming, suddenly turned cold. Their friendly smile vanished, replaced by icy indifference. The place that had felt like a safe haven now suffocated me , and the worst part was , I had no idea what I had done wrong .
Felicia, in particular, seemed to take every chance she could to report me to our manager for the smallest things. I could sense something was off, something they weren’t telling me , but I couldn’t figure out what it was . So, I decided to keep my head down and focus on my work , hoping it would all blow over .
I should have known good things would never last .
- Writer
