Chapter 11: What To Do?

Jasmine's POV

After work on Tuesday, I went to the hospital to see my mom. I walked slowly to the room she was in. I hated hospitals. The scent of antibacterial cleaning products lingered in the halls and it always felt like the cold hands of death were reaching for me.

I pushed in room fourteen and saw my mother lying down on the bed with machines attached to her to help her breathe, a mask over her nostril area to flow oxygen to her lungs, and a monitor beeping to indicate her heart rate. She looked like she was asleep. Or dead.

"Mom, I'm here. I know you're slipping away from me and Zenia as the days go by, but I'll do something to get that money so you can have a successful lung transplant. I can't let you die knowing I've done absolutely nothing to save you. I don't care if I have to sell my body to make that money, I'll do it for you Mommy." 

I buried my face at the side of my mother and I began crying bitterly. I hated seeing her like this. I hated the fact that she was slipping away further and more each day. I hated the fact that I didn't have the money to save her. I hated the guilty feeling that was creeping up on me and making me felt like this was somehow my fault because I'd let her down. I vowed to take care of her and I couldn't even do that.

The door opened and a female doctor walked in.

"Good evening. Are you one of Mrs. Blackman's daughters?"

"Actually it's Miss Blackman. My mother was never married. And, yes, I'm the eldest daughter."

"Thanks for that clarification. I have some news I should tell you, no matter how hard it may be on you and your family."

I braced myself for the awful news I knew was coming.

"Her situation hasn't changed since she got here. And everyday without the transplant she gets worse. She has one month to live, or less if the transplant can't be done, and there's a waiting list, also.

"I wouldn't like to pull the plug on this woman. Isn't there anything you can do Miss Blackman? Isn't there someone you can ask for the money? Isn't there a bank you can get a loan from or anything at all? Time is ticking."

I began to cry again. 

My mind blanked. I couldn't do anything for her. It would take months for me to save that money, maybe even a year or more. I didn't know anyone with that amount of money who'd lend it to me so I could save my mother. The only business I did at my bank was withdrawals. I had no savings and no securities that would qualify me for an instant loan. I didn't know what to do. 

I couldn't sell myself to save her, although I said that before. Mom would be so disappointed in me. She taught me self-respect and self-worth, I wouldn't dare go against that. I couldn't do anything but to watch her fade away from me and my sister.

"I'm sorry Miss Blackman, I didn't mean to upset you so much," the doctor said as she stood beside me and looked on.

"Will she wake up?" I asked through tears.

"I'm afraid she has been heavily sedated since she can't breathe on her own as she should. But she should be awake by tomorrow or the following day."

"Thank you doctor."

"Oh, I'm Dr. Shannon by the way."

"Dr. Shannon," I repeated.

"I'll leave you now. If there're any changes, please push the nurse's button and we'll be here."

I nodded and she left the room. 

I wiped my tears away, not taking my eyes off my mother. The tears were coming again and again. I looked up to the ceiling and said a silent prayer to the God I believed in.

I got up and walked out of the room. I wasn't capable of baring it anymore. I couldn't stop crying and feeling sorry for my mother.

I signed out with trembling hands then I left the hospital.

I sat down at the back of the bus, trying to think about any possible solution to this. I was blanked.

When I got home, I went directly into the bathroom, took my clothes off and stepped into the shower. Taking a cold bath, I cried again.

I gathered myself, changed into something comfortable and went to the living room where my sister was doing some research on my computer.

"Hey," I greeted her coldly.

"Hey," she responded.

"I went to see Mom today."

"Any good news?"

"No. She has exactly one month before her lungs completely fail, and without the transplant she'll..."I couldn't bring myself to say that last word.

Zenia took a big inhale and paused. She looked over to me with wet eyes. "Jassy, isn't there anyone you could ask for the money?"

"No. I don't have any friends."

"What about the friend you said you slept with?"

"WHAT?" I shouted from astonishment by her question.

"You said that you had a friend--" she began.

I didn't let her finish. "Zen, I can't ask that friend for any money."

"Why not?"

"Because I just can't!"

"Even to save our dying mother?"

"You don't understand Zenia!"

"Well make me understand Jasmine. Why you can't ask her for the money?"

"It's not a her. It's a him; and I can't ask him because he's my boss."

There was a long silence.

"You slept with Evan Hollen? Mr. CEO of Hollen Tower?" she finally asked.

"Yes," I said, a ridiculous blush appearing on my cheeks.

"Well, he's fricking loaded. He can give you the money without even putting a dent in his pocket."

"Zenia, he wouldn't give me the money--"

"Why not? After you two slept together he wouldn't at least help in a terrible situation like our mother's?"

"What happened between us was a mistake, and he made it clear that he wasn't interested in me."

"WHAT? Oh hell no, he can't do something so awful to you after you slept with him."

"We woke up in the same bed but I don't think we had sex."

"You don't think?"

"We were both drunk, Zen. He has no feelings for me and, furthermore, he has a girlfriend."

"Oh my God." She looked at me and shook her head. 

For the first time, I felt embarrassed about Mr. Hollen. I had to forget about him. I couldn't allow myself to let something so stupid happen again with him, or any other guy for that matter. I had a little sister and I had to set an example.

"So, even if you at least tell him, he wouldn't give you or lend you the money?" she asked, still holding on to the hope and possibility that my boss would be the savior of our situation.

"I honestly don't know," I answered her.

"Will you ask him?"

"I wouldn't get the money from him Zen. He's not my boyfriend, he's my boss. He wouldn't just hand out a large sum of money to one of his employees and that's all I am to him and that's what I'll always be! An employee! A  personal assistant!"

I stormed towards my bedroom, shutting the door loudly behind me. 

I began to cry again. I wished life was different for us. Instead of a genie, I was wishing for a miracle.