Chapter 2: A Miracle
1210 Words
The thought of losing her mother was the last thing Luna wanted to ever experience, she already lost her father a year ago and now her mother was on the verge of leaving her behind. This can't be happening Luna thought to herself.
“Well, your mother still has a slim chance of survival but It all depends on how fast we take action. If payment is made as soon as possible we will commence her treatment immediately" Mark explained.
After hearing what Mark just said, Luna felt a bit relieved, although her chest still felt heavy from the shock. She gently wiped the tears from her face with the back of her tender fingers.
Immediately, Mark's phone rang.
“Mark, your attention is needed urgently at ward 2, please come quickly" The voice at the other end sounded anxious and scary.
“I'm on my way," Mark replied abruptly.
“If you don't mind Luna, I'll take my leave now as I'm urgently needed. Try and do the needful as soon as possible” he added and left.
Luna on the other hand, still confused, went straight to the administrative office and requested the bill.
The printed bill was handed over to Luna, when she opened it and saw what was inside, her jaw almost dropped to the floor and her eyes widened in shock.
"Five hundred thousand what?”
"Where the hell am I supposed to get this huge amount of money from?”
“Are you sure this is my mum's bill?" Luna asked
“Yes, it is". The admin manager replied.
"It's so huge” she exclaimed
Luna, feeling dejected and confused, slowly walked out to the room where her mum lay. She didn't understand why her mood suddenly changed but it must have been an outrageous sum on the paper. Right now, all she thought of was how to raise $500,000 within a week, she had to act fast but how to begin was still a mystery.
Luna walked straight to the room where her mum was and took a glance at her unconscious mother.
“I'll find a way, Mum, please stay strong". She kissed her forehead and walked briskly out of the hospital. With a lot going on in her mind, Luna had no clue what to do next.
“Oh my God, it's 4 pm already, I'm damn late” she muttered as she stared at her wristwatch.
She was late for work and Mrs. Jane hates it whenever she's late. She quickly waved down a taxi and told him where she was headed.
As she got to Mrs Jane’s apartment, she was already waiting at the door.
“I'm so so sorry for being late Mrs. Jane, I promise it won't happen next time" Luna apologized to Mrs Jane who stood hands akimbo in front of the door, her wrinkled face filled with anger.
“That's what you said two days ago, what's your excuse this time?” She clenched her jaw so tightly that the muscles on her face twitched with the effort to keep from yelling.
“My… My… My..” Luna stuttered, searching for words.
"Can't talk? Do you need help?" Jane queried
"My mum is sick, I.. I had to rush her to the hospital” Luna managed to explain.
"Last I checked, that's none of my business. Just so you know, your salary will be deducted at the end of the week and that's final, try this next time and you'll be thrown out completely” Jane shouted, her voice booming in the small room, echoing off the walls as she turned and walked away.
“Wow, it just gets worse, doesn't it? I'm searching for two hundred thousand dollars and here I am being surcharged, wow, just wow” Luna who stood quiet the whole time muttered under her breath as she matched into the house.
“Did I hear you say something?" Jane's voice could be heard from the corridor
“No Ma'am, not at all" Luna, who didn't know she thought out loud, denied and rushed into the kitchen to wash the dishes.
Luna after washing the dishes and cleaning the house in the small wooden chair in the corner of the corridor. She brought out the piece of paper, her hand trembling as she stared at the figures. The figures seemed to mock her. She read it again, this time slowly as if somehow the amount would change, or maybe a miracle might happen if she just looked hard enough. All she needed right now was a miracle, but miracles didn’t happen for people like her. Not in the real world.
“How… how am I going to get this?” She whispered. “I can't lose her, I just can't" She sniffed the mucus that almost dropped through her nostrils.
“Maybe… maybe I could ask Mrs. Jane for an advance. But what’s the point? How could I ever pay back that much? I might have to work all my life”
Luna bent over her head and placed them in between her lips, her hands touching her hair in frustration.
“Maybe I should take a second job. Hmmm. Double shifts won't be enough, they'll pay peanuts and I won't meet up”.
She thought about loans, but who would give her that amount of money with the little she made? And even if they did, how could she ever repay it? No answers or clues came and silence was deafening. The thoughts shook over each other, each was more hopeless than the next. Although she wasn't getting any clues, one certain thing is that she was never going to give up, not while her mum was still fighting.
Just then Mrs. Jane's phone rang and the ringtone distorted her thoughts.
“Hello Jane, how are you today” Sophia Jane's friend greeted from the other end of the call
"I'm fine and you”
"I'm fine too but I need your help and it's very urgent” Sophia sounded disturbed and anxious.
“What is wrong Sophie? Hope you've not gotten into trouble" Jane curiously asked.
“No, not at all, but I need a favor from you Jane”
“Alright, I'm all ears. What do you need from me?"
"Jasper needs to sign a business deal but before it pulls through, he must present a spouse and it's just in three days from now. Do you by any chance know someone who will be interested in a one-year contract marriage with my son?” Sophia asked hoping to get a positive reply from her blossom friend Jane
“Three days is so short for such a search Sophie” Jane complained.
"Please help me out, Jasper needs this and I'm counting on you, Jane”
"Alright, alright Sophie, I'll see what I can do but I'm not promising anything".
“Thank you, thank you so much, Jane, I knew I could count on you. Bye for now" Sophia hung up.
Luna, who listened to Sophie and Jane's conversation was left dumbfounded, she paced back and forth as she replayed everything she just heard in her head.
“A contract marriage? Could this be a miracle?”
- Writer
