Falling for my husband's Brother

March, 2022

Isabella hastily untied her apron, dumped it weakly on the counter and rushed out of the kitchen. Her hair was messy, eyes puffed from staring into hot moist smoke for long hours. 

With several heart wrenching thoughts flapping through her disarrayed mind, accompanied with the fear that gripped her heart, she prayed silently that nothing would go wrong. More than it already had. 

On her way out she bumped into Mrs Rhoda Bennett. 

“I'm sorry Mother!” Isabella called as she dashed off, shutting her thought away from the obvious scowl in her stepmother's face. When she return hopefully everything would have gone alright, then she wouldn't mind listening to every one of her nag and even if it meant running errands deep into the next day. 

She could even have one of her fingers if she so much as wanted it but till then she had not a single second to spend in that house. 

“Isabella! Where are you headed off to? Get back here and finish making our meal!”

She heard her mother bark behind her as she grabbed her sling bag and hurried out. 

“Please I have to see my brother… is he alright? Can I see him now? Please…” 

Isa asked the nurse behind the counter. 

“Calm down ma'am. Who is your brother?”

It was until that moment Isabella realised she had been breathing fast. Her hands all sweaty she dabbed them against her dress. 

“Now please, how can I help you? If you can tell me your brother’s name and his ID number, I will run a search on him.”

“My brother…. His name is Ryan…. Ryan Jack. He is supposed to be in room 204 but he ain't there and I got a text message from here… the hospital that… that he…”

She couldn't breathe. Speaking had become more difficult than she could have ever imagined. She felt the nurse's calm gaze on her. Grateful she wasn't judgemental. Perhaps she understood how she was feeling at that moment. 

“I'm sorry…I just… I'm just a little scared.”

“It's okay ma'am. It will be alright.” The nurse glanced at her before she went back to staring into the monitor before her. Moments later she raised her face. 

“Ryan Jack…”

Isabella leaned forward, eyes worried and expectant. “Yes, that's my brother.”

“He was rushed to the emergency unit minutes ago. I'm sure that is why you couldn't find him in his room.”

“Please is my brother alright? Where is the emergency unit? Can I see him now?”

“I'm sorry but I can't provide further information on that but that is the direction to the emergency unit. You can wait on the bench for the doctor or any of the nurses to step out.”

“Thank you.” Isabella mumbled and hurried towards the emergency unit. 

Doctor Miles and some nurses were trotting out of the unit on her arrival. She rushed at them. 

“Doctor Miles, what is wrong with my brother? Is my brother alright?”

Doctor Miles pulled off his nose mask revealing a strained looking saggy eyes. He casted a worried look on Isabella before he spoke. 

“There is a blockage in your brother's lungs and a surgery must be conducted immediately.”

“Will he be alright after the surgery?”

“He should be alright…” doctor Miles paused and observed her briefly. Worried wrinkles spread across his forehead. 

Isabella's heart sank into the pit of her stomach. She knew that whatever next coming out of doctor Miles' lips was never going to be a good one. It wasn't the first time he had looked exactly that way and dropped a bombshell on her. 

“Tell me doctor Miles, is there something else wrong with my brother?”

Doctor Miles let out a heave. He glanced around before he continued. 

“Isa,” he called her calmly, “You know we have tried here. The management can't handle more untended bills. We can't do anything because of the outstanding bills you have incurred,” Doctor Miles said.

The gnawing feeling left Isa's stomach and tugged hard at her chest. She felt helpless. But she totally understood. Doctor Miles had been nothing but good to her. 

“Doctor Miles, please can you give me some time. I promise to run around for the money.”

“There is not a lot of time, Isabella.The abnormality in his lung is worsening by the second and we must carry out the surgery as soon as possible.”

“Please just let my brother stay here for now please… I promise to get the money… please doctor…”

Doctor Miles sighed, gave a small nod before he began to stride away. 

Isa turned to one of the nurses. “Can I go see him now?”

“Yes, but you would have to wait for him to be cleaned up and moved to his ward.”

Isa nodded, hot tears sliding down her cheeks. She forced a sniff and straightened up. By all means she had to get the money. She had to save her brother's life but where on earth was she supposed to get the money from?

She took a peek at her sleeping brother. He was still breathing fine but he might not if she didn't get the money for his treatment soon enough. 

There was only way she knew to save her brother. One way to get the money. 

“Oh there you are,”

Her step sister’s smirk welcomed her home. 

“Mum! Isabella is back. Should I tell her?” Evelyn called out to their mother. 

“Tell her what?” Mrs Rhoda Bennett came out.

“Get ready Isabella. I'm throwing my rejected suitor to you,” Evelyn commented with a smirk. 

“Shut up Evelyn. I will do the talking.” Mrs Rhoda scolded Evelyn before she turned to Isabella. 

“And where do you think you are coming from, young lady?”

“I'm sorry mummy but I had to go see my brother…”

“You mean your sickly brother. He sure is holding out well. Thought he would be dead by now,”

Evelyn snickered.

Isabella's fingers gripped onto her dress. 

“Hold it all in… not now…; She mumbled, struggling to calm her nerves.

“So, what did the doctor say?” Mrs Rhoda asked as she lowered herself into one of the cushions. 

“I need to make some deposits for surgery to be done on him. And I don't have any money…” Mom please can I ask Dad to give me some money…” She stuttered.

“What? You think we have some money to spend on the life of your brother when it is not even certain that he will make it out alive? Look, the company is having some issues and we can't afford to spend now, especially not this sort of spending.” Mrs Rhoda Grunts after her last words.