Chapter 3

Lilith.

His last words hit me like a bombshell.

I felt my heart skip two beats as beads of sweat gathered around my forehead.

My mother wouldn't make it?

My chest clenched painfully, and it was like an invisible hand squeezed it hard.

I knew my mother had a 50/50 chance, but I hadn't come to terms when she was dying.

Goddess, please, take my job, my happiness, even my life, but spare my mother.

I quickly wiped the tears that stung my vision as I dashed across the hallway, ignoring stares from my neighbors.

I wailed and soliloquized like a mad woman. The onlookers didn't bother me.

When I got to the bus station, I comported myself, wiped my tears, and let out a deep breath.

I entered the bus and sat quietly beside the window, feeding my eyes with the view of the city.

We hadn't gone far when the seat next to mine was taken by a father and a daughter. She was around two years of age.

Throughout the ride, they kept giggling, and from the corner of my eyes, I saw her holding a wrapped gift given to her by her father.

“Thank you, Daddy, I love you,”

My heart broke as I watched her tighten her small arms around his neck.

Her words echoed in my head repeatedly, spiking my emotions and resurfacing memories that I wanted to forget.

I was a daddy's girl until I was not.

Everything happened so fast that I didn't know when I slipped from riches to rags.

I was born with a silver spoon, and my life was envied by my classmates. If it wasn't the best, my father wouldn't purchase it for me.

My life started to fall apart when my mother caught my father cheating. But instead of an apology, he got worse.

His habits soon graduated into drinking and staying out late. Despite being too young to understand, I knew something was off. I tried to ask my mother, but she acted like all was well.

Things grew worse when I noticed my mother was in pain and her hair started to fall out in chunks. She would apply makeup to brighten her pale skin and wear a wig to maintain her radiance.

My fairytale life ended the day my parents got into a big fight. I heard my mother cry throughout the night from my room. The next morning, the voice of a beautiful lady woke me up.

His mistress!

One word from her and my father sent us packing. We were tossed on the street penniless. The clothes we wore were the only thing in our possession.

Mum did odd jobs to take care of me and my sister, but after college, her sickness worsened.

My stream of thoughts ended when the bus stopped, indicating that I had gotten to the hospital.

I gave the girl a small smile before dashing out of the bus into the hospital.

I took a deep breath when I got to the ward where my mother was, carefully opening the door to avoid startling her.

I froze on a spot as my heart shattered the moment I saw my mother.

She was like a bag of bones.

Her dark, sunken eyes that were once full of life were shut.

Her pale face was blank, void of any feelings. Her chubby cheeks were flat and dry. Her luscious hair was no more as she was now bald.

Tears resumed streaming down my eyes as her sorry state.

She looked like a ghost.

“Mum,” I called. My voice cracked from tears.

I resisted the urge to touch her and inform her of my presence.

“I love you, Mum,” I whispered before blowing a kiss.

A weak cough caught my attention, and I looked down to see my mum flash a forced smile at me.

Behind the smile, there was great pain.

“I love you…my Lily,” she started softly. “But I'm sorry that I'm making you go through this.”

Her voice broke, and I knew she was close to tears.

“No mum…”

“I failed as a mother, I couldn't take care of you, and I'm sorry.”

“Please, don't say that. I am not complaining, and it's not your fault.” I tried to convince her.

“Forgive me, Lily. Sometimes, life can be tough. You just have to keep going. But I assure you that when I beat this disease, I will take care of you and your sister. You don't have to do odd jobs. Everything will be fine,” she assured me, but I didn't know whether to believe it or not.

Can she beat stage 2 cancer?

Will everything ever be fine?

I was about to console her when the clearing of my throat caught my attention.

I turned to see the doctor watching me keenly with a displeased look on his face.

“Meet me in my office,” he said before disappearing out of the room.

“I have to go, mum, where is Rose?” I asked, looking around.

“She has been transferred to a more sanitized room since her immune system is weak.”

“Okay,” I said before kissing her forehead.

My heart hammered against my chest as I made my way to the doctor's office.

I didn't have what he wanted.

What excuse would I give again?

I'm sure he was already sick of me and my lame excuses.

“Miss Lilith,” his voice boomed, causing me to shake.

“Good afternoon, doctor.” My face met with the floor as I didn't know what to say.

“Your delay isn't helping matters.” He started.

“Your mother's cancer has progressed from stage 2, and she is not in good shape. Her health is deteriorating daily. One of her kidneys is bad, and the spare one is showing signs of failing. We need to start dialysis.” Urgency lingered in his deep voice.

“The fluid she is placed on won't help much, and if you continue this way, you'll lose her soon. Then there is your sister.”

My heart clenched in pain at his words again.

I hated hearing those words.

Speechless, I sat down, digesting his words with a sorrowful look plastered on my face.

This was too much for me to bear.

“We need at least $3000 to start anything on them,” he said before relaxing into his chair and adjusting his stethoscope.

Crushed by frustration, I broke down in tears.

“I'm trying, doctor. It's not easy. Sometimes, I just want to disappear from all these…” I took a deep breath and composed myself before sitting up.

I had to be strong for my family.

“I have $1000, I hope it will be enough to start some treatment on them,” I announced, digging my fingers into my small purse.

With a small smile, I dropped the money on his table.

“I know it's not enough, but please…” I stammered as I was close to tears.

He signed before shaking his head. “This can't go anywhere, but it will start something. We need more by tomorrow…”

“Not tomorrow, please, the end of this week,” I pleaded. A frown appeared on his face before he shrugged his shoulders.

“This is about life and death. Delay is dangerous,” he warned before standing to his feet to leave his office.

I strolled out and went into my sister's ward, but she was asleep.

I didn't want to wake her, so I wrote her a note and dropped a “get well soon card," kissing her on her cheeks before leaving the ward.

I couldn't think. The doctor's words kept echoing in my head.

How do I get $2k before the end of the week?

My eyes popped open at once as an idea dropped in my head.

The card!

I retrieved the card from my purse, and I couldn't help but be consumed by the urge to dial the number.

I was stuck between asking my best friend for help or asking the hot stranger instead?