Your Fault

CHAPTER 2

***

"Are you sure of it?"

"Seems like it."

"Then wake her up. I can't believe she's sleeping when her mother is--"

"Excuse me...Ms. Sienna?"

Someone was shaking me constantly, trying to wake me up. The surface beneath me felt cold like steel- My Wheelchair. My arms were still hurting the same and the beep sound was gone. It took me a few seconds to remember what had happened and where I was.  

"Wake up." A soft but hurried voice filled my ears.

The call this time woke me up, startled and struggling for breath.

"Are you alright?" A nurse wearing a surgical mask knelt down in front of me and a doctor stood beside her with his arms crossed, with sympathizing eyes.

I sat up and found myself on my wheelchair outside the ICU. It was just the three of us.

"Are you Mrs. Alice May's family?" She asked me again and this time, I answered with a nod.

"How's my mother? Is she okay? Can I see her now?" I asked the nurse who didn't speak for a moment.  

What does her silence mean?  

She gently held my hands and pressed them between her palms," She's doing fine. We will have to keep her under observation. You seem fatigued. Would you like to eat something?" 

'She's doing fine.' Those words put life back into me. I could finally breathe.

"Can I meet my mother?" I asked instead of answering her and she nodded with a gentle smile. 

I felt like I was lifting a rock as I moved the wheelchair forward. I made my way into the dimly lit operation theatre and sighed with relief as I saw mum. Her head was bandaged and her eyes were still closed due to unconsciousness. I let a tear drop but wiped it immediately and cracked a smile before getting out of there. 

***

I had made a call to the landlady and told her that mum was alright. She had urgent work at home so she had left earlier, but she too was relieved at the news. 

Now when I looked at the bigger picture, there was a problem. 

"Please clear the bills before the patient is discharged." The receptionist said as I got out of the elevator. Her memory was commendable, but I would've appreciated if she hadn't shouted across the hall.

"And that would be?" I asked as I went to her desk.

"Ten days at most." She replied.

"I meant...the amount." I said and bit my lower-lip. We're already short on money.

"The operation and a ten days care would be..." She pressed the keyboard keys, totalling the amount and then looked up at me,"26,210 pounds."

Fuck.

***

I groaned and pushed my hair back, looking for mum's health policy which should've covered about 10,000 pounds of the bill. 

"Useless!" I slammed the drawers close and rambled about not knowing where the things are placed in my own house when a knock on the door interrupted me.

I made my way to the door and opened it only a little. Looking up from the crack, I saw a man dressed in black suit, facing his back at me. I slammed the door shut with the same speed I'd opened it, but obviously a little louder.