Falling for My Younger Boss

Heart Attack

"You're the only one who goes through my things! I've seen you do it so many times already, Anthony. Where is my money? I've been saving that in case we get emergencies. I've worked so hard to save that money!" Amanda was furious at her twin. She found her emergency funds jar empty this morning when she woke up. She tried so hard to look for it but she had to leave for work and just put it off. She had been saving up for a while now just in case they'd have any medical emergencies.

"Why would I take your money? I have my own money," said Anthony defensively.

"Oh yeah? Where did you get your money? When was the last time you had a stable job? You keep wasting your time on that band of yours but you don't even have any gigs. I doubt you even have any savings. Where is it? Where did you take my money?" Amanda was shouting now and won't stop until he gives her money back.

"You just said that that money is for the family, for emergencies. I had an emergency so I borrowed it. There! Don't be so stingy, Mandy." Anthony finally admitted to his twin sister.

"What kind of emergency, huh? Are you in trouble? Do you owe anybody any money? Are you using drugs? Anthony, I worked day and night to save that money. What if dad gets an infection again?" Amanda couldn't control her anger and started crying. 

"What's going on? Why are you two shouting at this hour? Your dad had his treatment today and I'm sure you both know he is tired and finally asleep. Can't you two get along? If I didn't give birth to both of you, I swear I wouldn't be able to say you're twins from the way you are always at each other's throats." Karen told them.

Anthony approached his mother and hid behind her. "It's Amanda, mom. I had a bit of an emergency so I just borrowed some of her money and she is already accusing me of stealing from her."

"Borrow? When you borrow, you ask for permission first, Anthony. And some of my savings? Anthony, you cleaned up my jar! That is not just some money!" Amanda was fuming mad at this point. 

"Mandy dear, your brother needed the money. You heard him, he was just borrowing it. I'm sure he'll return it to you." Karen was trying to calm her daughter by reaching out to touch her shoulder but Amanda brushed it off. 

"How? He doesn't even have a job, mom! He has never had a job that lasted for a month!" Amanda was seething with anger.

Why does it always have to be this way? Her mom is taking Anthony's side again, that good for nothing loser. Amanda had never refused her family whenever they asked anything from her. She had always given in whenever they asked her to do something, even if things were already too hard for her. She had never felt so alone in her life as she does right now. She started crying even harder. She couldn't control her emotions and the steady stream of tears flowing from her eyes. It was just so unfair. 

"Mandy, he'll pay you, I'm sure of it. Just give him time. And you can always earn back the money that you saved. Do you want your brother to get in trouble?" Karen was rubbing Amanda's back to soothe her but she wouldn't have it, she just shrugged her mom's hand, off. 

Amanda didn't say a word and just strode out of the room. It was too much. All her life, her mom had always favored her twin over her. He always gets a free pass whenever he did something stupid, or does even not do anything at all. She doesn't understand why, nor does she want to understand anymore. She was so close to getting fed up and just giving up altogether.

__________

"Honey, I'm sorry. I know you're having a hard time because of me. If only I hadn't gotten into that stupid accident-- This is all my fault, honey." Amanda was startled when she heard her dad's voice from behind her. Her mom said he was already sleeping. She forced herself to smile and turned around to look at him.

"It was an accident, dad. It wasn't your fault," she reassured him. "And I'm fine, dad. I'm not having a hard time." she smiled meekly at him.

George Coyle had a freak accident at work while she was away in college. He was inspecting a construction site when the support of a concrete beam gave way and trapped George and his other colleagues beneath it. Both of his legs had to be amputated because they were already useless. The accident also caused damage to his kidneys so he is under twice-weekly treatments at the health facility two towns over. 

Amanda already donated one of her kidneys for her dad's transplant but it got rejected so they are back to square one. The costs for the first surgery were covered by her dad's company but they won't pay for another surgery. His insurance also doesn't cover all the expenses for such an expensive procedure so Amanda has been working hard to save money for that and his prosthetic legs. 

"Honey, I know you are not okay. You haven't been okay for the last twelve years. Okay, so it was an accident, and it's not my fault, entirely. But being like this, there is nothing I can do to help you. What happened to me has robbed you of your life. You should have graduated by now and doing work that you love, but instead, you are stuck here doing two jobs and even working around the house. You should be taking care of your own family by now instead of taking care of us." George stretched out his arms so his daughter can take refuge there.

Amanda stood up and went around the couch, knelt in front of her dad, and held his hands. "Dad, you guys are my family, and really, I don't mind the things I am doing for you. I love you, and mom and Anthony even if he is a pain in the ass sometimes."

"I know you do, honey, and I love you too. Very much actually and I'm sure you know that." He tilted her chin up so his daughter can look him in the eye and said, "That is why it breaks my heart to see you like this. I'll talk to your brother and make him promise to pay you back." He leaned over and hugged her.

"Thank you, dad."

