FATAL SEDUCTION: The Boy In A Cheap Suit | 18+

Mom

Marco's POV

I got to my apartment a bit later than usual, all thanks to the traffic that had continued. I ran up the stairs almost knocking down an old homeless man who lived in one of the empty rooms on the floor below mine.

“sorry!” I yelled as I took the stairs two at a time.

Visiting hours would soon be over and I wouldn’t be able to see mom. And I needed to see her to tell her that I had gone through the first day at work without being tied to a chair to keep me from bolting. I fumbled with my keys, dropping them twice and then tried to open the door again, firmly holding the key this time. The door opened with its signature creak and I walked into the small crowded sitting room. The idea of refurnishing hasn’t been in my mind for a long time, mainly because all my spare cash went into basic amenities and mom’s medical bills. I dropped my bag into the old sofa in the room and went through the curtain that separated the kitchen from the sitting room. I pulled a cup out of its holder and held it under the sink tap. I twisted and a few drops of water fell into the cup and then the tap went dry again. There was no water in the building again. I groaned. The house was an old one and the frequent lack of water wasn’t the only thing wrong with it. The power has been down for two weeks and despite several complaints to the landlord, no repairs had been made. Everything creaked and shook, and I lived with the constant fear that one day I would wake up and the house would have fallen. We would have moved out if hadn’t been so broke.

Due to how frequently the water cut, I had made it a habit to fill buckets and kegs whenever we were graced with its presence. But even these saves weren’t drinkable. I opened the fridge and was greeted with the foul odor of stale milk and asides from the source of the stench, there was nothing else in it. My stomach growled and my head was spinning from dehydration.

I added cleaning the fridge to my mental to-do list and walked into the cupboard that served as my room. I called it a cupboard because it was just big enough to fit my small property and a small bed that was way too small for me. I woke up every morning on the floor.

I got out of my work clothes and wrapped a towel over my thin waist. Grabbing a bucket of ice cold water, I walked into the bathroom. I shivered as the freezing water hit my hot skin. I applied soap on my body as moderately as possible (I couldn’t afford such luxuries now if I ran out of them. At least till I got my first pay check).

After my quick-frozen bath, I dressed up in a clean shirt and a pair of faded jeans. I ran my fingers over my hair and after one look in the mirror, I concluded I looked decent enough. I ran down the stairs again after making sure to lock the doors. I ran past the same homeless man who gave me a hard scowl.

“sorry!” I screamed again as I got to the street.

The air was hot and polluted. The street was filled with people trying to sell things, usually contraband and drugs. A lot of people were returning from work and some were heading out. A few children ran past, maneuvering around the impatient adults on the street who yelled and cursed at them. Cars sped past, raising piles of dust on their wake and getting cursed and I wondered if they were scared to slow down to avoid getting mugged from their windows. And if they had that idea, I didn’t blame them. People got mugged or robbed around here a lot that even the residents had to take special caution. Which was why I had a pocket knife stuck in my jeans.

I went to the apartment parking lot which was around the corner and walked towards the old truck parked at the far corner. It was dad’s food truck and after he died, I and my mom continued running it till mom fell ill too and had to get surgery. The little money I made from the truck afterwards wasn’t enough to pay the bills and pay for mom’s medication which was why I had to get a better job. I inspected the truck and found it had all its parts still intact. Of course, no one would steal an old truck. It was too old to be worth anything more than a few pennies. 
Maybe one day, it would be on the road again.

I stepped out to the road again and got into a taxi.

“St. Anne’s Memorial Hospital please” I said to the bald driver.

He nodded without looking back and started driving. The car smelt like a tobacco factory and the fat driver smelt like he hadn’t seen water for weeks. I rolled down the car windows and stuck my nose outside praying the ride wouldn’t take so long. And my prayers were answered as the traffic remained light till we got to the hospital. I jumped out of the car even before it had come to complete halt.

The fat driver looked at me and opened his meaty greasy palm for his fare and only then did I see the stub of cigarette in between his lips. One look at him and I knew he didn’t care about any stars or ratings. I handed him the dollar bill and began walking into the hospital, too glad to be away from the creepy driver.

“hi, Vicky” I greeted the nurse at the reception.

I had a good relationship with most of the nurses and sometimes when I had to stay with mom for days, they would keep me company and most times, drop by with words of encouragement.

“Hi Marco. How was first day at work today?” Vicky said and smiled.

“I didn’t die” I said while she laughed and shook her head slightly like she had just heard the funniest line.

I chuckled awkwardly and after exchanging pleasantries with the nurses on duty, I entered the elevator that would take me to the fourth floor where mom was kept. The ride was uneventful except for when the elevator stopped at the third floor and a boy of no more than thirteen rolled in a woman in a wheelchair. The looked exhausted and it was obvious he would have preferred to be any other place than in a hospital. He grunted a greeting at me and I just nodded. I dropped at the fourth floor while they kept moving up. I walked along the corridor I was now familiar with till I got to the white door of ward 45. I opened the door gently and walked in.

“Hi Marco” Aunt Freda greeted as I walked in.

“Hi Aunt Freda” I replied my eyes stuck on the pale, thin figure on the bed.

Aunt Freda, mom’s only sister, had moved in from Mexico when she heard mom was ill. She was the one who looked after her when I wasn’t around or I had to go home for something.

“How is she?” I asked quietly, now standing beside the bed.

“She has been missing you. couldn’t stop asking when her Marco would be back. She just went to sleep now”

I felt tears sting my eyes but I blinked them away. I had to be strong for mom. I had to be strong for me. I pulled a seat closer and sat down taking my mom’s cold palm in my hands.

“And how are you Aunt Freda?” I asked looking at her. She looked tired and sleep deprived.

“I’m very well my good boy” she said smiling but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“And, how are you? you look pale. Have you been eating well?” she asked looking me over with worry evident on her thin face.

“Yes aunty” I lied and smiled to ease her worry.

We sat in silence for a minute, listening to the heart monitor beeping.

“The doctor wanted to see you, I almost forgot” Aunt Freda said breaking the silence.

“okay, I will go see him” I said, kissed my mother’s hand and gently laid it by her side.

I walked to the doctor’s office slower than I had intended. As I got closer, my apprehension rose with each step. I hesitated before knocking when I got to the door.

“come in” I heard the gentle voice say from inside.

The doctor was a middle-aged man with graying hair. He had a pair of glasses perched on his straight nose and his thin lips were curled in a smile.

Doctors smile when they have good news.

They also smile when the have bad news.

I tried to be optimistic and smiled back as I walked into the squeaky-clean office.

“Hey Marco”

“good day doctor” I said sitting down

“how are you doing?”

What do you think?

“fine doctor” I said faking a smile.

“very well, I wouldn’t like to delay you for long. I asked after you earlier because I have news and it really isn’t a pleasant one”

I gulped.

He continued when I made no effort of saying anything else.

“your mom’s health is deteriorating by the day. The second kidney has been affected and the first has completely failed. Dialysis isn’t helping much anymore and she would need a transplant and soon”

I felt myself shrink several inches into the seat. I felt a lump form in my throat and my head was spinning. I wanted to say something but the words wouldn’t come. I didn’t hear the rest of what the doctor said and before I could realize what I was doing, I was bent over the toilet, retching. When I was done, I felt emptier than I had felt in ages. I dragged my feet to the tap, rinsed my mouth and splashed water on my face.

I looked at my reflection on the mirror and at that moment realization hit me. I had the same look the boy from the elevator had.

I was exhausted.

And then the tears hit again and I let them flow this time.

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This chapter was a bit rushed and there might be errors, so please if you notice anything, please go to the comment session.

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