I did not have the time to check who it was. Ms. Madalyn was not in town. She traveled. The hopes I had raised high were now crumbling down. I picked myself up from the floor and was about to step outside of the counter when I suddenly crashed into the man that questioned us earlier. Our eyes met for a brief moment and I averted my gaze to look over his shoulders, that's when I realized he was way taller than me and my eyes could not look over his shoulder and only end on his chest. I was expecting him to step to the side while I made my pass. Rather, he stood there, with his hand behind his back looking down at me. I didn't look back up to see his face. I had just too many things to occupy myself and all I needed now was to go. With lips in a thin line and my hands in a fist on either side of me, I stepped to the right so that I could pass through the small space that was there. Unexpectedly, he too stepped to the right, blocking my way. Dear lord, what is he trying to do? "Could you please get out of my way".?I said in a high-pitched voice not looking up at his face, but rather at the expensive sneakers he had on his legs, having blue stripes at the corners. "Oops, sorry Miss. I didn't mean that. His smoky voice said and I could tell that it had a smirk in it. What was he smirking at ??. He stepped aside and I hurriedly passed him, without looking back nor at him. When I was about to go out of the glass door, I heard the voice again and I stopped because of what he said and how he even got a hold of it.
"You forgot your Phone Miss". I turned around and extended my hand toward him.
"You are not even going to look at me?". He questioned and with that, my eyes subconsciously darted to his face.
God! I don't have time for this right now. He had a black baseball cap with a black mask on his face. Making his facial features not visible. However, he had light skin.
I shook off the thought of all that at the back of my mind and snatched my phone away from his hand. A wave of strange emotions shocked me immediately. A part of my hand touched his that was holding my phone. Something I have never felt before. What was this? How do I even explain it? And how did he even get hold of my phone? Well, I had just a lot to deal with. I had no time to explain that. I ran out of the building and I could hear Lillian's voice behind me, telling me to take care. I just waved my hands in the air and took a taxi straight to my house.
****
I'm now in the doctor's office, with $4500 on his table, with my hands on top of my head and Nolan sitting on the sofa I was sitting on earlier. The doctor pinched his nose bridge and brought himself closer to the table. He looked at the money and then at me.
"Miss Peyton, this is not even up to the amount I asked you. Young girl, it's like you don't even care about your mother's health". His last sentence got me on my nerves, how could he say that? "What do you mean doctor? Do you know how much work it took for me to get this amount of money? How can you say that I don't care about my mother's health??. Had it been I had the money, do you think she would have been suffering like this?". I broke down into tears as I slumped to the floor. I watched Nolan at the corners of my teary eyes as he got up from the sofa and tried to pick it up from the floor.
"With this, we can only administer drugs to her and you know that wouldn't do anything". He said with his thick voice, stepping out of the office.
"Get up Nora, let's go see mother ". I nodded my head and walked behind Nolan and we went straight to the IUC unit where she was kept at.
"Sorry Ma'am, but you're not allowed to go in at the moment. It's dark and you can only come back tomorrow." Another doctor. Her oxblood hair was tied up in a ponytail, she had a stethoscope around her neck too, and also had white crocs on. She is putting on a white jacket over a pair of white nurse trousers. I diverted my gaze from her and looked through the glass window. My mother's hands were both on her stomach and the oxygen panel on her face. "Just hang in their mother. Be strong for us. I promise to get you out of there completely heal". I turn my head away from the window. "Let's go home, Nolan ''.
****
The day has been a stressful one. I didn't go to work as I was busy looking for ways to gather some money and add to that which I already deposited at the hospital. Nolan had to borrow some money from his friend; Gordon. He has been of great help to us. I thank God for anyone that has been of help to us.
I looked at the phone in my hands, which was not in the best condition. I just wish I could have the money at once so that I could give it directly to the hospital and let my mother's surgery commence.
I let out a sigh and threw the phone on the bed when I suddenly heard a knock on my door.
"Open up Nora, it's Nolan". My mind was crowded with so many thoughts that I forgot that it was just me and Nolan in the house. "Happy valentine's day Nora". He screamed immediately and I opened the door. He took me into his arms. "Happy valentine's day to you too Nolan.
I wish my mother was here with us". I leaned into his chest and he patted my back. "Everything would be ok Nora". He assured me and I just nodded because I didn't know how everything was going to be ok.
"I have somewhere to be Nora, I will see you later on in the day. When I come back, we can go visit mother in the hospital". He left and I turned and walked to the kitchen.
Not up to 5 minutes, I heard him screaming my name yet again and this made me panic as I fling the blue kitchen towel that was in my hand back inside the sink and raised outside towards where he was calling me.
"What are you holding, Nolan?". He looked as confused as I was.
In his hands was a big white box, having red ribbons tied around it, with a red rose at the top.
"I found it at the door when I opened it to go out". He told me. What could be inside? And how did it find its way to our doorsteps?