__________

"Hey Mandy, I said orders up! What's wrong with you?" Bert shouted. It's been a couple of days since Anthony "borrowed" her savings but he hasn't mentioned anything about it yet. Amanda is stressed about it and couldn't help but space out most of the time. She often prays that her family won't have any emergencies until she can replace them. She took on additional shifts at the diner and asked Molly, her boss at the bakery, if she could do more opening shifts to which Molly agreed. 

"I'll get that, Bert," Rick shouted before approaching Amanda. "You okay? You seem to be out of it. You've been like that for a couple of days now." he asked her.

"I'm fine, Rick. Just a little exhausted I guess." She smiled at him and walked up to the counter to get the orders. "I'll get that, it is my table anyway."

Rick was faster than her though and snatched the plates before she even got hold of them. "No, I'll take these to your table. You should rest. You've been taking double shifts these days and you work mornings at the bakery. You must be exhausted." He smiled sweetly at her and left to serve her customers. 

Despite his often slacking at the diner, Rick is always dependable when it comes to the needs of the people around him that's why she gives in whenever he asks for favors with his shifts. 

Amanda went behind the counter and sat down for a bit. She is tired, she knows that she feels that, but she can't afford to rest. Just then, the phone rang.

"Is this Papa Bear's Diner? May I speak with Amanda Coyle?" asked a female voice on the other line. 

"Yes, this is she." 

"Oh, hi Mandy! This is Suzie at St John Medical Center. We had to admit your dad because he had a heart attack while undergoing treatment. He is currently at the ICU." the voice on the other of the line said. 

Her hands became cold and she felt dizzy. This is what she had been dreading for a while now, an emergency and she still doesn't have enough money. "I'll leave right away. Is he okay?" she asked frantically.

"Yes, he is sleeping now, dear. It was a minor attack so you don't have to worry." said the kind voice of Nurse Suzie. 

"Okay, I'll be right over." Her mind was in a whirl. ICU? How much would that cost? Would her father's insurance cover it? How much money has she saved already in the past couple of days that she did extra work at the diner and bakery? She told her workmates at the diner about the situation and left hurriedly when they said it was okay.

__________

Her dad was sleeping peacefully when she saw him. He had tubes and wires connected to him. He has gone through enough with the accident and his treatments that last four hours at a time which always takes a toll on him, he shouldn't be lying there like that. She loved her dad so much. She was his princess and she always got her way with him. Whatever she asked for, he'd give it to her as long as it was within reason, and she never asked for big things anyways. She was content with what she had even though she knew her dad could afford to give her more.

"Oh, hi Mandy, you're here. Don't worry too much, he is fine. This is all just standard procedure for cardiac arrest patients. We just have to keep him here at the ICU for 24 hours. And those tubes, are just plain fluids and the typical heart rate monitor and other things. Your dad is fine, honey." Nurse Suzie then gave her a half hug.

"Thanks for taking care of him, Suzie. Where are my mom and brother?" Amanda couldn't help but notice that her dad's room was empty when she arrived. She has been there for a while now and she thought they just left to get something to eat but they haven't returned yet.

"Oh, I have been trying to call your home to talk to your mom but it seems no one is there," she said sympathetically. In all the years that her dad has been receiving treatments, her mom has never stayed with him and always left him at the center and  Nurse Suzie knows about this. "Oh, and visiting hours are almost up. Don't worry, we'll take good care of him tonight." She squeezed Amanda's hand and left.

She stood up and fussed about her dad making sure he was comfortable when she felt his hand on hers. "Honey, where am I?" he asked.

"You're in the hospital dad. You had a minor heart attack while having your treatment. The doctor and nurses said you'll be out of here tomorrow and into a regular room. What happened, dad?" She sat on top of the bed beside him.

"I don't remember, honey. One minute I was fine, the next I am waking up with you fixing the sheets around me." Her dad smiled at her weakly and squeezed her hand.

"How do you feel? Suzie said you can only have ice chips if you're thirsty." Amanda tried to get up but her father stopped her. 

"I'm fine honey, never felt better. It's you who needs to rest. You look awful, princess." Amanda's dad told her.

"I'm fine dad, it was just a long ride to here, dad." She was like her dad in so many ways. They both love to cook and read, they'd spend hours in the kitchen baking or perfecting dishes, or spending hours at local bookstores trying to pick out which book to add to their already huge collection. And just like him, Amanda would never admit it when she felt tired or awful. "And in a while, I'd have to leave. Visiting hours is almost over," she added and smiled at her dad.

Her dad didn't want to keep her there for long. He knows she has to take two bus rides home and his daughter is already tired as it is. He told her to leave and just come back whenever she can tomorrow, He knows she has been doing extra work to earn back what Anthony "borrowed" from her. He felt a little tightness in his chest just thinking about the hardships Amanda is going through because of him and the rest of the family. They have been very unfair to her for so long. Tomorrow, they'd have a chat about it. It is about time he does something to help her.