The bell above the diner's door jingled as we had our fifth drenched customer through the front door. The regulars who were already deep in amused conversation laughed at some inside jokes. As they chatted away, thunder rumbled again against the diner and I shuddered inwardly even as no one else barely noticed the rain streaking down the windows. Breakfast was a slow affair and I relished in it as I had barely slept at the hospital the night before.
Frank had come to sit at the bar and was looking up at the news cast that was playing in the corner. A commercial trilled about auto insurance, and then another about ham sandwiches from a competitor. Frank shook his head and flecks of water got on the bar and he came out of the TV transe "Snow! I need some caffeine please tell me you have a fresh pot!"
"Of course Beans!" I said affectionately, he always asked for a fresh pot this time of morning and I loved to see his goofy grin when I called him by his nickname. I poured him a decent drought and went back to cleaning the rest of the tables still unoccupied.
And offer a warm up to those cackling in the last two booths. I got back to the pass through and set the pot on the counter for a second as my phone buzzed urgently in my front pocket. I touched it self consciously. And looked at Tina, I signaled a bathroom run and she nodded and mouthed to hurry back.
As I placed the pot back on the burner, my phone buzzed again in my apron pocket. I grabbed it and placed it in my back pocket and made my way into the kitchen. I would actually run to the bathroom after checking my messages.
When I slipped it out, expecting maybe a message from the hospital or a quick check-in from Lindsey who was messaging to keep up on Arwen's progress. I was shocked to see a completely unknown number. Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I tapped the screen, then pressed the phone to my ear.
"Hello, this is Iris," I said, hoping my voice sounded more energetic than I felt.
"Good morning, Ms. Galloway," came a polished voice on the other end. "This is Swain, the personal attendant for Prince Alistair. I'm reaching out regarding the housekeeping position you applied for at the royal estate."
My heart skipped a beat. And my eyes widened in surprise. While I'd applied on a whim, since I'd spotted the flier on the hospital's bulletin board. I really hadn't expected to hear anything back so soon. Clearing my throat, I forced myself to focus. "Yes, of course. Thank you for reaching back out so quickly."
"We're pleased to inform you that you're being offered the position, pending the successful completion of a background check and the signing of a non-disclosure agreement," he continued, his tone all business. "Once those steps are cleared, we'd like you to begin training immediately."
It took every ounce of self-control not to let out a relieved sigh. This was the break I'd been hoping for. Working here at the diner barely covered Arwen's daily needs, much less the mountain of medical bills we were still facing. The chance to work at the royal estate, even if it was only a housekeeping role, felt like a lifeline I hadn't known I needed.
"Thank you so much," I managed to say, keeping my voice even. "I'll take the position. I… I can work mornings after my shift here."
"Understood. Your hours will be arranged to suit your current commitments," Swain replied smoothly. "We value discretion and dedication at the estate. You'll be required to complete some paperwork, including the NDA, at your earliest convenience. Once everything is finalized, you'll receive your schedule."
I gripped the counter to steady myself, a mixture of relief and nerves coursing through me. "Thank you again. I'll be available for whatever's needed."
"Very well. Someone from our office will follow up with further instructions," he said, his voice not unkind but distinctly professional. "We look forward to working with you, Ms. Galloway."
" Thank you very much Mr. Swain, I also look forward to working with you as well!" I stated emphatically.
He was clearly taken aback, and also cleared his throat reflexively. "Please see that you are on the lookout for my man Daniel Fitzgerald, he will be to your current employer this afternoon."
With a polite goodbye, he ended the call, and I lowered the phone, staring down at the screen. The reality of what had just happened slowly seeped in. A job at the royal estate meant a steady income—an income that could take a real bite out of those endless bills. I felt the weight of it all lift slightly, as if a glimmer of hope had finally cracked through the walls that life had steadily been building around me.
I made my way to the restroom and splashed some cool water in my face. The feel of it put new vigor into my tired eyes. I finally felt hopeful.
I shoved the phone back into my apron, and made my way back out to Tina, she could see a change in my face. I looked around the diner and sighed. No one noticed my change in countenance. They were still caught up in their own little worlds, and the cook was too busy flipping pancakes to pay me any mind. The hum of the diner's early morning lull wrapped around me like a warm blanket, settling the nerves that had sprung to life at Swain's call.
