Chapter 3

“Here you go” I slowly handed my Dad his meds as my mom gently assisted him to seat up.

“Urgh” he let out a soft groan

“Take it is” said my mum softly.

 “Thank you” He gulped down the pills and handed me the water glass “What did the doctor say, Tori?”

“Um…” I ran my palm up and down my lap nervously “He just said we needed to upgrade your medications and move to the hospital to avoid these sudden attacks”

 He nodded and proceeded to lying down again.

“Rest up, I'll check on you later” I placed a kiss on his forehead before leaving for the kitchen.

I had some cupcakes in the oven that were on pre-order for tomorrow morning so I had to stay up to decorate them. I placed the water glass my dad used in the sink and let out a sigh, my head was all messed up and wasn't thinking straight.

So many bills to pay, so many things to prioritize, and so many things to take care of all on my own. The words of Doctor Wilfred kept replaying in my head and I couldn't seem to shut them off neither could I ignore them.

I ran my hands through my hair, ruffling them a bit. I leaned back to the sink, folding my arms and just taking in a deep breath. If anything were to happen to my father on my watch and under my care, I was going to die…literally.

I couldn't afford to lose him, but at the same time, I was on the verge of losing my bakery. It wasn't that there was no money coming out from the bakery, but what I made wasn't enough to take care of my parents, properly take of my father's health and keep up the rent payment of my bakery.

The payment was yearly and I was owing a year's worth of rent. I had savings specially for the rent, but along the line, I had to spend it on my father's health….a heart failure isn't a cheap thing to manage. According to the Doctor, the only permanent solution would be the transplant….which I definitely didn't have the money for, so I was beyond stuck.

“Tori!” I was jolted out of my thoughts when my mom yelled my name.

“What the….my cake!” She immediately put of the oven and opened it up. The entire kitchen was filled with smoke.

“How did this happen?” She asked, pushing open the windows.

“I'm sorry, I wasn't….I wasn't paying attention to it” I took out the cupcakes and they were so burnt “oh God” I whispered, placing the try on the kitchen island.

 “It’s not your fault honey, but what were you thinking about?”

 I took off the kitchen gloves “Just…random stuff” I lied.

 “Hm” was all she said. She folded her arms and walked towards me “What did Doctor Wilfred say, Tori?”

“Why do you mean what did he say, I already told you guys” I walk past her and towards the sink to wash my hands for absolutely no reason. I was just nervous.

“Tori, that wasn't all he said, I know you didn't say everything”

 I turned back “why would you think that?”

“You're a nerve wreck right now, I know you're hiding something, just tell me already”

I suddenly lost my voice. I tried so much to avoid her gaze. I don't know why I just felt so guilty for his condition getting worse. I felt the little fountain rush slowly running down my cheeks “He said Dad's condition is getting worse every passing day. He really needs that transplant and I have no idea where to get the money from” my voice broke as I looked up at her.

 “Mom, if something happens to Dad, I swear I'll die”

She walked up to me “Honey, stop that” she held on to my forearms “Your dad will be fine, nothing's going to happen”

I shook my head with my eyes closed “you don't know that mom” I open it back up “I have less than a month to upgrade his treatment and less than three months to get that transplant money or else”

“Or else nothing, Tori. Enough crazy talk. We will get the money your father needs for his transplant and he'll be fine”

“You're putting too much faith in me, mom” I tell her, my voice barely audible.

“I trust you, it's not faith…it's trust. We'll get this done. I've been unable to work since I had my back surgery otherwise, I should be working too”

 I shook my head “no need for that mom. I'll be fine”

She gave a weak smile and placed a hand on my shoulder “You should get some rest, I'll help you with the cake”

“But mom, you should be the one resting”

“I'm not the one working, Tori. Get some rest, don't worry”

I nodded “thank you, mom” I gave a weak smile before heading to my room….I had a feeling that tomorrow was going to be a long day.

~°~

“That's not sleep at all” Lucy scolded, placing her hand on her hip as usual when she's scolding me.

I sighed along with an eye roll. I know my mom said she would help me with the baking, but even when I got to my room last night, I couldn't sleep. I ended up rolling, pacing, thinking, doing anything actually but I wasn’t sleepy.

At the end, I slept around 2am and woke up around 4am to ice those cupcakes before heading to work to get started on the things we had to bake before we opened by 9am—hence the scolding.

“Lucy, I'm going through a lot stress, sleeping isn't really possible anymore” I placed the freshly iced cake in the show glass.

“I know Tori, but if you break down, that's double stress for your mom…so calm the heck down. You'll get through all this, trust me”

I just nodded to end the conversation and focused on the next cake I was designing before we hard the bell by our door ring.

We looked up at the person “I'm sorry, we aren't opened yet” Lucy approached the man.

 “I know, I was just sent here to deliver a letter to Miss Tori Hills”

My name caught my attention and I looked up “me?”

He nodded and I approached him to take the letter “from who sorry?”

“Dave Anderson”

Lucy walked away at the sound of our landlord's name and returned to what she was doing.

I forced a smile “Thank you”. The man walked out and I hesitated before opening the letter.

“You really shouldn't open that” 

 I opened it anyways, reading the content of the letter. She placed the piping bag in her hand down and walked up to me, snatching the letter away and reading it for herself. Her eyes widened and her mouth was slightly ajar.

“Wait, I don't….I don't understand”

I sighed “he's giving us this month to pay a year's worth of rent”