Samara entered the little cafe and scanned the room for the dark hair of her friend.
"Hey" She greeted as she took a seat opposite Raven.
"Hi, I bought your favorite. Iced mocha." She slid a coffee cup to her.
"You didn't have to Raven but thank you so much." She said as she took a sip of the drink, internally sighing as the cold drink cooled her insides.
Samara took a deep breath. "Daddy is ill."
Raven gasped lightly. Samara's father was a good man, too good and he treated her like a daughter before her father became rich.
"I am sorry, I hid it -----"
" No No I understand, you don't have to apologize." Raven reached forward and stroked her friend's arm offering comfort.
"I lost my job and ----" She could feel the tears coming. She hadn't cried in the last few days and she was determined to keep it that way. "Please if you could get your father to put in a word for me, I will..."
"Of course Samara, anytime. What are friends for? Daddy won't say no if he knows it is you. He misses you and Dad. He says you never come to visit. "
"I know, I am sorry. It's just-----"
"Hey it's fine, I understand Samara. And I won't tell him." Samara sighed with relief. She despised pitiful looks sympathetic smiles. It drives her crazy.
" I need to go now, Raven. Thank you so much."
Raven watched her friend disappear behind the block, leaving her half-full cup of iced mocha behind. Samara loves iced mocha so much, she drank it every morning. She was so worried for her friend. She dialed her father's number.
"Hi dad ----" she got up and walked out of the cafe unaware of the dark eyes following each of her back.
"Hello, sir. They have left the building sir..... She asked for help.....yes sir...ok sir...very well sir."
....
"Samara." Charles greeted as soon as she entered the room, holding the sweets.
Samara looked at him with that face again. Deciding not to argue with the old man, she took his gift.
"How are you today?" Samara took a seat on the soft and luxurious bed. This was the best part of her shitty week. Talking to the old and comforting man, while sitting on the softest item in the globe and eating her favorite sweets.
"I am fine Charles. I hope you have been eating?"
Charles gave her a firm nod and she smiled unaware of the tinge of sadness in his eyes. He was about to plunge her into a toxic and insane world and she had no idea.
"Samara....." He began.
Samara stopped eating, sensing that something was wrong.
"Is something wrong?"
Charles looked at her sadly.
"Can I ask for your hand in marriage?" He blurted and Samara flinched away.
"W..w..what?Are you....."
"Not for me of course, for my grandson." He looked at her hopefully.
"Well, that doesn't change anything Charles. I am a student still struggling to make ends meet and have no idea how her future would look like." She was angry. In fact, she was fuming.
" He would allow you the liberty of going to school and he will take care of all your debts."
All respect for the old man flew out the window. How could he? How could he insinuate that she was a gold digger? Did he think she would jump into marriage because her future husband will be rich? How could he use her father's illness against her? She had confided in him as a friend, refused his charity and now he was going to force her into something as sacred as marriage.
"I'm sorry Charles. I have other patients to attend to. " She walked briskly to the door trying to escape the situation as quickly as she could.
"Samara, please think about it. " He called out.
She closed the door and approached the house matron.
"Oh, Samara. Thank God. One of the residents collapsed. Maybe you should take a look at her but we have sent for the doctor."
Putting aside the recent event, she nodded at the house matron.
"Sure. Let's go"
She approached a room. It wasn't as luxurious as Charles's room but it was screamed wealth. A group of maids were surrounded around a pale body. She was so still Samara thought she was dead. Placing her forefinger and middle finger to her wrist, she tried to feel a pulse. Everyone was quiet as they stared with hope. If another death happens at their center, they might get bad reviews online.
Suddenly, Samara smiled. It was there but it was so faint, she had to double-check by putting her ear to the old woman's chest.
"She's fine just a mild fever. Keep this cool." She pointed to the wet towel on her forehead "Let's wait till the doctor gets here."
Smart wanted to be a personal health aide practitioner. It was one of the reasons she loved her work here so much. She worked with three other students but they hardly came for their shift. Probably because cases like this were very rare in a luxurious center such as this one. The residents had a regular check-up each month and a doctor was always on stand-by, but today, the doctor had to step out to visit the school's hospital. A train had been derailed and some of its passengers were injured, none killed. The hospital needed all hands on deck.
As Samara walked home that night she thought of Charles's proposition. Was it bad that she was even considering? I mean let's be real how do you expect a university student to raise to 200,000 dollars. What if her dad needs surgery in the future? She was disappointed in herself. Her father raised her to be an independent and intelligent woman, he taught her to never rely on money for survival. But would she allow her pride to get in the way of saving her father? Could she abandon her dignity to save her father's life? If he was Charles' son, he couldn't be that bad right. He might be a caring and loving husband and maybe just maybe they may grow to reach love each other along the way. She decided to visit her father the following morning and then she will decide what she will do.
....
"Samara, sweetheart." The old doctor called just as Samara reached her father's room.
"Hello, doc." She smiled at him, he has been a great supporter and she hoped she could pay him back in the long run."How is he?"
"Great. Great. He is talking now right?"
"Yeah."
"Okay then. Goodbye." Samara waved at him and entered the room. Outside, Dr. Simon took in a deep breath, trying to scavenge the remainder of her addictive floral scent.
"Daddy" Samara plunged into her father's outstretched arms, feeling like a little child and forgetting about her everyday troubles.
"My little girl. How is school sweetheart?"
"School's fine daddy. How are you? How's hospital life treating your old ass?" He laughed lightly.
"Your old man is fine. The drugs are effective. Soon your old man will be up and active."
She hoped so, he wasn't aware that his case wasn't that simple.
"Daddy I got a marriage proposal yesterday."
"What? Were you seeing someone behind my back sweetie? Or is it that bas**rd Jake? If it is forget about..."
"He's the grandson of my patient." She intentionally left out the part that she had never met him.
"Well okay in that case. Sweetie, you are 23 now and graduating soon. It is your decision. I am not going to make it for you."
Samara smiled at her father. "Ok, Daddy."
She hugged him tightly. This may not be a mistake after all.
"Just bring the young man over some time will ya?" He kissed her head but failed to see the slight widening of her eyes.
"Eh, he's...busy and currently not in the country now."
"I hope he will have time for you sweetie."
"Of course daddy, he always makes time."
"Then let him make the to visit his soon to be father father-in-law, I want to meet the young man who managed to capture the heart of my stubborn angel. Hopefully, I will not be shooting his ass anytime soon yh? My gun is still intact. My buddy..."
"Hey hey daddy, no one is shooting anyone ok. You are going to love him. He is sweet, caring, and loving." she lied. She felt bad lying to her father but she couldn't bring herself to say the truth. Her father would never agree to an arranged marriage.
"Well if he's keeping my little girl happy then I will like him."
As Samara walked out of the building and took a cab to campus, she smiled. This may not be so bad. She will have enough money to finally buy her father a new house, pay her student loans and pay that motherfu***r called Jake.
Oh only if she knew how wrong she was. She just entered the game. But there were only two players and she was just a mere pawn.