"Man, you can imagine how the head chef was misbehaving. That guy has a backhanded personality. It's just my first day and it already feels like I can't take it any longer." Mark explained as he closed from work that evening and called Johson.
" I understand. I have gone through a similar experience too. Remember when we were in our second year when I was doing a part-time job to find my school bills and upkeep?"
"Yeah, I remember. When you almost missed two major tests."
"Exactly, it was a terrible experience for me but I endured it for a whole year. So I perfectly understand. You just have to endure. At least not for yourself but your mum." Johnson.
"Honestly that would be the only thing that could keep me here, Mr mum. In fact. I didn't want to bother you with these seeing you are also not in a good condition financially. The doctor told me yesterday that for the subsequent payments, the bills would cost her seven hundred dollars." Mark expressed and waited for Johnson's reaction which he was expecting.
"What! That's too much. Why are these doctors so hard-hearted and wicked? He's not even putting into consideration the condition of your mum and your status as a student at all." Johnson conveyed bitterly.
Mark exhaled and said.
"I just pray luck will just beam its sunlight on me. Because it's too much. You need to take a look at me now. I am shrinking and I know this will continue until someone comes to my rescue." Mark let out.
"All this will end soon. Ok.?" Johnson said.
Mark walked towards the hospital facility with the liquid food in his hand that he wanted to give to his mum. As he entered the hospital he took a glance at the watch on his left wrist. The time was just 5:45P.M after greeting the nurses he headed straight to his mum's ward but he was stopped on the way by doctor Dublin who was also coming down the stairs as Mark was climbing up.
"Yeah. Mark, I just checked you at the ward. Can we go to my office please?" The doctor asked as he walked downstairs.
"Alright," Mark responded and turned. They both headed downstairs and then to his office.
As soon as they went in and sat down. Doctor Dublin said.
"Seeing the condition of your mum's health and her improvement. We need to carry out the surgery in the next two days." He said and paused.
"Doctor but you said in two weeks. Where do you want me to get that amount of money from? I have less than three hundred thousand with me. Which is just the balance of what remained after I sold out our house so I could oat for the first surgery." Mark spoke up frustratedly.
"I understand boy you see..." he was still speaking when Mark cut him short.
" You don't understand a bit of it, doctor. No, you don't. How can you tell me you understand and you just dish out such an amount like that? I'm just a student whose father is dead. Do you want my mum to die and leave me an orphan?" Mark let out.
" What you dont understand is that I'm not the one making up the hospital bills. That's the way it is run here. Nothing will happen to your mum, she is improving and responding to treatment. We just need to follow up on her treatment with two surgeries, that's all."
" Doctor, what are the other alternatives?"
"Hmm, none. There are no other alternatives. If we are not able to do the surgery you will have to take her home so she can recover naturally. That's the only option left because we have to accommodate other patients on that bed she is occupying." Doctor Dublin said with any speck of compassion.
"The only alternative is to kick her out of the hospital?"
"You don't have to put it that way. You must understand that we are here to ensure lives are saved, that is why we do this." Doctor Dublin said.
"Fine doctor I have heard you ." Mark sounded and stood up from the chair he was sitting on. He made his way out of the doctor's office and went straight to his mum's Ward.
As soon as he opened the door and went in, his mum opened her eyes and painfully turned her face towards the door. Mark dropped the two nylons he held in both hands on the little table beside the shelf. The previous day when he brought their liquid food for his mum, he forcefully made her sit up as she could not raise or move the right part of her body. Then he struggled to make her eat.
As he dropped the nylon on the little table he moved closer to the other side of the bed and then held her right hand which she could not raise. He dipped his other hand under the bed where her back was so he could lift her. Then slowly he lifted her from the bed. She sat up and he slowly fed her with the food he had brought.
When she was done eating he helped her lay flat on the bed again. Then he took her by the right hand and said.
" Mum, the doctor said they would have to carry out another surgery on you but there is no money. I will have to take you out of the hospital, home so you can recover naturally." Mark said and looked at her. She looked at him in return. She could hear all he was saying but she could not respond.
When Mark said that he let go of her hand and rested his head on the back of the chair on which he sat. Just then his phone rang. He shoved his hand in his pocket and looked at it. It was Johnson.
"Hey, Mark. What's up?" Johnson asked. He was a bit excited.
"Yeah. I'm back at the hospital. I'm with my mum here." Mark answered In a downcasted tone.
" I helped do a little running around and I was able to gather a hundred and thirty dollars. How much do you have left with you?"
"Less than four hundred dollars. Let's say three hundred and fifty in total." Mark responded and added. Thanks a lot, man. I appreciate it."
"We can use it for your mum's subsequent payments, yeah?"
"I don't think so"
"Why?"
"It's not up to the amount the doctor is asking for and the doctor said we have to bring the money in two days otherwise the only alternative is to take her home for her to recover naturally."
"Really? This is not fair. No." Where does he want you to get that amount of money in such a short time?" Johnson asked, directing the question to no one in particular.
"And besides, if I use all the money for the subsequent payments, where are we going to stay? We don't have any close relatives here in Chicago and I have not been able to reach either of them which I know of."
Johnson exhaled on the phone and asked.
"So what do you want to do now?"
I would go look for a cheap house and probably get her a wheelchair and a pair of crutches for her to use. While I hope and pray she recovers slowly." Mark said.
" But this is unfair. It's just unfair." Johnson said and added. Anyways if that's the only best option to take now let's do so. I will forward the money to you as soon as I end the call."
"Alright, thanks, Man," Mark responded.
As he ended the call. He tossed his phone on the bed facing the one his mum was laying on then he placed his hand on the bed then rested his head on it.