Love is not transactional. It is about selflessness, sacrifice and giving without expecting anything in return.
---
The acrid smell of the burning vegetables cooking on the frying pan whiffed through the surrounding air, causing Lola to cough uncontrollably.
"Oh god..."
She quickly turned off the gas cooker and opened the kitchen windows and backyard door to let out some of the smoke.
Next, she hurriedly tried to remove the chopped chicken from the burnt vegetable but it was too late. More than half of the painstakingly grilled meat was badly burnt and tasted like coal.
"How did this happen..."
Lola's eyes were teary and her throat was scratchy as she continued to cough.
Cough! Cough!! Cough!!!
"I just left here a few seconds ago to get the..."
"Lola!"
Brian's icy voice rang from the living room.
Cough! Cough!! Cough!!!
"What the hell is going on in that kitchen? It had better not be my chicken sauce that is burning."
"Oh shit... Umm...No, honey."
Lola deftly scrapped out the burnt vegetable and chicken from the frying pan. She trashed them and hid the messed up pan in the kitchen cabinets. Then she brought out a fresh pan and started the whole process all over again.
Like an automated robot, Lola quickly dashed to the refrigerator and brought out another neatly wrapped parboiled chicken. She hurriedly chopped it and was in the process of slicing the vegetable when she mistakenly cut into her forefinger
"Ouch!" Lola impulsively dropped the knife as fresh blood started oozing out of her bruised finger.
Cough!
Cough!!
Brian barged into the kitchen, his forehead furrowed and his nose crinkled.
"Where is that choking smell coming from and how long does it take to make a simple...hah!"
Brian's eyeballs widened like a saucer.
"You are still in the process of chopping the vegetables?!"
Brian barked at his wife, every vein in his inflamed face bulging as though they were about to rupture. He was unaffected by Lola's bleeding finger as he rained one insult after another on her.
"How worthless can you be, woman? Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I don't know you just burnt my food?"
"I'm sorry." Lola fidgeted while avoiding her husband's caustic glares. She was grateful that her husband wasn't a woman beater. Otherwise, it would have been something else.
"You should be sorry for yourself." Brian bellowed, attracting his mother's attention.
"What has she done again?" Rosemary queried, barging in on the couple.
"Why don't you ask this good for nothing woman?" Brian hissed and left the kitchen.
"Is that burnt food I smell?" Rosemary asked, a look of mockery and indignation lacing her tone and expression.
"I... I... I...I'm making another one." Lola stuttered.
"Of course you are!" Rosemary scoffed. "You can't cook properly. You can't clean. You can't take care of your home? You can't get pregnant or even have a miscarriage like a real woman. Tell me, what is your essence as a woman."
"I... I...I'm sorry, mum. I will get the food ready in no time."
Lola blinked her long lashes severally to push back her threatening tears while arresting her bleeding finger.
"You have five minutes to round up in here and come join us outside for the toast."
"Okay, mum."
Rosemary sized Lola up from head to toe and let out a long sigh before leaving the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, Lola rejoined the rest of her husband's family members outside the house. They were about to raise a toast to another successful year of family bonding and the couple's fifth year wedding anniversary when everything took a chaotic turn.
Brian started choking on the chicken sauce he was eating.
"Brian...baby... Someone get him water!" Rosemary yelled frantically.
"Oh God... Brian!" Lola rushed over to her husband as he started struggling with his breathing.
"W...what did you do?" Brian's teary gaze narrowed at his wife accusingly.
"Me..." Lola asked in confusion and panic as she held Brian firmly in her arms.
"Get help!"
Rosemary's voice trailed.
-
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6:45 PM...
Lola Hart stood dejectedly watching the slow movement of her mother-in-law's lips.
Rosemary was saying a lot of things but Lola could barely make sense of what the former was talking about. It felt as though time had suddenly stopped and the world was spinning at snail's speed.
"Lola..."
Rosemary's voice broke through Lola's disoriented state of mind. She gently took her daughter-in-law's hand into hers, more tears streaming down her cheek. Her voice was as soft as velvet but her gaze was chillier than the coldest month of winter.
"...You know how patient I have been with you for the past five years. I have done my best to tolerate your barrenness and now my only son is on the verge of dying without giving me an heir."
Lola's eyes sagged. She had just watched her husband pass out in her arms thirty minutes ago. But no one, except Chelsea seems to give a damn about her feeling. Instead, Rosemary chose this particular time to remind her of her childlessness.
Lola knew how much Rosemary hated her. If it hadn't been for the fact that Lola was the breadwinner of the family, Rosemary would have kicked her out of Brian's life a long time ago.
"Now you listen attentively to what I have to say." Rosemary's initial soft voice was instantly replaced with a vicious tone.
