The Billion's

Chapter 13

THIRD PERSON POV

For their bonding time together after so long, the Billion's siblings decided to find a place to eat. Gemma, specifically thought that by having a meal together would benefit them all.

Iris was happy that Iva finally smiles at her rather than staring at her like she used to do. Paxton was happy that his suggestion to have a bonding time worked wonderfully.

"Seriously I'm starving. Let's just pick a place to eat." Paxton complained as his sisters continued to debate where to eat.

"Ok, he is right. The very next place we come to that has food, we should just stop." Iris reason. They all agreed. As they turned to the corner Gemma saw a little diner and turned in. She turned off the engine.

"What? You said the next place we came across, right." They shrugged and got out. At this point, nothing can stop them from finding some food.

The siblings were shown to a table at back near the kitchen door. The dinner was run down but that isn't unusual for this part of town. Besides, the food obviously tasty if there's a lot of people eating here thought Gemma.

As they were eating Gemma noticed a young man she figured was no older than 17.

"Eh, this is not that bad," Paxton said while enjoying his food.

Gemma ignored her brother and continued to look at the boy. He looked too skinny for a guy that age. He was a busboy and Gemma noticed that he did his job well.

Even when the manager would yell at him to do yet another job. He worked fast and always smiled at the customers but she could tell life has been hard on him.

He cleared the last table not too far from the singalongs table and then went to the back again. When he came out again he looked like his shift was over and he walked out of the diner. Gemma stood up.

"I am going to get something from the car. I will be right back." Gemma walked out.

She wanted to see if the guy was still out there. She wanted to give him something for his hard work, a tip or so. She knew he wouldn't receive tips but he did a great job so she wanted to reward him with something.

She saw him turn the corner. She jogged to catch up with him but when she rounded the corner, she ran into him.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He apologized.

"No please it was my fault," Gemma said.

Then she stopped when she saw his stuff sitting on the ground and he was holding a cardboard sign

'Raising money for my sister's medical treatment. Anything will help.'

This broke her heart.

"I was just in the diner and saw you. You were working harder than anyone else in there. But I see you have 2 jobs." He hung his head as some guy driving by threw trash at him.

Here, useless mutt. You said anything will help." He screams at him and laughed. Gemma wants to yell back but the boy stopped her.

"It's ok. They do this every day." Gemma was angry that someone would treat another person this way.

As they began to talk others would scream 'Get a job' or 'I work hard for my money and you should too' and some even pushed his head back hard and kick his stuff that's on the street.

Gemma wants to do something but he keeps his smile on his face and ignored it. Gemma sighed when he heard comments that weren't so kind.

"What is your name?" She asked.

"Jordan." Gemma held her hand out.

"It's nice to meet you Jordan. I am Gemma.

Can I ask you what your sister needs treatment for?" His eyes filled with tears.

"My sister has a brain tumor. She needs chemotherapy." Gemma was taken aback.

"Do you have any official report about her health in your bag?" Gemma asked. The boy nodded and handed Gemma a book-like report about his sister's condition.

"How old is your sister?" She asked.

"12" Gemma looked at the report again.

"This tumor is caused by long-term drug abuse." That is when Jordan's sadness turned to anger.

"Yes, but my sister didn't take the drugs by choice. Our mother took drugs the whole time she was pregnant with my sister. It's my mother's fault. She knew better but she didn't care." Gemma finished reading the report.

"The tumor is wrapped around her optic nerve."

"Yes. She was born blind because of it. Normally these tumors are harmless and it was harmless for the last 11 years but last month it began to grow and now she is sick. The doctors said that if she doesn't get the chemo she needs, the tumor will grow into her brain and it will be fatal."

Gemma could tell he was trying hard not to cry.

"How old are you?" He looked up again.

"I just turned 20." Gemma looked at him in shock. She couldn't believe he was that old.

It was now obvious to her that he hardly ate anything. He probably gave everything to his sister.

"What about your parents?" Jordan shook his head.

"My dad just sits at home doing nothing but drinking away what little money we can get. My mom is a prostitute and a drug addict. They don't care that my sister needs treatment." Gemma placed one of the hands on her chest.

She never found someone that loves his sister like he does.

