Chapter 2 Hospital Bills

Dharna had believed her life was finally back on track. Graduation day was supposed to mark the beginning of stability - a full-time job, decent money, no more worries. She had walked out of the ceremony glowing with pride, eager to share the joy with her little sister, Ritika.

But when she opened the door to their home, her world collapsed. Ritika lay sprawled on the floor, unconscious. Dharna's heart lurched; she rushed her to the hospital, her mind a blur of panic.

Hours later, the doctor stepped out of the ward, his face shadowed with gravity. Dharna rose from her chair, her voice trembling.

"Doctor... what is it?"

He met her gaze, steady but grim.

"We ran numerous tests. All came back positive. Your sister has gastric cancer - stomach cancer."

The words struck Dharna like a blow. She stared at him, numb, her lips parting but no sound escaping. The doctor gently touched her shoulder.

"Miss Vyas?" he prompted, trying to anchor her back to the moment.

She blinked, her voice breaking.

"How? She was healthy... she ate well. Just a mild fever, some vomiting. I gave her medicine, and she was fine this morning. How can this be?"

Tears spilt before she could finish. The doctor's tone softened.

"Please, Miss Vyas. Control your emotions. It is not too late. There is treatment."

Hope flickered in her eyes.

"You mean... she can be saved?"

He nodded. "Yes. But she is in stage three. Surgery is required within a year. It is not immediately life-threatening, but the treatment is costly."

Dharna leaned forward, desperate.

"Then let's do it. Let's start the surgery."

The doctor hesitated, then spoke carefully.

"Combining surgery and treatment will cost around seventy thousand dollars. That excludes medicines and hospital bills."

The figure hung in the air like a sentence. Dharna froze. Their parents' savings amounted to barely twenty thousand. She had worked multiple jobs to keep them afloat, but fifty thousand more? It was an impossible gulf.

Her chest tightened as she thought of Ritika lying unconscious, wires tethered to her fragile body. Dharna's tears returned, but now they carried the weight of a dilemma that could shatter her world: how to save her sister when the price of hope was beyond reach.

The silence of the doctor's office was deafening. Dharna's graduation cap, which she had forgotten she was still holding, felt like a lead weight in her lap. She looked at the $20,000 in her mind-a sum she had spent years scraping together-and realised it was now just a down payment on her sister's life.

"I'll find it," Dharna whispered, her voice cracking. "I don't know how, but I'll get the fifty thousand."

The doctor gave her a look that was a mix of pity and professional detachment. "Time is of the essence, Miss Vyas. Ritika's condition would be stabilised with the help of medicines, but at most for a year".

"I will arrange for the money on time. Thank you, Doctor". The doctor nodded his head as Dharna stood and came out of the doctor's office, and went to Ritika's ward with heavy steps.

As she reached at the outside of the room, she took a deep breath and made sure there was no sign of worry onher face. Then she put on a smile onher face and entered her ward.

Ritika stirred faintly on the hospital bed, her eyelids fluttering as the machines hummed around her. Dharna, who had been sitting by her side with her hands clasped tightly, leaned forward the moment she saw movement.

"Ritika...?" Dharna whispered, her voice trembling. "Can you hear me?"

The machines were humming-a rhythmic, robotic heartbeat that filled the room. Ritika's eyes were open, fluttering weakly. She looked smaller than she had this morning.

"Didi?" Ritika's voice was a ghost of a sound.

Dharna rushed to the bedside, grabbing her sister's hand. It was ice-cold. "I'm here, Ritika. I'm right here."

"The... the party?" Ritika whispered, looking at Dharna's gown. "Did I miss it? I tried to get up... to make your favourite cake... but the floor..."

"Hush," Dharna said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. The smell of hospital antiseptic replaced the scent of home. "The party doesn't matter. You're going to be okay. I've talked to the doctor. He's the best in the city. He's going to fix this.

Ritika's lips parted, her voice weak but audible. "Didi... what happened to me actually? Why am I here? By looking at this..." She gestured to the IV. "... it is obvious it is not just mild fever".

Tears welled up in Dharna's eyes. She brushed a strand of hair from Ritika's forehead.

She knew Ritika was always smart, according to her age. Her observation power is exceptional. Therefore, she decided to tell her everything, excluding money.

"You fainted at home. I found you on the floor. The doctors... they ran some tests."

Ritika looked at her sister, confusion clouding her face. "Tests? But I was fine... just a little fever. You even gave me medicine."

Dharna swallowed hard, her throat tightening. She didn't want to say it, but she knew she couldn't hide the truth. "Ritika... the doctors said you have gastric cancer, but it is treatable."

Silence fell between them. Ritika blinked, her eyes wide, trying to process the words. "Cancer?" she whispered, almost as if saying it aloud would make it real. "No... that can't be. I eat healthy, I take care of myself..."

Dharna grabbed her sister's hand firmly. "I know, I know. I asked the doctor the same thing. But he said there's treatment. Surgery, medicines... You can be saved."

Ritika's gaze softened, though fear lingered in her eyes. "Saved... but at what cost?"

"That's for me to care". Dharna smiled and caressed her hair. Then she continued.

Dharna squeezed her hand firmly, her voice steady though her heart was trembling. "It means you'll have to fight, Ritika. But I'll be right here with you. Every step of the way."

Ritika's lips trembled. "I don't want to be a burden to you."

"You're not a burden," Dharna said fiercely, her eyes shining with tears. "You're my sister. My world. Nothing else matters."

Ritika's gaze softened, and a faint smile touched her lips despite the weakness in her body. "You've always been the strong one, Didi. I don't know how you do it."

Dharna leaned closer, her forehead resting lightly against Ritika's. "Because of you. You give me strength. And now, I'll give you mine. We'll get through this together."Ritika's weak fingers curled around Dharna's hand. "But only if you promise me one thing."

"What?" Dharna asked, her voice urgent.

"Promise me you'll still chase your dreams. Don't let my illness steal your future. You've worked so hard, Didi. You deserve more than just sacrifice."

Dharna's chest tightened. She wanted to argue, but the sincerity in Ritika's eyes silenced her. She nodded slowly. "Alright. I promise. But first... We'll save you." Her eyes turned into yellow, golden, Leela, her wolf on the surface.

Both were making promises to save their little sister at any cost.