BILLIONAIRE FAMILY CONTRACT.

CHAPTER 7.

I was taking my lunch break when I got a call from Brian “Hello,” I called out after picking up my phone and taking a bite from my sandwich.

“It's mom, we are taking her to Sunnyside hospital.” Brian responded immediately, sounding scared.

“What happened?” I requested packing up my unfinished lunch into my bag and standing up immediately.

“I don't know, can you please meet us there?” Brian responded by hanging up the phone and possibly scared for mom's life.

I went into the staff room to change my outfit, and I made my way into the manager's office. I don't have a good relationship with Mr Niles, he's been disturbing me for a date but I keep telling him No and he's scary to look at and he also smells like undried laundry which I find disgusting.

I knocked on his door and waited for a response from him, “Come in,” I heard him call from inside.

I opened the door after taking a huge breath and stepped inside the cramped up small room with a table and three chairs in the middle of it, a shelf by the side and the windows blind had been pulled down. Seated in the room is Mr Niles who has a smile on his face immediately he sees me, I looked at the closed window not wanting to make eye contact with him.

“Good afternoon, Mr Niles. Please I will be leaving early, I have a family emergency.” I told him immediately not wanting to spend any more time in the room.

“You are looking beautiful today Sophia, you can go.” He responded immediately. I looked at him in shock, that was too easy.

“Thank you sir,” I said in disbelief, getting out of the room immediately before he changes his mind. I guess he's in a good mood today or he's over his crush on me.

I made my way to the hospital immediately, Sunnyside Hospital is on the other side of town which took me almost an hour to get there. I parked my car and ran into the hospital, after giving my name to the receptionist I made my way to the room I was told my mom was placed in.

I entered the room to see my mom hooked to a dialysis machine amongst other machines she's hooked to, Brian is seated on one of the plastic chairs placed beside the bed while my mom looks to be sleeping. How did it get to this?

“Sophia, you are here.” Brian calls me out of my thoughts. I walked towards him, placed my hands on his shoulders and rubbed on it for a while secretly telling him I'm here now.

“What happened and what is the doctor saying?” I asked him after pulling the other chair closer to mom's other side and taking her hands in mine. I wanted to cry but I knew I had to be strong for my siblings and kids.

“We were watching a movie in the sitting room, then she started coughing. I rushed to the kitchen to get her water and when I got back she was coughing out blood non stop, so I called for an ambulance.” He narrated cleaning the tears that escaped from his eyes with his palm roughly.

I looked at him sadly, he thinks it's somehow his fault that she's here “ You know it's not your fault right buddy, mom has been diagnosed for two years now and she would need medical attention soon no matter how dedicated to her drugs we all are.” I told him carefully. We opted for the drugs upon her diagnosis because we couldn't afford the full treatment package, I know it's not responsible but we are operating on a tight budget.

“I know,” he whispered after a few seconds.

“So, what did the doctor say?” I asked him not taking my eyes off him.

“She said you should see her when you arrive, her name is Dr Lia. I dropped a text for Felix to pick up Dre and Dria on his way here.” He answered me, taking out his phone from his pocket to scroll through.

“Thank you buddy, let me go see the doctor then.” I told him, I stood up from my seat and licked up my bag. I kissed mom on her cheeks and dropped a kiss on Brian's hair also before leaving the room to find Dr Lia. I asked a few nurses, and I was directed to her office.

I found myself in front of her office and I knocked on the door, “Come in, please.” She called out from inside.

I went into the office, seated on the chair in a proper medical doctor's office. There is a lady in her mid 40s with brown hair that was placed in a tight bun. “Hello, please have your seat” she said gesturing to one of the chairs in front of her.

I sat after whispering “thank you,”. “ Dr. Lia?” I asked not wanting to have a case of wrong identity even if her door read Dr. Lia.

“That will be me and you are?” She said with a smile on her face hoping to ease the tense look on my face.

“ I'm Sophia Summers, my mom was brought in by my brother Elaina Summers, she's in room 501.” I explained to her easing a little.

“Yes, I'm your mom's doctor and I told your brother to inform you to meet me when you arrive to discuss her situation.” She said picking up a file amongst the files on her table.

“Your mom was diagnosed with Lupus Arthritis two years ago according to her medical records, she's been on pills since then no other form of treatments was embarked upon. So, it made us not know how she was responding to the pills during the course of the two years, to cut the story short. Your mom was rushed in because her kidney is failing and she would need surgery for a repair of her kidney and also a few minor surgeries for her joints.” She explained not taking her eyes off me.

I could only nod in response, I made my mom worse, what type of daughter am I? She was always there for me and when she needed me the most I couldn't help out. I'm a failure “How soon does she need the surgery and what's the cost?” I said after a while.

“She needs to be operated on today or tomorrow to prevent needing a new kidney, for the price you should see the receptionist for that.” She explained.

I thanked her and made my way out of her office to the receptionist to find out what the surgery is going to cost. We don't have health insurance. It has expired since after dad's death, I'm still owing for that and now this.

“Please, I want to know the cost of my mom's surgeries.” I said upon getting to the receptionist.

“Patient name please,” She requested typing away on the computer in front of her.

“Elaine Summers,” I said to her.

“That would be 670,000$, how do you want to pay for that? She said looking at me with a friendly smile on her face.

I could hear my heartbreak immediately she called out the amount, “I will come back for the payment,” I told her and made my way back to mom's room, I stood in front of the door, finding myself unworthy of entering her room. I sat down on the floor beside the room and broke down in tears, I don't have anyone to go to for the money and I don't have such an amount saved anywhere.

We sold our house when dad was sick to pay bills but yet I'm still in debt and now with mom's surgeries, I've never felt helpless in my life like I do now. I felt someone sit beside me and I’m pulled into a side hug while I sob quietly into the person I recognise as Felix because of his perfume.

“Is it that bad Sissy?” He whispered and the pain in his voice was very obvious.

“She needs surgery tomorrow at the latest and I have to pay 670,000$ for that.” I told him quietly looking up to the wall in front of me. “When did you arrive and what about my babies?” I asked him cleaning my tears.

He took his hand off my shoulder and clamps them together in front of himself, he tightens his joined hands and I placed mine on his to stop him from whatever thoughts he's having.

“Not quite long and your babies are inside with Brian, I heard your sob that's why I came outside.” He said taking my hands into his.

“What are we going to do Sissy? we can't lose mom also,” He said looking me in the eyes, I see the pain in his eyes. Felix wears his feelings on his sleeve so it's easy to know what he's feeling unlike Brian whom you need to guess what he's feeling.

“Whatever it takes. We won't lose mom and I will make sure of it,” I told him with determination. “Let's go in before Brian comes outside to find us,” I told him, standing up and pulling him up after.

We got inside the room and Brian looked at us questionly, Felix just shook his head to him and he kept playing with the twins. I joined them after assuring them that grandma will be fine. We helped the twins with their assignment and we sat there till evening, Brian said he will take the twins home for dinner while Felix stays with mom.

After Brian left with my car, I picked up my bag to leave the room also with no specific location in mind, I left the hospital hoping I could come across a bag of money on my way.