The Night Queen

Chapter 43

c h a p t e r      f o r t y   t h r e e

1998, April
New York

THIRD PERSON'S POV

The telephone is ringing across the room. A lady rushed from the bathroom to the living room to answer the call. "Yes, hello?"

"Good morning, is this Louise Maine speaking?"

"Yes."

"I am calling from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Are you Mrs. Gonzales' guardian?" Her heart skipped a bit. She nearly lost her balance. The last time they called, something happened to her. "Yes, I am her guardian." Though she knew she had nothing to expect, she still hoped and prayed that it is good news.

"This is to remind you that Mrs. Gonzales hospital bill was due tomorrow, April 26, with a balance of 135,000 dollars." Her heart sank as she heard about it. Her battered mother was in the hospital, unconscious, for almost two months. After her father, a firefighter, died when she was twelve due to an explosion during a rescue mission, her mother remarried and to a Gonzales, who was rich. But his company went bankrupt and the bank seized their properties including those that Louise bought for herself using the money she earned. They lived off a little house in Queens and he started to beat up her mother and blame her for all the bad sh*t that happened to him. Louise witnessed everything but she couldn't bring herself to defend her mother, until she went to college. She didn't want to leave her but her mother wants to protect her. The abuse became more serious that one time she got home and found her lying on the cold floor with bruises, blood and unconscious. She reported what happened but they did not find any trace of the culprit. He was gone along with the money she was sending for her mother. Now, her mother is still bedridden.

The nurse discussed what will happen if she could not pay and the thought that her mother won't be able to wake up scared the sh*t inside her. "I'll bring you the money. Just please, don't let her go," she pleaded. She hung up and dialed a number and as soon as someone picked up, she said, "Let's talk."

*

"Are you sure you want to do this?" A girl said while smoking. "I had no choice. Where do you think I can get that sum of money overnight." She was desperate. "Well, there's no more talking then. Let's get down to business."

They headed to a dim street. "Down the alley, you turn to the right corner then turn left until you see the sign that says Lick. You just need to deliver this to a client named Ganzo and he'll give you the money. Just tell him I sent you."

"Thanks Kris," she said. "Don't mention it." She went out of the car and held the teddybear where the package is. "I'll wait here. Fifteen minutes. You only got fifteen minutes so get it done immediately," she added and Louise nodded. Though the thought scared her, she faced the dark alley and go ahead.

As soon as she saw the sign, a man fell from above and she witnessed it. This stopped her and she could hear her heart beating so loud that she was frozen to her place. She tried to distract herself using her purpose but she was too shocked to move. One of the men at the rooftop saw her. If she will run, she won't get the money. If she don't she'll get herself killed. She couldn't decide what to do. She mustered her courage and puts on a plain face despite the fear creeping through her spine. She walked past the bloody man who fell and went inside the said place. Fifteen minutes...we only got fifteen minutes, Louise. Get yourself together if you want to stay alive, she told herself.