The thought of working at the estate, with its sumptuous furnishings and elegance, felt surreal. I would finally possibly be able to have a few days to myself. It was a world so far removed from the diner, from the hospital, from the constant ache of worry. But that was what made the job perfect—it was somewhere I could step away, even if just for a few hours each morning, and become someone else.
When my shift ended, I grabbed my bag and headed to the hospital, barely noticing the brisk morning air as I hurried up the familiar steps. I knew I'd find Arwen already sitting up, likely with a book open on his lap or his toy cars sprawled across the sheets. Despite everything he was going through, he always managed to greet me with that wide, beautifully toothless smile of his.
When I entered his room, he looked up, his brown eyes suddenly glowing like Christmas morning. He dropped his book in his excitement. "Sissy! Why do you look so tired?"
"The thunder kept me awake," I lied, he didn't need to know that I had spent most of the night holding our dad's hand hoping that he would finally squeeze back. I smiled broadly down at him and brushed a strand of hair out of his face. "How are you?"
" Definitely Better," he said with a shrug that seemed far too mature for a six-year-old. "Doctor said I can "maybe" go home soon."
"That's wonderful, Arwen," I squeezed his little hand. My heart was tight with relief; every small step he made felt like a victory.
I spent the next hour chatting with him, filling him in on all the silly things that had happened at the diner, making him laugh and roll his eyes in mock exasperation at some of the customers' antics. At that moment, everything felt normal. Just me and my little brother, our conversation blocked out the rest of the hustle and bustle of the nurses and doctors moving around the floor. Our favorite nurse stopped in to motion me out to the hall. And the normalcy was immediately broken. I stood up and followed her out.
Doctor Regis met me outside of Arwen's room. He led me to the cafeteria and bought me a coffee and asked me to sit down. "Iris, your father is improving, and because of that we are going to be able to do the surgeries that will make it possible for him to be able to walk and move independently again. Our initial assessment …."
My stomach twisted with every word, the daunting cost echoing in my mind. "punctured lung, broken back, cervical spine, and halo…." All went through with the costs and the potential time frame for recovery. Suddenly the bill that has been estimated at over seven hundred thousand dollars was four and a half million.
Dr Regis assessments and tests were already showing major improvement and his medically induced coma was helping to keep him out of pain. But since I wasn't named as his POA I couldn't give consent for treatment, and a lawyer had been sent to have me agree to make my father medically incompetent to allow for me to make decisions on his behalf. They would bring it before a judge before the end of the week.
"Dr Regis, does that mean that I will be responsible for all of his medical decisions from this point on?" I asked, hoping to have some clarity on the matter.
"Yes Iris,or we can't continue with any treatment at all, since we are still within the first seventy two hours post accident it's imperative that he gets treatment immediately or we could have more complications. This is our way of ensuring his recovery." Dr Regis informed me that our insurance provider was going to go over the additional costs including the laundry list of lawyers fees.
Just then a man about my age walked into the cafeteria. He held a Polaroid in his hand and walked immediately to me. "Iris? I'm Prince Alistair's solicitor, Daniel, I have your paperwork here for your future employment. Please fill this out and return within forty eight hours." Looking around at the group on the other side of the table from me, he handed me the paperwork. He leaned down and whispered this in my ear "Prince Alistair's keen on your family's recovery, he said if you need any assistance that I let him know immediately." He placed his hand on my shoulder, and squeezed gently and walked away.
Murmurs from the group on the other side of the table brought me back to the present moment and and the insurance auditor was itemizing a litany of charges, but as soon as they heard Prince Alistair's name they had stopped and looked terrified.
Dr Regis and the rest suddenly had many things that needed attention and the meeting was drawn to a close. I took that time to stop into the ICU and kiss my father on the forehead. His heart rate monitor beeped as his eyes fluttered.
"I love you daddy," I whispered in his ear and his eyes popped open. He looked at me and tried to smile but the ventilator obstructed it.
Several alarms went off at once and three people came in to silence them and get my dad back to his coma. He squeezed my hand lightly as the medication again took over. He was still there!
I knew then that things were going to get better, even with the onset of huge bills I knew that I was now afforded an amazing opportunity. I wasn't going to mess this up.