Chapter 6 I'd rather die than become a charity case

Coraline's POV

The stench of antiseptics and blood was the first thing that hit me when I regained consciousness. I could hear the beeping of different machines and there was a slight sting on my arm, I opened my eyes and I could see was white, I tried to twist my body so I could look around but my stiff body retaliated.

"Fuck!" A sharp pain went through my right arm to my brain, I shut my eyes as the pain registered in my brain.

"Cora! Oh my God, Cora, you're awake?" Mei's face flooded my field of vision.

"Mei, what the hell happened? Why are you here?"

Mei's forehead creased with worry, " I got a call that you had fainted, I'm your emergency contact, you know. I got here as soon as I got the call. The doctor had already checked you, and he said you fainted because of stress and hypoglycemia, your sugar was fricking below 54mg/dl. Have you even eaten anything in the last 24 hours?"

So not only was Becca in the hospital racking up the bill, I had joined her. God, I'll be glad if I have a dollar to my name when I finish paying for everything.

"Where's Becca?" I asked, avoiding her question, I honestly couldn't remember the last time I ate. I tried to get up again but winced in pain and it was proving difficult. Mei pressed a button on the bed and it moved upwards and put me in a sitting position.

Mei sat on the stool and tucked her hands into the pocket of her dress.

"She's fine, she's in the next bed, the nurses knew you wouldn't want to be far away from her so they put you in the bed next to her. Becca witnessed your fainting and was inconsolable so they had to knock her out with a sleeping drug, she's still asleep."

I sighed and palmed my chest, I felt the sting again, then glanced down and saw that I had an IV needle in my arm, " Oh thank God, I was so worried that something had happened to her."

Mei's face darkened and she sat upright, " Cora, what's going on with Becca? Is she seriously sick or is it just the flu?"

I looked down at my hands, wondering how I was going to tell Mei, " The doctor says she has acute cholecystitis, I don't really understand what it is but he said, she has to have surgery."

Mei's eyes widened, " You're joking?"

I shook my head, twisting my lips, " I wish I was. You don't know how badly I wish this was a prank or a dream but it's real."

She gasped and covered her mouth, " What are you going to do?"

I shrugged, " What can I do? I'm not going to restrict my daughter from getting treatment."

" B...but surgery? Isn't that expensive and you don't have health insurance? How will you be able to afford it?" Mei's eyes glistened.

I faked a smile, " I'll figure something out, maybe I'll use the money I was going to use as rent to pay for our treatment."

Mei waved her hands, " No way! You need that money to get an apartment for you guys to stay in. I'll pay for Becca's surgery and also for all her expenses."

I recoiled, my back stiffened as her words sunk in, she wanted to pay, and I was going to collect money from her. No way in hell, no way in fucking hell. I'd rather die than become a charity case.

"Mei, please, you don't need to do that. You can keep your money I'll figure it out. I'll sell my car, take a loan, and get another job. I'll be fine."

Mei turned red and her hazel eyes darkened and she slammed her hands on the edge of my bed, " You will not! Coraline Baxter, stop this nonsense. You need your car, you need the rent money and you can't afford to get another job when you're stressed and fatigued. You'll die if you keep going at this rate."

I clamped my mouth shut, it was better not to argue with Mei right now but I had already made up my mind that I wouldn't be taking any money from her. Even if she ended up paying our hospital bills, I was going to refund it to her.

"Mei, can you call a nurse for me, please? I need to get back to Becca, she needs me right now."

Mei shook her head furiously and shot me a glare, " No, Becca doesn't need you right now, she's still asleep. You need to rest. For all things good and holy, Cora, you just fainted, you need all the rest you can get."

I huffed and pressed the button on the bed to recline, there was no use fighting a losing battle. I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep.

The next time I woke up, Mei was gone but her Chanel purse was still there so she must have stepped out. I took hold of my IV stand, got off the bed, and walked over to the curtain, separating me from Becca, I shifted it slightly and cut a glimpse of my baby, she was still asleep and looked peaceful like an angel, her hand was still Tucker around her stomach so she must still be feeling the pain. I closed the curtain, searched for my bag, and brought out my phone. There was an important call I had to make. My hands shook as I typed in the contact name, I couldn't believe I was actually going to do it. I had really hit rock bottom.

"Hello, Elijah Warren, who is this?"

Oh my God, I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me, I wanted to end the call and make him think it was a prank call but I couldn't, I needed him.

I cleared my throat as it felt like a frog was happily residing there, " Elijah, this is Coraline."

I heard something hit the ground on the other side of the call, " C...Coraline Baxter?"

"Yes, it's me."

"And to what do I owe this pleasure? I never thought the day would come when Coraline Baxter would call me." I envisioned him leaning back on his swivel chair, his legs propped up on the table and a wide sadistic grin on his face as he spoke.

"I'll do it."

"You'll do what?"

I sucked in a deep breath, my insides churning at the next words I was going to say.

"I'll make a baby with you."