My Name Is Isabella

Chapter 2

Voicemail again. I look over at my sister lying in the hospital bed. She looks almost invisible like the world is making her smaller and smaller till she will disappear from us forever. I instinctively look for any movements, any signs of life, even just the blanket moving to her breathes calms me. She turned off her phone. I walk over to the chair and sit down fumbling my phone. I don't have the luxury of more tears. I need to get ahold of Mother for Maggie's sake.

"eh hem," I hear and immediately dart up at the sound of someone else in the room. "Sorry I knocked" The familiar male doctor walked in, he looked barely past me to my sister. I just give a light nod, acknowledging his words. "You need rest, do you have someone you can call to come to help you, this isn't something people can go through alone." HA! I mentally scoff."I'm not the patient doc." My words sound more venomous than I intended. I am tired. "Sorry, I'm just hangry." He looks back with questioning or pity in his eyes. I'm sure he's seen this a million times I don't understand why his gaze is lingering. He finally lets out a calm breath and continues " We recommend she start chemo immediately, her cancer is very advanced and through the limited test we've done so far, if we don't act quickly, things will be unmanageable." I nod again, unable to say the words I understand out loud. He pauses again, trying to gauge how much I truly understand. "There will be someone from billing coming by to get your insurance information." s**t. "Also ill send someone to explain the process for chemo, what to expect, before and aftercare, so on." He taps his fingers a couple of times against one of the machines hooked up to Maggie, then walks out of the room taking all the oxygen with him. I throw my phone across the room. "Bella?" Maggie looks at me like a small child who just woke up from a nap. I should stop zoning out. I close my eyes trying to reign in my emotions " how do you feel?" I say as steady as possible, so I don't put more weight on my sister's shoulders. She laughs back at me amused "better than you." If a broken phone makes her smile I will break all of them. "I'm still alive Bells, we have time let's not waste it." Her face is still smiling but her eyes don't match her face. "I can't get ahold of her...She's not even stepping up as a parent when it's life or death." I laced my words with sugar again, like I'm so good at doing. " We are both sick, we both need treatment." Maggie talks about her with so much confidence, so much faith that she can be cured."We will both get treatment, and we will both get better together." My sister's words start fading but I see the promise in her eyes before she drifts off to sleep again. I walk across the room and pick up my phone. Nine AM already, I cant call out again if I'm going to be paying for this. With a deep sigh, I walk out of the room to get ready for work. I tiptoe carefully not to wake up Maggie. I should be able to go home and shower before I go in. 

As I walked into the apartment I fumbled around till I flipped the switch, but I wasn't met with a light, just darkness. I forgot to pay the bill."Mom" I call out wondering if she bothered to find a place to stay. Silence. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and switched on the flashlight, I just need to find my uniform. I started walking to my room when I tripped over a large lump. "What the hell, no no no, wake up," I screamed scrambling to my knees and shaking my mother who was laying cold on the floor. Her body seemed lifeless, cold, and dead but she was still breathing. I couldn't see any of her features but I knew she was in bad shape. How long has she been passed out? I wondered what to do, I can't take her to the hospital, or I will miss another day of work. I can leave her here like this, Maggie will never forgive me. "John," I whispered maybe I can get him to drop her off at the ER. 

Just when I was about to hit the green phone on the screen I felt my mother twitch under me." Isa.....Bella..." She said between desperate breaths. I hate that name. "What do I do mom, should I can John?" I beg her to give me some advice knowing full well she won't comprehend my words in this state. "He won't...He left." She smiles at me, her words so clear like her soul isn't moments from leaving her body. "He hurt you," I say bluntly, I should feel something, pity for my mother, mourning for her pain but I don't. She closes her eyes and slumps back down. "I work I don't have She closes her eyes and slumps back down. 

"I work I don't have time for this." I take a quick pause before the next sentence comes out of my mouth, scared of the words I'm saying. "Maggie has cancer." Please care, feel something for the only person left that cares about you. Love her, love her more than the drugs, love her the way she needs you to. My thoughts turn cold and dark quickly. Sighing heavily I form a plan, I don't have time for this. I get up leaving my mother on the floor and find the car keys, I quickly grab my apron and mother. I try to help her wobble to the car, she can barely keep up with my quick steps.

I decided to bring my mom into the ER but I don't have time to sit with her. Grabbing the clipboard from the nurse at the desk I toss it to my mom who is passed out again in a chair and walk out of the building. Thankfully I took the car so I don't have to wait for the bus to get to work. I look back one more time at my Mother slumped over in the chair, no one rushing to help her. I wonder what I will tell Maggie. "I'll come by to check on her after work," I mutter to myself. The lunch rush was not keeping me as busy as I hoped, I am tired of thinking I just want to stay busy. I stared off into space, not noticing the jingle of bells from the door opening. I felt an elbow in my ribs and looked over. " I'll let you take this one, you look like you need it." My coworker hints at me I take it that she isn't in the mood to work. What's her name again? Like a robot, I go to the table the customers just sat at, and take their drink orders." what's with you today?" She asks, suddenly taking an interest in my life. I put a lemon on the rim of the water cup I poured. Annoyed with her prying I snap back "Well my sister has cancer, my mom overdosed, and I don't have the money to turn back on our electric." What's the point in pretending everything is ok now. Nothing is even a little alright. I walk the drinks to my table before she has a chance to respond. The strange older man looks up at me as I set down his water and coffee. The rest of his party not paying any attention to either of us. His eyes are dark, or maybe it's just my brain is so fried everyone reaks of danger to me. "I heard you are looking for another job." He says to me in an interview tone. Is he insane? When did I say I had time for another job? I pause and consider his question."yes." I state calmly. Another job couldn't hurt either. I have to get Maggie away from her. I won't ever be able to waiting tables so it can't hurt to hear him out. He holds my gaze for a few more seconds before turning his head back to his table and joining the conversation. It takes me a second to recover the embarrassment of being ignored. okay then. "Can I get yall anything else?" I say more like a statement than a question. As if I was a circus animal they all stop and turn their attention to me, their gazes burning my skin. "Well, aren't you beautiful?" One of the men grins at me. I smile playfully back but before I can spit out a sarcastic comment the dark man spills out "non giocare con Bambi." He sounds... Angry? Instead of thanking him I just look over dumbfounded. Before I get a chance to walk back he picks up his phone and leaves the restaurant. The same guy from before hands me some cash and a business card. " You seem like someone Antonio would enjoy." He smirks at me. They all stand to leave, and I just rush back to the kitchen. Colorado, I read carefully. I knew what business this was. A strip club.