Chapter 4 Worse was to come

Jojo:

With nowhere else to go, I thought maybe we could stay at Mel's place for the night.

I took out my phone and dialed Mel's number. She didn't pick up, after four dials, I let it go.

Soon, I found myself walking towards my mother's hospital. They had closed already, just as I had expected. So, we held each other in our arms, drifting off to sleep at the gate of the building.

I slept deeply until the brightness of the sun rays seized my eyes. At once, I docked my arm over my face to shield my vision.

When my eyes adjusted to the light, I sprang up and tried to cover myself, wrapped up in the flimsy piece of torn clothing. Valerie was beside me, her neck slightly bent as she slept peacefully. The sight warmed my heart.

The security guard opened the gate to allow me passage. I gently shook Valerie to wake her up and together, we walked to Mom's ward.

On getting to the hospital, I found out that my mother had been moved. She was not in the ward that she used to be in. Frantically, I checked the other beds, but she was nowhere to be found on any of them.

It made me uneasy, the worst of thoughts ran through my mind as I wondered where she could have been moved to. I felt myself begin to panic as I rushed to the receptionist with my sister. I could tell she was only trying to stay calm.

The woman was familiar with us, so she spoke as soon as she spotted us, "Ward 117." She didn't even bother to smile, but her courtesy was the least of my problems.

I nodded in silence, fixing the hem of my gown as I searched for Ward 117.

I finally located the ward. My jaw dropped...not in the good way, but in despair and utter shock.

It was three times smaller than the one she had been in and her bed-size smaller, to the extent that the end of her legs swayed at the edge of it.

Valerie rushed to her and stood by the side of her bed, caressing her hand gently. I stood at the door for some minutes, just to drink in the sight before me. Before I stepped into the room and stood by Valerie.

"Miss Wyatt?" I heard a voice call behind me. I turned. I did not recognize him, but he seemed to have authority. He looked stern. There were no exchange of pleasantries, he simply glared at me as he spoke.

"This is where your mother would be staying for two weeks, until we are forced to either take away her oxygen or move her to a palliative care center whichever you would wish to happen. You have two weeks to decide and after that, we would be forced to take matters in our own hands and end this, once and for all."

His words knocked the wind out of my system. Tears welled up in my eyes.

In that moment, I wanted to wish that the person who saved me from Mykel would appear out of the blues, and save me again.

"Sir, please..." I started but he did not let me finish.

"The hospital has been lacking funds lately and I believe it has to do with charity cases like your family. It is high time we ended this. The bills are only growing. Like I said, you only have two weeks to come up with a decision or we would make that decision for you." He turned to leave and I stopped him.

"And what's... What's the bill, sir?" I dared to ask, I had to.

He stared down at me and I could swear I had not imagined the look of amusement on his face. I bit my lip under the scrutiny of his gaze. His answer would determine my next move.

"And why do you wish to know?" He asked me. I fisted my palm, pushing myself to say it.

"I want to pay it." I blurted.

My statement was met with resounding laughter. My cheeks turned crimson red with embarrassment.

"You? You want to pay it? Interesting. You think that you can pay that amount off, don't you?" He asked, I said nothing and waited for him to finish.

"You really think you can pay off roughly 7.8 million dollars? And by doing what exactly? Running around in a waitress dress?"

Seven point say what now?

Million...

Dollars...

These were terms I had never heard in the same sentence before. How on earth was I supposed to even...?

"Could you please extend the time?" I mumbled.

"No."

His reply was blunt, he left the room without a word.

I heard muffled cries from the corner of the room and tilted my head towards the direction of the sound; it was from Valerie. I was kneeling before her in seconds, wiping her face.

"I just can't believe we're about to lose mama. I don't really know her but I love her so much, Jo. I'm trying to be a big girl but I can't do it anymore. I wish things didn't have to be like this." She cried out.

It was then that my heart broke. I gathered her in my arms, I had nothing to say. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I wished, for my sake as well, that I could tell her that it was going to be okay.

That I was going to find a way to pay up the bills. But I knew that I would be lying to both of us. There was no way I could gather such amount of money in my life. Not to mention I need to do so in two weeks!

A miracle was the only thing that could save my mother from death and I could only pray for one right now. We wept in each other's arms for as long as we needed to until she fell asleep.

Then I willed myself to look at my mother. Apparently, she was not the woman I used to know. But she was still a fighter.

She had been fighting for eight years and maybe it was time to let her go. But what about Valerie? Would she ever heal?

I tore my eyes away from her in that instant. Too many questions and no answers, I was growing weary of it.

I told Valerie to stay in the ward. I sighed and picked up my bag, heading out of the hospital.

Even though I felt as though I was in no condition to work mentally, I had no choice. Valerie and I were homeless now, and it was up to me to provide. So I went to the restaurant with a heavy heart.

During my shift, I often zoned out. I tried to shove these messy thoughts to the back of my mind, but it was futile.

All of a sudden, I thought about what Mel had said yesterday. Her advice. Maybe she was right. I needed the job as a strip dancer. With it, it would be possible to beg the hospital for an extension of the deadline. I could plead for a loan and save my earnings to pay the loan.

7.8 million dollars.

What bank would lend me such an amount? That was only the bill for starters, I also needed to continue to pay, for further treatment.

I made up my mind to apply for the job. After all it was just dancing.

Mel and I went to the storeroom during our break. I explained everything to her.

I told her about my decision to apply for the job at the Alpha's casino. She agreed to help create my email and apply for the job online.

Hours passed and we closed, I had not been able to give myself a cause. When I accompanied Mel to her apartment, my mind was made up. We spent two hours with the set up. Once she hit the "send" icon, I knew it was done.

There was no turning back now.

"Now, we wait."

Mel squeezed my hand gently.

"Yeah, now we wait."