"I was trying to save enough money for my sister and me to move out from my parents but all the money I saved went to the specialist my sister needed. Now I have nothing left. But I will work as hard as I can to get my sister the help she needs."

Gemma now could see why he was on the street asking for money. She pulled out her phone and texted Iris.

"I'm sorry for letting you hear my problems," Jordan said. Gemma looked around before she looks back at Jordan.

"I would like to meet your sister. Would you be okay taking me and my siblings to see her?" Jordan nodded.

"That would be ok." Gemma nodded.

"But first let's get you something to eat and don't worry about money." Jordan picked up his things and followed Gemma back to the diner.

He knows he shouldn't simply agree to a stranger but he could sense that this woman who greeted him first is not a bad person.

"Gemma, what happened to you?" Zoe asked when she got back.

"Oh, who is this?" Zoe asked when he looked at the boy who stood behind her sister.

"This is Jordan. Jordan this is Paxton, Iva, Zoe, and Iris, my siblings." He was astounded to find such beautiful people smiling at him.

While he ate, Gemma explained what's going on with her siblings. They all agreed to meet Jordan sister.

As they walked up the driveway to Jordan's house they could smell the booze and drugs coming from the house. When he opened the door a visible cloud of stale smoke came out from the house. Jordan turns to them.

"I'm sorry for the state of the house. I don't have time to clean much, my sister cant and my parents won't." Gemma put her hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok. We understand and none of this is your fault." Gemma smiled. They walked in and his drunk father didn't even look up.

"BOY! YOU BETTER HAVE BROUGHT HOME MORE BEER!" He yell when he heard the door.

"I have no money left. I don't get paid until next week. You already used my paycheck this week." The dad stood up and stumbled towards Jordan.

"Are you talking back to me boy!" He tried to hit Jordan but Jordan took a side step. His dad was too drunk to have any real strength to hit him for real.

Gemma wanted to talk to him but Jordan shakes his head no.

"Don't bother. He won't remember it anyway." Jordan sighed.

Iris wanted to punch the man but for now, she held back. That wasn't something she used to do but she figured for Jordan's sake, she could wait. Jordan leads the Billion siblings to the back of the house.

They saw moldy dishes everywhere as they walked passed the kitchen. They could hear the mother and her 'client' somewhere in the house. Zoe was disgusted when she saw used condom sitting on the dining table.

The place was horrifying to look at. There were mice and cockroaches all over the place. This was no place for humans to live.

"I built this house for Karen to stay in. I always made sure it's clean for her. I don't want to leave her in that house. Besides one of my moms 'customers' tried to rape her once when I was gone."

They were all impressed.

"You built this? Jordan it is amazing and it's not noticeable." Zoe praised him.

"Yeah. I didn't want them to find it so I made it look like it was part of the fence." Jordan knocked on the door.

"Karen it's Jordan. I told her to keep it locked and only ever let me in." After a minute the door opened.

"Karen I brought some friends to talk to you. Don't worry. They are here to see you." Karen sat down.

It was hard for her to trust anyone but she trusted Jordan and he wouldn't have brought them to their secret place if he didn't trust them.

"Hello, Karen. It's nice to meet you. We brought you some food." The 12-year-old girl looks like the size of maybe an 8 or 9-year-old. She needed to gain weight before she could undergo any kind treatment.

Karen had visible scars from cigarette burns on her body. Gemma just couldn't understand how her doctors didn't step in when they saw her. Iris noticed she has a bandage on her ankle.

"She didn't have the burn marks until recently. When my dad found out I took her to the doctor and she needed the chemo he was mad because he said that I use the money for her treatment rather than buying him the beer he wants. That's when the really bad abuse started."

Gemma then understood why the doctor didn't do anything when they treated her because She didn't have the burns then. Jordan decided to changed his sister's bandage while he's here. When he unwrapped the bandage, the siblings noticed it's already been infected. Iris walked over.

"May I look at that?" Jordan and Karen both nodded.

Iris looked up at her siblings when she noticed the wound seem to be infested with ... little worms.

"She needs to be in the hospital right now. She has a fever which means the infection is spreading to her blood. She needs IV antibiotics." Iris suggested Jordan shook his head.

