Valerie was in the middle of serving a customer when his phone rang, shrill and insistent. "Excuse me, I need to take this," he apologized, handing the customer their order before rushing out of the cozy coffee shop.
"Hello?" Valerie answered, phone pressed to his ear.
"Is this Valerie Anderson?" a male voice asked.
Valerie's brow furrowed. "Yes, speaking."
"I'm calling from Choice Hospital. Your sister, Kayla Anderson, was rushed in a few minutes ago. It's an emergency, and we need—"
The line went dead. Valerie's eyes widened in shock.
Without hesitation, he sprinted into the street, flagging down a taxi. "Choice Hospital, please!" he urged the driver. " Hurry up!"
The driver nodded and accelerated, glancing at Valerie through the rearview mirror. "Hang in there, buddy."
Valerie mind was racing, he urged the driver on, his heart pounding with every passing second. This was his sister they were talking about. The only family member he had.
The taxi screeched to a halt in front of the hospital's emergency entrance. Valerie tossed a few bills at the driver and leapt out of the cab. He sprinted through the sliding glass doors, his heart racing with every step.
"Excuse me!" Valerie approached the reception desk, out of breath. "I'm looking for Kayla Anderson. She was brought an hour ago."
The nurse behind the desk, a kind-faced woman with a warm smile, nodded sympathetically. "Let me check." She tapped away at her computer. "Yes, Kayla Anderson was admitted an hour ago. Please, follow me."
Valerie trailed behind the nurse, his mind reeling with worst-case scenarios. What had happened to Kayla? Was she okay?
As they approached the ICU, Valerie's anxiety spiked. The nurse pushed open the door, revealing a dimly lit room filled with beeping machines and sterile smells.
"Kayla is in the third room on your right," the nurse said softly. "The doctor will be with you shortly."
Valerie nodded, his throat constricting. He took a deep breath and placed his hand on the door handle
Valerie's heart sank as he pushed open the door to Kayla's hospital room. The soft beeping of machines and the faint smell of antiseptic filled the air, making his stomach twist with anxiety. He had been on edge since receiving the call from the hospital, and now, seeing his sister lying motionless in the bed, he felt like he'd been punched in the gut.
Kayla's face was pale, her skin almost translucent in the dim light of the room. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth, and a tangled web of wires and tubes connected her to the various machines surrounding the bed. Valerie's eyes welled up with tears as he approached the bed, feeling a surge of fear and helplessness. What was happening to his sister?
He gently took Kayla's hand, feeling a faint pulse beneath his fingers. Her hand was cold to the touch, and Valerie couldn't help but wonder if she was going to be okay. He looked around the room, taking in the array of machines and monitors, but none of it made any sense to him. Where was the doctor? Why wasn't anyone explaining what was going on?
Just then, a soft knock on the door broke the silence. "Mr. Anderson?" A young doctor with a kind face and worn expression entered the room. "I'm Dr. Lee, Kayla's attending physician."
Valerie nodded, still clutching Kayla's hand. "What's going on, Doctor? What's wrong with my sister?" He tried to keep his voice steady, but it cracked with emotion.
Dr. Lee's expression turned somber. "I'm afraid Kayla is suffering from a rare and severe condition. She has two holes in her heart, which are causing her oxygen levels to drop dramatically."
Valerie's eyes widened in horror. "What? How is that possible?" He felt like he'd been living in a nightmare, and he couldn't wake up.
Dr. Lee hesitated before responding. "We're not entirely sure. But what's certain is that Kayla needs immediate surgery to repair the damage. If we don't operate soon, her condition will deteriorate rapidly."
Valerie felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Surgery? His sister's life was at risk, and he felt powerless to help. He looked at Kayla, his heart aching with fear and worry. She was so pale, so still. What if she didn't make it?
"What are the chances of...of success?" Valerie stammered, trying to process the doctor's words. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of uncertainty.
Dr. Lee's expression was grim. "We'll do everything in our power to save Kayla. But I have to be honest with you, Mr. Anderson – the odds are against us. We need to act fast if we're going to give Kayla a fighting chance."
Valerie nodded, a sense of determination washing over him. He would do everything in his power to help his sister. He had to. He looked at Dr. Lee, his eyes locking onto the doctor's. "What do we need to do? What's the next step?"
