Three years later.....
"Miss Owen, we can't keep pushing the surgery forward, every day that goes by, the tumor gets bigger and it's life risking."
"I know, doctor, I'm trying to gather the money for the surgery but I still don't have enough. My job doesn't pay enough, we don't have people to assist us."
"Then get a loan or something or change your job."
Taking a deep sigh "I will. How much further can you push it?"
"five months and that's it."
"Thank you. I'll get it prepared before then."
The doctor prescribed some drugs for Millicent to buy and Millicent thanked her again.
Millicent's mother had lived with a tumor in her kidney for two years but was unable to get it operated on due to financial instability. The money required was quite high for Millicent's capability and she had acquired some loans to get some expensive drugs for her mother.
Being an only child, it was difficult for Millicent to take care of their every need. She was unable to acquire a good paying job, after several interviews with different companies, she was hired at a mall that paid petty cash. It was enough to provide food but that was all.
Millicent walked out of the hospital with her mother's new set of drugs feeling depressed. With her income, it was impossible to raise three hundred thousand dollars within five months. She was lost in thoughts, she didn't realize the car coming towards her as she crossed the road.
With a firm grip on the brake, he horned loudly springing her out of her thoughts. The driver was able to stop the car before it was too late. Overwhelmed by shock, Millicent fell to the ground spilling all the drugs on the ground.
"Oh my god!" the young driver exclaimed, jumping out of the car. He ran towards her and crouched beside her "Are you okay?, are you hurt?"
Unable to speak, she stared at the spilled drugs in tears.
"Ma'am" she looked at him with her teary eyeballs, "the drugs... It's.... Wasted."
"Excuse me?"
"That was my last penny! How will I get money to buy the drugs again!" she yelled sobbing loudly.
"I.. Uh.. " he gawked at her, also feeling confused.
She grabbed him by his collar and sobbed bitterly in his hands. Each passerby stared at them in amusement, some even pointing fingers but she didn't care.
"Please relax, let go of me!"
He didn't understand what was going on, "wait stop! You don't need to create a scene just to beg me for money."
"what?"
He pushed her away and walked to his car. She still sat on the floor thinking of what she could do. He returned with a few thousands and threw them at her one by one, "you should be ashamed of yourself, doing all this just to get me to pay you. Are you happy now?"
She stared at all the dollars on the ground and picked them without feeling ashamed and people mocked her.
He entered his car and drove off leaving her with ten thousand dollars. She didn't care what people thought of her, the drugs cost her only two thousand dollars so she had enough left to get a few things for her mother.
"Mom, I'm home!" Millicent called out.
"My darling, welcome," her mother replied.
"I got your drugs mom and I had some change left so I got you these beautiful dresses and shoes."
"Millicent!, where did you get such money?"
"Don't worry about that mom, and no I didn't take out of the savings for your surgery."
Her mother smiled then took out the clothes adoring them, "they're so beautiful, thank you sweetie."
"You're welcome."
She went to the kitchen and prepared something to eat. She remembered what the doctor had told her and once again was lost in thoughts. Her mother went to her with one of the new dresses on, she twirled in front of her daughter, "what do you think sweetie, how do I look? Your father asked to eat with his family tonight, is this good enough?" but Millicent remained quiet. "Milly!"
"Huh?" she finally responded. "You look gorgeous mom," she complimented immediately, wiping off the tears that rolled down her face.
Her mother went to her and hugged her, "I'll be fine dear, these drugs work like a miracle! Besides we have eighty thousand dollars already, we'll get the rest soon."
Millicent just remained quiet in her mother's arms. "Now tell me what you think about this dress, can I wear it tonight?"
"Tonight? What's going on tonight?"
"Weren't you listening? Your father asked to eat with his family tonight."
Millicent frowned, "why would you go there? You two are divorced and he doesn't even care about us anymore."
"Why would you say that Milly?"
"He didn't even care when I told him about your surgery, he didn't give us a penny!"
"Hmm. Millicent dear, you're an adult, you shouldn't talk like that."
"Mom-" interrupted by the buzzing of her phone.
"It's Milena mom."
"Take it dear, I'll go get ready for my splendid evening with your father."