"I cant afford that. We are already so far behind the payment." Gemma stepped in.

"You won't have to pay for her treatment. It will be taken care of. Please get anything that you both may need. We are taking you away from here."

Paxton gently picked Karen up. Jordan was about to protest but he was willing to do anything to save his sister. Karen began to sniff and she actually smiled. A very genuine smile.

"Jordan?" Karen softly called her brother.

"Yes?"

"This person smells nice," Karen said and buried her head in Paxton's neck.

When they went through the house, Jordan's mother walked out of the room, half naked. When she saw some guy carried Karen, she went berserk.

"THAT'S MY DAUGHTER." Paxton can feel Karen flinched. Paxton keeps a tight hold on her.

"We're taking her to the hospital." Gemma tried to sound like a civilized human being.

"What are you doing, you ungrateful child!" The woman yelled at Jordan. Jordan keeps a tight gripped on Gemma's arm.

"Ma'am, Karen has a fever. We're only trying to help." A guy stumbling out and he fell face down. When he got up, he immediately stood up when he saw Iris.

"s**t!" He said and continued to take a step back.

"Aren't you one of Slasher's men?" Iris asked. The guy didn't respond.

"Gemma... She's shivering." Paxton said. Iva grabbed Paxton's arms and dragged him out, the girl's parents.

"WHO ARE YOU TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER AWAY!" The mother yells.

"Iris Vera, remembered that name when you try to yell at me." Iris grabbed Jordan's hand and walked out from the awful house.

When they all inside the car, Iris took Karen from Paxton's lap and cradle her.

"Zeva like it when I do this to her when she's sick." Gemma began to drive towards her family hospital and Jordan can't believe she's in one of the most expensive looking parts of town.

"I really can't afford this." Jordan breathes out. Iva patted his back.

"Don't worry." She smiled.

"Relax man. As long as your sister is safe." Paxton said.

Gemma stopped the car in front of the emergency door and the nurses immediately helped Karen onto the bed. Immediately doctors tend to her needs.

Paxton lead Jordan to a waiting area. The Billion's siblings never planned that their day will turn out to be this way. But they all glad that they manage to help a little girl who's in need.

Jordan pushed his back hair back and wonder how to pay for this. Jordan stands and walked around, waiting for the doctors or nurses to tell him what's happening to his sister.

When he walked around the hallway, his eyes caught on something on the wall. His eyes widen when he saw the people that brought him and his sister to the hospital has their picture on the wall.

"The Billion's family. Founder of Billion's Specialist hospital." Jordan breathes out.

He turned to the siblings. Jordan doesn't know what to do. Is it a mistake to follow them here? What if is this just something people their kinds to the unfortunate one?

He only wants the best for Karen but ... this turns out to be something that he wants to avoid. Gemma turned to Paxton.

"Hey. Can you buy us some drinks?" Paxton nodded and dragged Iva with him.

"I need someone to carry it with me." Gemma went to Jordan and sit next to him.

"You saw our portraits huh?" He nodded.

"Don't worry. We won't ask for anything in return. All we want is that Karen receives the medical attention she can get." Gemma patted his thigh.

"But I don't know how to pay you all back. I have no decent job, I don't even get to finished high school." Gemma stopped him from explaining.

"Like I said before, we sincerely want to help you and your sister." Zoe and Iris went to him and Gemma.

"Jordan... Do you want to go back to your parent's house?" Iris asked. Jordan slowly shakes her head. Iris turned to Gemma.

"We will do something about that." Hours had past and finally, the doctor came out.

"She's fine. We treated her wound, it's indeed infected. But luckily it's not untreatable." The doctor looked trouble.

"She needs to stay here for a couple of days just to make sure the tumor is controllable with medicine. Also, we need to do some blood test and another test to determine her real condition." Gemma nodded.

"Miss Billion, can you please follow me for a second?" Gemma nodded. Iris followed.

"Her neck, ankles and wrist, there's a sign of rope burn. It's not recently but it's there."

The doctor sighed.

Also... Umm... Her back .. there's old scars, and there's a lot of it. Luckily the medical attention she received was brilliant." Iris sighed.

