I don't do dates, nor do I have someone that would supposedly send me a valentine's day gift. This is crazy.
"Do you mind if we open it?". I asked Nolan, who still had the box which looked like a shoe box in his hand, staring at me, with doubt on his face. "This could be a bomb Nora and by the way, how did it find its way here, and who could be the author of it?". I was just as confused as him now. Had it been that we had some family members or probably friends, we could have started calling every one of them and asking if they dropped any gifts or whatever it is at our doorsteps. "Let's just open it and see what's inside," I told him, signaling him with my hand to come over to the table and place the box on it. And he was just standing there staring at me. "Nolan! Didn't you hear what I said? Bring it over to the table, let's see the contents of it". As much as the box is freaking me out, we need to see what it contains. "Remember, today is the last day for us to deposit money for our mother's surgery and if this day passes us by, then we are doomed. So you can have a look at the box, while I go out there and see what I can do to get money ''. Nolan explained as he strode to the table where I was standing and placed the box on it. He is right. Today is the last day and my mother has been serving this long because of the drugs the doctor had administered to her. If not, then we would have kicked her goodbye. 'God forbid'. "Alright then, you should go ahead, I would open up the box". As he was leaving, I murmured a small prayer with my hands on my chest hoping it was not a bomb. When I was done, I looked at the box carefully, rotating it on the table before extending my hand to the top where the red ribbons were all tied together, with that, I tucked out the red rose that was in between the ribbon and place it on the table, before undoing the ribbons. I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath. Making sure it was all undone, I then opened my eyes. Holy Jesus! "Nolan! Nolan!". I screamed at the top of my voice, running towards the door, with the box opened up on the table. I did not want to believe what I saw even though it was in white plastic, not revealing. Still, I did not want to believe it. I had to call Nolan. Hope he has not gone that far. "Are you okay, Nora? Is it a bomb? Did you get hurt? I told you not to open that, didn't I?" I watched Nolan race into the house and dragged me into his arms when he noticed the disturbing state in which I was in with worry on his face. " Nothing like a bomb Nolan. I opened the box but what's inside is still wrapped in white plastic. We should check it out". I tell him, detaching from his hug. He held my hand and we walked slowly to the table. He let go of my hand once we were at the table. When he saw the white plastic bag, he cast a questioning glare at me before sending his hand inside and taking out the bag into view.
"MONEY??" We both said in unison when Nolan opened up the bag. I grabbed the bag from his hand and poured the contents of it to the floor and it was indeed money, not a small amount of money. "Nolan, this is money, what does this mean?. How did it get here?, who could have possibly dropped this at our doorstep. Or maybe it's a package delivered to the wrong address". I said in confusion as I paced to and fro in front of him and the money. Who could be tempting us at this moment of our lives? I let the tears that were at the brim of my eyes fall. "Could you calm down Nora, please. Let's figure this out". Nolan told me, as he passed a hand through his hair. I stopped in my tracks when I thought about something. There could be a message attached to it. "Nora!". Turning around, I see Nolan standing in front of me, with a small white card in his hand, looking at me suspiciously. "What is that Nolan and why are you giving me that look?".
"This is addressed to you, Nora!". Address to me, how? I drift closer to him in slow steps, extending my hand to reach out for the paper which he held out for me in tied lip. I cast him one last glare, before reading the content of the paper.
"To Ms. Nora Peyton.
Just a small token for you on this valentine's day. You might say you don't want it because you don't know who sent it to you. It is your choice. However, remember your mother needs this!". You don't want to lose her, don't you?
M.T.
".."
And that's it. None of this makes sense to me now. They know my first and last name and know that my mother needs money and she is in the hospital. Dear lord, what is going on?
"Who is MT Nora?". I looked at Nolan, who had his hand around his chest, with his eyes gazing down at me demanding answers. How can he ask that? He knows just so well that I don't have any friends not to talk of rich ones that will be sending me money on days like this. "I don't know who or what that stands for?". I tell him, walking up to the table and gathering the money. "But that card is addressed to you and everything written on it shows that that person knows you so well. Wait, did you go beg for money or did you have to sleep with someone and then fake this card Nora? Tell me what is going on, what is happening?". He didn't just say the last part right? Nolan did not accuse me of sleeping with someone right? He didn't just say I fake the card right? Before I could process what he just said, my right hand collided with his cheeks and the sound produced by the collision tells just how much I have slapped him.
How could he say that?