A Day in My Life

The Payment

*A FEW DAYS PRIOR (DAY OF SCHOOL ASSEMBLY)*

CHRIS POV:

I snuck out the back door of the auditorium. $46,000. $46,000 and Dakota would return to me. A small price to pay considering the price of what I could lose. I couldn't live without her, and therefore I had no choice. 

God, I sound like some kind of hormonal Romeo. 

I hopped into my car and sped home.

Quickly, I jammed my house key into the lock and rushed inside. "Hello?" I called, making sure that nobody was home, even though I knew they wouldn't be. Henry and Bella should be at their schools day care program for a couple more hours.

When no one called back, I rushed up the stairs and into my dad's closet. The brief case... where was it? It had to be around here somewhere... I checked the shelves, the drawers, and underneath the shoe rack. In a last ditch effort, I reached my arm behind where all of my father's button-down shirts hung. My hand grasped something that felt like leather. This had to be it.

I pulled it out and just like I thought, there in my hand was the leather briefcase. Yesss.

Carefully, I sat down on the carpeted floor and balanced the case in my lap. I unlatched both of the locks and slowly opened it. I half expected there to be a glowing bright yellow light when I opened it, just like in the movies. There was no glow, but the cash was all there.

My father once told me when I was a lot younger that this money existed, but that it was only to be used in the highest emergencies, like should our family suddenly become homeless or if one of us got into a bad accident. He had been taking small bits of it out t use on moms bills, but as she was in a home now that helped her, the cost was far less. 

My girlfriend was in a coma and could die at any given moment. This sure as fuck qualified.

Hurriedly, I leafed through the bills and took out fifty-thousand dollars, just to be safe. I frantically stuffed it into my backpack, slammed the door of the closet, and rushed out of the house. I hopped back into my car and tried starting up the engine.

The engine revved but the truck wouldn't start. "Come on, come on! Not now. Anytime but now," I coaxed it. The car was about fifteen years old and would pull this cruel trick every so often. Not today.

I tried it again. Nothing. And again. Nothing. I punched my hand against the horn and tried one last time. "Bingo," I thought as the engine roared to life.

I raced out of the driveway and sped to the hospital.

Dakota was the only thing on my mind as I drove along the highway. I passed cars, but drove safely. No use getting the both of us into a coma.

I at long last rolled up to the hospital and ran inside, screeching to a stop at the reception desk.

"Please," I begged. "I have to speak with Dr. Leonard."

"I'll see what I can do," the receptionist replied passively.

After waiting for about half an hour, I was finally able to meet with Dakota's doctor. I explained my situation, and told him that I was family and that Dakota's brothers had given me permission to pay for surgery. It seemed shady, I know, but the doctor could tell that I had his patient's best interest in mind, and so he allowed me to deposit the cash. I know the part about being family was a lie and also the part about Dakota's brothers giving me permission, but maybe one day I would be family, and I knew they didn't exactly care who paid as long as their sister got the treatment she deserved.