Millicent scoffed. "Hey girl."
"Hey there Milly 2.0."
"Will you ever stop calling me that?"
"I will forever be older than you so no."
Millicent rolled her eyes, "what's up?"
"What's up is, my parents traveled back to China this morning and I'm all alone at home. I need my girl by my side."
"Great, I'm on my way."
"How do you feel about a sleepover? Watching 18+ movies?"
"I like the sound of that."
They both chuckled, "see ya."
"Later."
She hung up the phone. "Mom, I'll be spending the night at Milena's okay!"
"No problem hun."
"Remember to take your drugs, okay mom." Millicent yelled.
"Yes dear, now leave. And find yourself a husband on your way back."
"mom!" Mrs Owen laughed.
She ran upstairs to get a change of clothes and left for Milena's place.
Arriving at Milena's place, she rang the doorbell and her Asian best friend opened the door "2.0!"
"You are a pain in the ass."
Milena laughed and they both went to the living room. "I have prepared some popcorn and an everlasting supply of coke."
"You're the best pain in the ass anyone could ever ask for," Millicent said, hugging her best friend.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"I am so tired, you will not believe what happened to me today."
"Tell me."
Millicent told her best friend what happened to her earlier and Milena gasped, "but.... Is he cute?"
"Lena!"
"What!, you made ten thousand dollars today, the least I can ask is if he's cute "
"Well he is, but he is obviously a spoilt brat with no regard for women."
"If you say so. Hey, do you want to talk about your bad day or watch fifty shades of grey?"
"Oh my goodness, you should have told me to shut up a long time ago."
Milena laughed. She played the movie and served them their popcorn and cans of coke. They sat together watching the movie and Millicent forgot her worries.
"Now that the movie is over, did you enjoy the 18+ moments?" Milena asked.
"Of course I did!, makes me want to have a boyfriend."
"Then have one, you can't be single forever, I mean you're twenty-seven now, you're not a kid anymore. Though honestly, my babe is making me reconsider this whole girl thing, I'm thinking of getting a boyfriend."
"You're breaking up with Mai Lee?"
"I'm thinking about it."
"yes!"
Milena stared at her with an arched brow, "what I never liked her." Millicent said.
"That's by the way. The night is still young, what do you say about getting matching hair colors and or tattoos?"
"I say yes and yes."
"yay, let's go!" Milena squealed with joy.
"Wait, you're not changing out of your PJs?" Millicent asked.
"No, they are way too comfy."
"But the material is so light and it's so exposing."
"Are you telling that to me?"
Millicent rolled her eyes and her best friend grabbed her by the hand pulling her outside the house. They arrived at the tattoo place, after various ideas, they agreed on getting a black rose on their forearm.
"Hey Jonny!" Milena yelled out and a middle aged man started towards them, "that's Jonny, he's my guy. He will do everything perfectly. When I got my tongue pierced, he did it perfectly and I've seen his works too, he's great."
"Cheng my girl!"
"Jonny!"
They shook hands. "Jonny, my girl and I here have decided to get a matching tattoo today. We want black roses on our forearms."
"That's great!. Let's get started."
"Awesome!. I'll go first sweetie."
Milena got her tattoo first then Millicent second. "This is awesome 2.0"
"I know girl."
They were both adoring their tattoos when Millicent's phone rang "who is it?"
She frowned and cut the call, "my dad."
"Huh, why is he calling you? He never does."
"My mom went to eat with him and his family tonight, he probably wants to ask me to join them."
"You're not leaving me."
"I'm not planning to."
Her phone started to ring again so she put it on silent. They went on to get their hair dyed, they decided on blue.
"You sure your boss won't complain?" Milena asked.
"She doesn't even notice me."
"Gimme your phone, let me record."
Millicent handed her phone to Milena and Milena was surprised by what she saw, "babe, are you sure he has nothing important to say, thirty missed calls from your dad."
"hmm."
"It's ringing again, I'll answer it." she picked the call, "hello, the owner of the phone is.... What?!, oh my god, we'll be there."
"What's wrong?!"
"It's your mom, she was rushed to the hospital."
Millicent fell short of words. She immediately rushed out of the building with her best friend behind her.