"Did you record your findings?" The doctor nodded.

"Good. Call the child service. Also please examine her brother. Take a picture of his injuries as well." The doctor nodded.

"What are you planning?" Iris asked.

"Give them the solace everyone deserves to have." Two men in suits walked towards Iris and informed them what's happening outside the hospital ground.

"How did they know about this?!" Gemma sighed.

"I'll handle this." Iris went out with her men and handle it like she said. Gemma looked at the time and called for Blanche, asking about Adam. After few minutes talking to Adam, she hangs up.

She went to Zoe and the others and explained to them the situation.

"We have the best lawyers money can buy, we can win this," Iva said. "Well, Jordan is older. Karen can live with him when he has a decent job." Zoe said.

"Ask him to work for our family?" Paxton said.

"Or with his looks, he can be a model." Iris walked back to them and smiled.

"Iris that's actually a genius idea," Paxton said.

"I will see what I can do.."

Jordan came out from one of the room and went to the Billion's siblings.

"Do you want to go home or stay here?" Paxton asked.

"Stay," Jordan replied him.

"Okay. I'll stay with him."

"What about a kiss?" Gemma asked.

"Umm... She's... We.." Paxton was trying to find the perfect sentences.

"No need to say anything further." Gemma shakes her head.

"I'll ask someone to send your car," Iris said and walked with Zoe and Iva. Gemma stayed for a bit and bid Jordan goodbye.

"Take good care of him." Paxton nodded.

They both watch Gemma disappeared by the corner.

***

IVA'S POV

When I opened my eyes and the first thing that I noticed was Adam straddling me.

"Adam... What are you doing?" He just sits on me and gave me smile.

"Waking you up.," he said innocently.

"Get off me.." Adam moved away from me and jumped on my bed.

I got up to a sitting position and removed my duvet from my body. Adam then stares at me.

"What?" I asked.

"So many drawings. Like aunt Iris."

"It's call tattoo, Adam. Help me up.." He grabbed my hands and try to pull me off the bed but it ended with him on the floor, falling butt first.

"Boooo! Such weakling." He then stood up and pout.

"I am not weak." He crosses his hand's arms and turned away. I chuckled

Before the pout turn to tears, I got off the bed and lifted him up, start tickling him.

"I'm sorry okay.." Adam's pout slowly turned into a small smile.

"Okay. Now carry me." I chuckled and went out with him. I was about to walk down the stairs when Zeva suddenly grabbed my legs. "Zeva?" I looked down and she looked at me with her big eyes.

"Mommy angry. Stay." She said.

Iris?

Why?

"USELESS! GET OFF MY FACE!" Zeva flinched at the sudden scream. When I heard the front door close, I decided to walk down.

Zeva once again forbids me.

"It's okay Zeva. Come." I lifted her up and carry both of them down.

When I walked in the dining hall, Iris was drinking her coffee and when she looked up she smiled.

"Morning Zeva.." She greeted Zeva with a smile.

"Mommy not mad?" Iris squinted her eyes.

"No honey. Not to you... Come here.." I let Zeva down and she went to sit next to her.

I let Adam down and he went to his usual seat. I sat next to him and the maids came to place our food in front of us.

"Excuse the obscene, ignore the untrue,

Depictions we see try and get through,

Admitting mistakes can hurt,

I'm not the last but I sure ain't the first..."

Zoe made herself known and sit next to me.

"Morning everyone." Gemma walks in while calling someone.

"I will come to the hospital later. Don't let him go." The hospital?

Gemma hangs up and smiles at us.

"Morning girls... Adam.." She then kisses Adam's forehead.

"Adam. You want to follow mama today?" The little boy nodded.

"Good." She went to sit next to Adam.

"Where's Blanche?" Gemma asked.

"Morning jog," Iris replied. When I finished my breakfast I excuse myself and get ready for school. It's the last day before summer holiday after all.

For today. I decided to use one of Paxton's superbike to school. As I was putting on my helmet, Iris suddenly appeared in front of me.

"After school, go to this address and wait for me. Have a nice day at school.." She smiled and went back inside.

I looked at the piece of paper and put it in my jacket pocket.

I wonder why do I have to be there?