En woke to the sound of her phone ringing in her pocket. It was Sasha's third attempt to call her; En must have been in a deep sleep to have missed the first two calls earlier. She had stayed up late the previous night, watching over Alina as she slept.
"Hey En, we need to head to town. Posy's been complaining about a stomach ache, and we might need to take her to the doctor," Sasha informed her.
En's sleepiness vanished instantly upon hearing about Posy.
"Is she okay right now? Let me know when you get here, Sasha," En's voice was laced with panic, which startled Alina awake as well.
"Is something wrong, En?" Alina asked, her voice still groggy with sleep.
"Hey, baby, sorry for waking you. Is it okay if I step out for a bit later? Posy's been complaining of a stomachache, so Sasha and Bian are taking her to the doctor," En explained.
"Oh dear! Yes, baby, don't worry about me. Besides, Mom and Dad will be here soon to visit as well," Alina reassured En, her tone filled with concern.
The pediatrician informed En that Posy had appendicitis; her appendix is swollen and requires immediate surgery. En was devastated by the news about her little sister. As En and Sasha left the doctor's office, Alina's mother happened to pass by and saw them.
"I'll have the hospital prepare a room for Posy. It's best to get the surgery done as soon as possible, so please prepare for the necessary expenses," the doctor instructed before closing the door.
"I'll ask Mother to check Posy's joint account. All the money from the animals sold has been saved there. We should have enough to cover the surgery," Sasha said.
En remained speechless but understood she needed to take action as well.
En was having difficulty sleeping as she sat beside Alina's bed, her head throbbing with a migraine from the worry over her little sister. Alina, who had been soundly asleep, woke up and noticed En's distress.
"Are you worried about Posy?" Alina asked gently.
En lifted her head, and Alina saw the tears streaming down her face.
"I don't know what to do, Alina. I'm scared," En cried out, her voice trembling with fear and helplessness.
"En, the doctors will take care of her, I promise," Alina said, gently holding En's face and wiping away her tears.
"I'm sorry, baby. I'm really scared," En said, grabbed Alina's hand from her face, held it gently, and kissed it.
"Baby, calm down. She's going to be okay," Alina reassured her. She sat up in bed and pulled En into a comforting hug.
En went silent, crying as Alina stroked her hair gently to soothe her.
The commercial area was bustling that day with people and cars as En walked to the bank. Unbeknownst to many, En had a safe deposit box at the town bank. She had managed to save some money on her own and had come to retrieve it.
As En leaves the bank and makes her way back to the hospital, she crossed paths with Alina's mother. She was on her way to visit Alina but had stopped by a restaurant to pick up some of Alina's favorite dishes.
A deafening silence and palpable discomfort enveloped the restaurant as En sat across the table from Alina's mother. To break the uncomfortable silence, Alina's mother spoke up.
"I hear your little sister is at the hospital and needs surgery immediately."
En looked at her, confused, as she wondered why Alina's mother was showing an interest in her family's situation.
"I'll get straight to the point, Enid. I want you to stay away from Alina. I will never approve of the relationship she has with you," Alina's mother demanded, pulling an envelope from her bag and pushing it across the table.
"This amount should cover the cost of your sister's surgery. Think of her well-being right now. Once Alina receives her heart donor and has the surgery, she'll be better. But after that, I want you to stay out of her life."
Alina's mom added.
En's anger surged as she heard the woman's words, her tears streaming uncontrollably. Her jaws clenched and her fists gripped her jeans tightly. Just as she was about to erupt in fury, her phone rang.
"En! Please come quickly! Posy needs emergency surgery-her appendix just burst!" Sasha's voice trembled with distress.
En froze upon hearing Sasha's voice, momentarily unable to feel her legs. Her sister needed her urgently, and the surgery had to begin immediately. Overwhelmed, En's mind raced, unable to focus on what she needed to do next.
YOU ARE READING
Bus 732
RomanceEn thought that moving into the new, unfamiliar place would be her biggest struggle - but she was wrong. . .