"Brian must not die. You must do everything within your power to ensure that he lives. I do not care what you have to do or where you have to go. All I want from you is the initial deposit of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in the next one hour."
"B... but mum..."
"Why don't you shut up and listen to what Mum has to say, Lola?" Clara spat out furiously at her sister-in-law.
Even though Clara was nine years younger than Lola, she spoke with so much audacity and insolence.
"My brother is in a critical state and it is all your fault. So you better stop shedding those crocodile tears and think of a way to settle the hospital bills."
Lola reddened and teary eyes flashed a deadly glint at Clara's direction. She couldn't believe that the little girl she had personally sponsored at the university would turn around and disrespect her in this manner.
"Clara, calm down." Chelsea came to Lola's defense.
"You don't have to speak to your brother's wife in that manner. You know Brian will never tolerate such behaviour. Moreover, we are in the hospital and people are watching. Let's put heads together and find a way to raise the money required for the surgery."
Lola smiled in appreciation amid tears. She wiped her tears and said in a resolute voice.
"I will get the money, mum. I won't allow anything to happen to my husband."
Lola was about to walk away when Rosemary stopped her and pulled her back.
"I wasn't done talking when you rudely interrupted me."
"I'm sorry mum." Lola inhaled deeply to tame the rage and frustration brewing inside of her.
"You have until tomorrow morning to make available the remaining sum of 1.2 million dollars for Brian's surgical procedure. When you've obtained the money, send it to Clara's account."
Rosemary leaned closer to Lola's ears and whispered between gritted teeth.
"If you fail to make available the money and my son dies in the process, I will destroy you."
"I... I won't fail you, mum." Lola kept blinking her eyes to push back her tears from falling. Even though she had less than ten thousand dollars in her bank account, she was hopeful for a miracle.
After pleading with Chelsea to keep Rosemary and Clara company, Lola left the hospital in search of approximately 1.4 million dollars.
In a desperate attempt to get the required amount for the surgery, Lola reached out to the only affluent person on her phone contact list.
------
After a busy day of business meetings and signing profitable deals, the CEO of Forde Group, Ian Forde was out with his elite friends, drinking at a club bar.
Ian was on his third glass of vodka when he received a distress call from one of his most loyal and favourite employees.
At first. Ian was puzzled by the call. Lola had never called him with her private number except in rare cases. Also, she was supposed to be observing her three days of casual leave.
After a few seconds of contemplation, Ian stood up and excused himself to take the call.
Ian listened to Lola's request and gave her a restaurant address to meet up with him before hanging up.
The side of Ian's lips curled up in a devilish smile as he strolled back into the bar to pick up his stuff. After saying goodnight to his drinking pals he left for the restaurant.
---
At about a few minutes past 8:00 PM, a disoriented Lola and a calm looking Ian were seated opposite each other in a fancy restaurant.
Lola felt out of place in this luxurious and magnificent place.
Even though she was captivated by the state-of-the-art interior design, the thought of her husband lying motionless back at the hospital dampened her soul.
"Mr Forde, I know this is coming at a very odd time. But I'm willing to work double or even triple as long as you give me the required amount I seek to save my husband's life." Lola almost went on her knees if it hadn't been Ian, who stopped her.
"My dear Lola, I need you to relax. You know I will do anything to see you smile." Ian said. smoothly while gazing into her captivatingly shimmering almond-shaped deep blue eyes.
"You said the hospital needs an initial deposit of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to commence the surgery, right?" Ian picked up his phone lying on the table and opened his bank mobile app.
"Yes, Sir," Lola replied almost immediately
"Would you like me to send the money to your current or savings account?" Ian asked without peeling his eyes away from his phone.
"S...send it to my savings account." Lola's eyes lit up as a ray of hope flashed across them.
"Citi Bank.... account number 310... Lola Hart...and send." Ian raised his head only to meet Lola's curious gaze. She was stretching her neck to see what he was doing on his phone.
At that very moment, her phone beeped twice indicating a new message.
When Lola went through the message, she saw that her boss had already transferred the sum of two hundred thousand dollars to her account.
"Oh my goodness..." Lola cupped her mouth in shock. "Sir..."
"Shhh!" Ian raised a finger to his lips. "You don't have to announce it to the whole world. Why don't you wire the required amount to the hospital, while I order dinner? I'm starving."
Lola smiled in appreciation and quickly transferred the two hundred thousand dollars to Clara's account.
Afterwards, she shared a very brief dinner with her boss and thanked him again.
When Lola stood up to leave and return to the hospital, she suddenly felt light-headed. Everything around her began to spin awkwardly causing her to fall back on her seat.
"Lola, are you alright?" Ian asked innocently