Dr. Lee nodded. "We need to get Kayla into surgery as soon as possible. We'll need to run some tests, get her stabilized, and then we'll take her into the OR."
Valerie nodded, feeling a sense of resolve wash over him. He would be there for his sister, every step of the way. He would fight for her, with every ounce of strength he had.
"I'll do whatever it takes," Valerie said, his voice firm. "Just save my sister."
Dr. Lee nodded, a faint smile on his face. "We'll do everything we can, Mr. Anderson. I promise you that." After a brief moment, he spoke up.
"Before the treatment commences, you have to pay half of the bill."
"How much is it?" Valerie asked.
Dr. Lee shook his head. "It is not something we can discuss here, follow me to my office."
Valerie sighed inwardly and followed Dr. Lee to his office.
Valerie trailed behind Dr. Lee, his mind still filled with the news about Kayla's condition. They walked down a long corridor, passing by several rooms and nurses' stations. Finally, they arrived at Dr. Lee's office, a small, cluttered room with a desk, two chairs, and a bookshelf filled with medical texts.
Dr. Lee motioned for Valerie to take a seat, and then he sat down behind his desk. "Mr. Anderson, I want to be upfront with you about the cost of Kayla's treatment."
Valerie's heart sank. He knew he didn't have much money, and he was worried about how he would pay for Kayla's treatment.
"The total cost for the surgery and hospital stay will be...$100,000," Dr. Lee said, his expression somber.
Valerie's eyes widened in shock. $100,000? He didn't have that kind of money. He didn't even have a fraction of that amount.
"I...I don't have that kind of money," Valerie stammered, feeling a wave of panic wash over him.
Dr. Lee nodded sympathetically. "I understand that this is a lot to take in, Mr. Anderson. But I want to assure you that we will do everything in our power to save Kayla's life."
Valerie felt a lump form in his throat. He knew that Dr. Lee and the hospital staff were trying to help, but the cost of the treatment was just too high.
"What...what can I do?" Valerie asked, feeling helpless.
Dr. Lee leaned forward, his eyes locked on Valerie's. "We can offer you a payment plan, Mr. Anderson. But we need a down payment of $50,000 before we can proceed with the surgery."
Valerie's heart sank. $50,000? He didn't have that kind of money. He hasn't even seen that kind of money in his entire life.
"I...I don't know if I can do that," Valerie said, feeling defeated.
Dr. Lee's expression was understanding, but firm. "I'm afraid we can't proceed with the surgery without the down payment, Mr. Anderson. I know this is a lot to ask, but I assure you that we will do everything in our power to save Kayla's life."
Valerie felt a wave of desperation wash over him. He knew he had to find a way to come up with the money, no matter what it took. He would do anything to save Kayla's life.
"Okay," Valerie said finally, his voice firm. "I'll find a way to come up with the money. Just please, save my sister."
Dr. Lee nodded, a small smile on his face. "We'll do everything we can, don't worry."
Valerie sighed as he stood up and left Dr. Lee's office. As he left the hospital's building, his mind was filled with the fastest way to raise half of the hospital bill. There was no one to turn to, no one out there that he could run to.
His mother and father separated three years after giving birth to his sister because the marriage no longer worked. Since then, Valerie, despite being just ten years old was forced to take up the task of taking care of his little sister.
He left school and began to work in people's houses so that they could pay him and with whatever little he got, he would use it to provide for her. Sometimes, people gifted him foodstuffs. He never knew how to cook but the bad condition he was in forced him and he learned it the hard way.
At night, his sister would cry, looking for their mother but the heartless woman was nowhere. A time came when she fell sick and being young too young and inexperienced, she almost died — Thank God for their good neighbor who rushed her to the hospital immediately.
Valerie was bent on taking care of his sister, no matter what it will cost him. She was all he got, she was his joy and the reason for all his hard works, he wouldn't just let the cold hands of death drag her away from him. Perhaps, he was being tested... Perhaps after all the sacrifices, things will be better.
"Where do I go to from here?" He muttered with a heavy sigh. After thinking for a while, an idea came to his head.
"Aunt Clara!" He gasped. "She could help me," he added and turned left.