Too Late

“Oh God, Mom,” Liora whispered.

She suddenly sprinted up the stairs, picked up her bag, a car key, and her phone before rushing out of the house.

“Please be fine, Mom, please,” Liora pleaded as she hurried down the stairs.

She hurried out of the house, threw her things in the car, and pulled out of the driveway.

First she placed a call to the hospital, wanting to know what was going on. The ride to the hospital was a long distance; she needed to know now.

“I’m calling for Vanessa Smith, my mom. I need to speak with her doctor.” Liora asked, her voice shaking as she tried to keep her hands steady on the wheel.

“Ms. Liora, hmm, please…” The nurse responded before she heard someone come on the call.

“Thank God you called us, Ms. Liora; we were able to stabilize her for now, but we can’t be sure how long she will last. We need to have her scheduled for surgery.” The doctor stated.

Liora kept her eyes on the road; it was dark, the sun had set long ago, and the roads were covered in ice.

Just when she thought the day could not get any worse, now this. Liora pulled her hands through her hair in frustration.

“You should go ahead with the surgery; I’ll be right there.” Liora stuttered in fear.

“Now, you know we would have done that, but when we checked, your insurance does not cover the cost of the surgery. I’m afraid you need to make a deposit before we can do anything.” The doctor replied.

Liora thought she had heard wrong as her eyes narrowed in confusion.

“What do you mean by that? My mother is fully covered; I’m sure there must be a mistake somewhere.” Liora responded hurriedly.

“There is no mistake, ma'am; your mother has severe coronary artery disease. The cost of surgery is about a million dollars. At the moment there is no aid you could get fast enough because of the paperwork. Maybe out of state you can get it, but New York is fully booked.” The doctor explained.

“Doctor, I know it’s possible to get the surgery here, please,” Liora pleaded.

“To do that here, you need to make at least a forty percent deposit. I think it would be best to reach out to family.” The doctor responded.

“Oh God,” Liora murmured, ending the call to call her father.

He picked on the third ring, and the first thing he said was, “Are you blind, Liora? It’s past nine; why are you calling me this late?”

“Father, I’m on my way to the hospital. Mom… Mom needs surgery..she” Liora started.

“Then get her the surgery. Why are you calling me?” Henry Adams responded in anger.

Liora tried to calm her nerve as she said, “They said her insurance does not cover the surgery. You promised you were going to get Aaron Lawson to perform the surgery, Father. I need you to…”

“There is no money to call Aaron Lawson. Do you think money grows on trees? Do you have any idea who Aaron Lawson is?” Henry asked in irritation.

“Go ask your husband why are you calling us?” Elizabeth Adams, her sstepmothershouted.

Her father had probably put her on speakerphone. Liora navigated through the road, avoiding colliding with the car in front of her by mere inches.

"Father, you promised. I beg you, we need to get…” Liora pleaded, her voice breaking as tears clouded her eyes.

“We need money for your sister's medical school. "There is no more for you, Liora," Henry shouted.

“For God's sake, Dad, can’t you for once in my life behave like a father?” Liora vented in frustration.

“It was one thing for you to cheat on Mom and then divorce her. Do you really want her dead?” Liora shot back, her chest tight in pain.

“Don’t you dare speak to me like that, Liora Adams. Be grateful that I let you keep my name. Don’t you dare call me again.” Henry said angrily.

“You gambled away the money, right?” Liora stated just before he could end the call.

"It's called investment, you f**lish girl.” Henry snapped.

“The same investment you sold me off into marriage for just to save your asset," Liora snapped back.

“And you have done the only thing you’re useful to me for. Now do not call me again! Even if she dies, don’t call me!” Henry shouted before ending the call.

Left with no other choice, Liora placed a call to Travis, praying with all her heart that he would pick up.

She glanced away from the road briefly, trying to dial his line again as she drove through the bridge, not so far away from the hospital now.

A blinding headlight shot through the car, and when she looked up, it was too late.

“Mom!” Liora called in fear as everything went instantly blank.

Later, as her eyes blinked, opening slowly, she felt it, the cold floor, before she felt the blood flow from her head, covering her face.

“Is she dead?” someone asked.

“I don’t think so; we might need to push the car over," another responded.

“That was not the plan. We need a body to bury," came the response.

“Change of plans then.”

"Change of plans? Did you get approval from…" the other person said, trailing off.

"The main thing is to get the job done." came a final sharp response.

Liora heard a soft footstep walk close to her side of the car.

“Mr. Ashford has a message for you: Have a safe trip to the afterlife," a voice said.

That was the last thing Liora heard before she was enveloped by darkness.