Chapter 2
I envy your love.
"Who's there?" A deep, scary voice thundered from inside the house.
"It's me, please, open the door," Viola screamed at the top of her voice.
"Who are you?" The voice asked again.
"It's me, Viola. Please, I need to see Irene!" She shouted in response.
At that time, she was getting pissed off at the man's questions, yet she couldn't perceive any sign of him trying to open the gates.
She looked at the fence and wished she could jump through, but it was too tall and surrounded by electric wires.
Yes, she desperately needed to get into that house. Anything that can get her into the house, she was ready to do it.
Viola persisted with knocking hard on the gate.
"Kenneth, who's that? Can't you hear someone knocking at the gate? And I thought I heard you communicating with someone; where is the person? Or have you started talking to yourself?" Young Irene, who was relaxing and playing games on the veranda, asked the security man at the gate.
It's nobody, young miss. Why don't you play games inside? The sun is too harsh out here!" Kenneth tried to find a reason to convince her to get into the house and not disturb him with questions again if she hears that knock.
"Com'on, Kenneth. Have you forgotten that this place has a roof over it and the sun doesn't reach here?" Irene answered immediately, still concentrating on her game.
"Hey.. I remember something!" She paused for a while with her game and screamed,
"Mr. Kenneth, you're getting old! You're now an old man!" she said with a smile.
"Noo, I'm not old. I'm still very young!" Kenneth countered.
"Then why were you talking to yourself? My teacher in school said that it is only old people that talk to themselves when they're alone. That means you're older than my parents! I've never heard them talk to themselves just like that!" Young Irene countered his argument.
"Kenneth, someone is at the gate? Why don't you want to open the door to the person?" Irene asked again as the ceaseless knocks continued.
"I don't know who's at the gate; that's why it's not safe for me to open it. Get inside and play your games!" the gatekeeper explained.
"It was hearing the voice of one little girl saying her name is Viola!" He added.
"Ah! Viola!" Irene screamed.
"Kenneth, please, can you open the door to her? She's my friend in school!" Irene explained with enthusiasm, anxiously waiting to see Viola in their home.
The gatekeeper insisted, but giving a second thought to her plea and hated to see Irene sad, he took the risk and opened the smaller side of the gate.
"Good afternoon, sir. Please, I need to see my friend, Irene," Viola explained as soon as Kenneth opened the door to her.
" Viola! You're here! How did you locate my house?" Irene interrupted and ran to hug her before Kenneth could say anything.
"Irene, please, I need your help! Please tell your parents to help me! My mother is lying on the hospital bed, and we don't have enough to pay off the medical bill," Viola lamented.
Irene looked at her with such pity.
She's Viola's seatmate in school.
Even though they're from two different cadres of family, their friendship was strong because Viola is the most intelligent girl in the glass and has always been the one helping out with assignments and tutoring Irene.
"Don't cry, Viola. I don't think my parents can help. Instead, they'll be angry why the gate was opened to you." Irene explained calmly.
"But just hold on here; I'm coming."
Irene left Viola outside with Kenneth and rushed into her room, bringing out some money.
"Here, you can have this, Viola. This is all my little savings. I hope it can help you." Irene handed an envelope to her.
Thank you, Irene; I'm so grateful." Viola fell to the ground, appreciating her friend.
"You're a nice person, Viola, and you deserve more than this. Please, stand up and go meet your mother," Irene said and waved her goodbye.
She stood and watched Viola take to her heels for her mother's sake.
"I envy your love for your family, Viola. I pray your mother gets well soon." Irene said to herself and dashed into her room.
"Kenneth, please, don't tell my parents anything," young Irene pleaded in her tiny little voice before disappearing into her room.
"Have you seen her?" Viola's mother asked, sounding worried.
Her husband breathed heavily, held her hands, and said, "I haven't seen her yet, but I'm sure she's still around the hospital premises. Maybe she went sightseeing."
Just as they were worried about talking about Viola, they were interrupted by a voice sounding like their daughter's voice.
"Daaad! I have the money. We can go home now!" Viola started screaming joyfully before she reached the ward.
The people around stood and watched in awe, wondering why a young girl like that would be running and shouting.
"Isn't that Viola's voice?" Her father stepped open the door to check and bum!! Viola fell on his body instantly, breathing heavily.
"Viola! Where have you been? You said you were going to use the restroom and outside, and I've searched everywhere for you! ***" Her father said.
"I'm sorry, Dad! I couldn't stand to look at mom spending a night here while you still struggle to get the hospital bill complete." She sobbed intermittently and handed the envelope to him.
"Viola! What did you do? Where did you get this money? Hope it's not what I'm thinking." Her father said it coldly, gradually raising his voice at her.
Viola looked straight into her father's eyes and shook her head. "No, Dad, I didn't follow a man. I rushed out to one of my friend's houses whose parents are rich, and she helped me with this," she explained.
Moved by his daughter's deep concern for her mother's wellbeing, he hugged her tight, and tears of joy and sorrow swiftly streamed down his face.
"Thank you, Viola. But, please, next time you don't have to go begging again. I will definitely find a way out.
"Yes, Dad, I don't know how much is there, but I believe it can pay for mom's medical bill!" She said, and the duo entered.
Her mother's face brimmed with joy immediately she sighted Viola, who ran to hug her on the hospital bed.
"I'm sorry I left, mom. But we can go home now. You're not sleeping here today!" Viola exclaimed joyfully.
"Dad is already at the account office to settle the bill." She added.
A few minutes later, the doctor walked to check on her.
"Mrs. Gomez, you can go home now. And please, ensure you take medications rightly," the doctor said.
Hearing that, Viola wasted no time to stumble out of the chair she was sitting in and started arranging their belongings to leave.
"Mr. Gomez, I'll love to see you in my office for a minute before you join them." The doctor turned and said before he left.
"Viola, you can go home with your mom; I'll be with you shortly." Her father said, and led them to the cab that would take them home before he marched to the doctor's office.