Chapter 2: Decisions

After a long night in the hospital waiting room and several cups of coffee later, a doctor in his fifties with silver hair and glasses, finally walks out and tells me what is happening.  “Are you Dani Robinson?”  He asks in a very flat tone, while he checks his watch for the time.

I raise my head and glance at him over the magazine to say, “Yes.  Why?” In an apprehensive voice.

“Your mother has had a heart attack and will need to stay in the hospital for several weeks if not longer.  We had to open her chest and there is always the risk of reoccurring heart attack, stroke, or infection.  The question is who will be paying for this?  Our insurance department has informed us that she does not have any.”

My heart sinks when I hear the news because there is no way I can come up with thousands of dollars.  The only money I have is from my part-time job at the creamery down the street from here.  If they made me a manager, maybe I could swing it, but otherwise not in a million years.  Frowning, I glance down at the floor and then back up at him before asking, “How long do I have to come up with it?”

Faking a smile, he states flatly, “A week the most.  If most of what is due isn’t paid within that time, they will kick her out of the hospital and then it is hard to tell if she will make it or not.” His voice fades off as he looks me up and down appreciatively, before continuing, “You know.  You are very beautiful.  Perhaps you could work down at the strip club in the city.  There you would earn it fairly fast.  I have seen girls come out waving five hundred dollars in their hands while they brag to their friends, from just one night.”

With his eyes all over me, I feel completely naked and self-conscious, so I lower my eyes and try to change the conversation quickly.  “Is there a payment plan?  Or someone I can go to, to talk this over with?” I ask, hoping that they will be willing to work with me somehow.

“No.  There isn’t a payment plan that I have heard of, but the finance department will be open in an hour.  You can talk to someone there.” He starts to turn away, but then looks back at me lecherously, “Remember what I said about the stripping gig.  There is great potential there with that body of yours and your looks.   Just let your hair down out of that bun and smile for god’s sake.  I know that I would give you a 50-dollar tip easily if you came and sat on my lap.” He says with a smile and then turns to walk away.

As I watch him walk back through the double doors, I begin to wonder if I should do it after all.  Even though, I know full well that I could never do it.  I’m still a virgin and wouldn’t have the foggiest clue how to seduce a man, even if I tried. 

Taking a deep breath, I finish up the rest of my coffee and then walk up to the counter to ask when I can see my mother.  I know I should have asked the doctor, but he caught me off guard with all the suggestions about stripping and the large amount of her bill for staying in here.  Who was he to suggest such a thing to me of all people?

When the pretty young nurse turns her attention to me, she asks, “May I help you?” With a smile on her cherry red lips.

I return the smile and answer her with a somewhat hoarse voice, “I want to see my mother, when will she be able to have visitors?”

“What’s her name sweetie?” She glances from me to the computer and then back up again while waiting for my answer.

“Judith Robinson.  She has just come out of surgery.” I quickly state.

Noting that she writes it down first, she types it into her computer and then starts to search for it.  It takes her a few minutes, but finally she looks back up at me before saying, “It looks like she is in room 411.  She should be able to have visitors now actually.” She glances back down at something and then to me before announcing and pointing towards the elevators.  “Go down the hall that way till you hit the elevators, then take it to the fourth floor.  Room 411 should be just a few doors down from them.  You shouldn’t be able to miss it.” She pauses and then lowers her voice, “Sweetie, I due hope she gets better.” After smiling one last time, she returns her attention to the papers in front of her.

Turning around, I follow her directions till I come to the elevators.  There is a little girl holding her mother’s hand standing directly in front of me, so I can’t push the button.  Raising my voice, I say, “Excuse me.  I need to push the button.”

The mother turns to me and then glares before moving over and sighing loudly.  “Some people.” She mumbles loud enough for me to hear and then she looks down at her daughter.

The bell chimes and then the doors open, but it has an arrow for down.  So, I watch them walk onto the elevator and leave me standing alone there.  As I grow impatient, I hear two doctors come up behind me and talk about one of the patients. 

Finally, the bell chimes and the doors open for me.  I look over and the arrow sign shows up before smiling, and murmuring under my breath, “Thank goodness, finally.” As I roll my eyes and walk into the elevator.

While standing there, I begin to wonder if I shouldn’t take the doctor’s advice.  For one thing it would pay the bills and perhaps there would be a silver lining.  My mother always told me, “Get out of your comfort zone, otherwise you will never realize your true potential.  Staying in this town, you will never get a taste for the finer things in life either, I know because look where I am.” She would often say this while stroking her chenille sweater and staring off into the darkness.

When the doors open, I walk out and sure enough my mother’s room was two doors from the elevator to the right.  I smile and prepare myself for the worst before I open the door slowly and check if she is awake or not.  Once I peek my head in to see if she is or not, I notice a nurse standing by her bed, taking her vitals.

“Hi, I am Judith’s daughter Dani.  I didn’t want to scare you, after walking in so quietly.  I just didn’t know if mom would be sleeping or not.” I state while smiling, in hopes of not getting on the nurse’s bad side.

“Ah, yes.  She has been asking for you.  I will leave the two of you alone to chat while I run these stats over to the doctor to check out.” She smiles and then leaves the room quickly. 

“Dani, have you been out there waiting for me since last night?” My mother’s wrinkles in her brow are so much clearer today as she asks that question.

“Yes ma.   I was so worried about you, and they didn’t even keep me updated.  I just found out how you were just a few minutes ago, when the doctor walked out and told me finally.”

She hesitates before saying anything, till she takes a deep breath and sighs, “Well, come here and give me a hug, then you are going home to get some rest.  I will be just fine in no time, so don’t be worrying about me.” She furrows her brow even more and then makes a face at me before I hug her.

Hugging her, I wrap my arms around so many cords that I am afraid I will pull something out.  She must sense my worry, because then she forces me to look at her by saying, “Dani, it’s alright.  I just had a bad spill.  Everything always works out in the end.  You will see.” She kisses me on the cheek and then squeezes me tight before I release her.

Gesturing for me to leave, she says with a smile, “Now go.  Get some sleep.  I won’t be going anywhere.  Now don’t worry, I will be here when you return.”

Feeling a little better about this whole thing, I leave without even mentioning the bills.  That is the last thing she needs to be thinking about right now.  If dad were still around, he would take care of them, but he isn’t, so it will fall on me.