THE CEO’S REDEMPTION

HOSPITAL’S RETURN

Relax, young lady!” The man laughed, hovering over me. With my heart pounding heavily against my chest, I lay still, blinking several times to check if I was truly still alive. Thank goodness, I thought I was gone for good. “I didn’t aim at you.”

Slowly, I pulled myself together, shivering and sweating from every pore of my body.

“I’m… I’m still alive.” I stuttered, breathing heavily.

"Yes, you are. How would I get my money if you’re not? Listen, I know you don’t have any money, and I heard your dad is in the hospital again, so let me do you a favor. Listen to me carefully. You have exactly forty-five days to pay me back my money, which is a forty-day extension from the time due. Go get a job or something, Lorelei. You are too pretty for this helter-skelter life you are living.” He said this, turning around to walk away before he stopped again. Turning back to look at me, he said, "Oh, and before I forget, your car is still there, so you better go get it before someone gets it in place of his money.” With that, he walked away, tucking the weapon in his back pocket.

I made my way to my car, terribly alert as I lifted each leg. There’s no way I’m actually still alive. Asteria and my dad are definitely going to be very hungry by now.

I sighted my car and immediately ran towards it, glad it was still there. I hopped in and drove at top speed to the hospital. If the calculations in my head are correct, I should have about two hundred dollars left after paying off the hospital, and as for the surgery, I’ll figure something out before anything tragic happens.

“Hey,” I greeted the nurse, trying to catch my breath.

“Miss Lorelei,” she called, checking my father’s file.

“Yes.” I nodded, resting my weight on the counter.

“Your sister has been waiting for you. Please follow me.” She instructed, walking towards my father’s ward.

“Lorey!!” Asteria shouted, jumping on me immediately after she sighted me. I have been through hell and back in just one day.

“How are you?” I smiled, hugging her so tightly that I could feel her lose her breath for a second.

The nurse excused us, gently closing the door behind her.

“Where have you been?” She asked as we walked to sit beside my father, who lay there in deep sleep.

“Is he still on the sleep-induced injection?” I asked, running my fingers over his hair. My sweet father.

"Yes, but he should be awake in about thirty minutes.” Asteria nodded, taking deep breaths in between. “Any luck?”

I looked over at her, doing my best to hold back the tears.

“My boss paid me a thousand dollars, so I guess that’s good news.” I chuckled quietly.

“I know that little fake laugh of yours, Lorey. What happened to you? Your forehead is bruised.” She said this, pointing briefly at my forehead.

“I fell.” I shrugged, trying to brush her observation aside.

“Fell Where?” She frowned, folding her arms.

“Someone was chasing me, so I...”

“Chasing you? Now, while that’s not unusual, why are you bruised?” She asked again, interrupting me as she sat up with serious concern written all over her face.

“Asteria, it’s already late, okay? I promise to explain everything to you when we get home, please. I’m very tired, and I know you are too, okay? I’m fine, and hey, I brought food.” I smiled, handing her the basket.

“Have you eaten?” She asked, eagerly receiving the basket with hungry eyes.

“When I get home, I’ll fix something for myself. Eat what you can, okay?” I said, helping myself to a bottle of water.

“Isn’t this yours?” She asked, lifting the plate I had arranged for my father.

"No, no, no, it’s for dad.” I answered, swallowing the water. “So, are you okay? Has everything been good since?”

“Yes. I mean, dad has basically been sleeping for the last four hours or so.” Asteria replied as she longingly ravished the food.

"Okay, okay, that sounds good. Let me go settle the bill and wait till dad wakes up, so we can be on our way. Okay?” I said, standing up.

“Okay. I’ll start packing up.” Asteria responded before I closed the door behind me. The temperature difference between the ward and the hallway is so intense. The sharp shift from freezing cold to warm made me stagger a bit.

“Hi,” I said, greeting the same nurse again. She lifted her head and moved her glasses forward to see me better.

“Yes?” She asked, sounding almost impatient.

“I want to pay for the bill.” I explained, quietly trying to pull the enveloped cash out of my pocket.

“Eight hundred dollars?” She asked, dropping the book in her hands.

“Yes.” I nodded.

“Follow me.” She said, walking out of the counter and into another hallway. Arriving at another office labeled ‘CASHIER’, she gestured for me to go in and walked away.

“Good evening,” I said. The lady lifted her head and placed her intense gaze on me.

“My name is Ivanna; how may I help you?” She asked with a forced smile plastered on her face.

“I would like to settle the bill for my father. The doctor mentioned it being eight hundred dollars.” I answered, handing her the envelope after she stretched out her hand.

“What’s your father’s name, please?” She asked, sluggishly collecting the envelope from me.

“Hunter Williams,” I replied.

“Give me a few seconds, please.” She said this, returning her gaze to the laptop before her. After a few clicks here and there, she lifted her head again to stare at me.

"Now, while we don’t accept cash payments here, the doctor instructed me to make an exception for you. Your father has been discharged, so please show the nurse on duty this receipt and enjoy the rest of your day.” She smiled, handing a ring receipt over to me.

I collected it from her and left her office, searching hurriedly for whom the nurse on duty was.

“Miss Lorelei,” I heard someone call as I stood confused in the hallway. I turned my neck and locked eyes with the doctor.

“Doctor, how are you?” I asked, going in for a handshake.

“I’m all good. I noticed you’ve paid, so please allow us a few minutes to discharge your father. I will send your sister to wait at the reception with you, and then your father will join you shortly. Is that okay?” He asked, beaming with so much energy.

“That’s okay.” I nodded. He walked past me into the ward while I made my way to my seat. Asteria strolled out some minutes later with the basket of food and my phone.

“Thank you for paying, Lorey.” She smiled, pecking my cheeks.

“I love my father too much to not work this hard.” I replied, reminiscing on my day. The strong breeze started outside, blowing against trees and everything.

“I think it’s about to rain, Lorey.” Asteria breathed absent-mindedly, innocently munching on the chips I packed. “Oh, I’m going to have the best sleep ever!” She squealed with so much excitement. Wow. Different worlds really do exist. I’m over here thinking about where and how to replace the job I lost today, but here is Asteria, getting excited about sleep.

“Lorelei.” My father’s shaky yet deep voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Dad!” I shouted, jumping on him.

“You look so tired.” He said, holding my face, to carefully pick out wrinkles and bruise marks and ask me about them.

“I am tired.” I sighed as we walked to the car. “How do you feel?”

“Same as always.” He answered so dryly.

The drive home was full of questions and excitement, but my mind was roaming about, yet I was fixed on one thing: A loan shark must not find me now. It’s already dark, and I’m way too tired to run.

“Excuse the mess!” I laughed as we walked into the very disorganized house.

“Let me go take a shower and sleep. See you girls tomorrow.” My father said he was already halfway to his room. He has gone through so much today.

“Lorey, go to bed, okay? I’ll fix up the house.” Asteria said calmly, leering at me till I left, picking up an apple with me.

I stood in the shower for a long and hot bath, till I could no longer feel any pain in any part of my body.

Crashing into my bed, I picked up my phone to check for any possible job offers as heavy sleep lingered in my eyes.

A few seconds of scrolling later, a text came in.

“Miss Lorelei Williams, please come for your job interview tomorrow. You have been offered a potential job offer at..."

Immediately, I flew up, trying my hardest to suppress my screams. Just when I thought the walls were closing in again.

I threw the phone to the other side of my bed and hopped out immediately, trying to find the perfect interview outfit. After several minutes of searching, I picked out the classic suit and suit trouser combination. Now I can go to bed. Tomorrow awaits a new reality.