02: Family

Mystique groaned as the morning sun pierced her eyes through the curtains, making it difficult to sleep peacefully. Turning on her side, she put the covers over her bare shoulders as a wandering smile took over her features. She couldn't remember the last time she slept this undisturbed with no nightmares.

Deciding that she wasn't gonna sleep any longer, Mystique turned again, facing the ceiling as she slowly fluttered her eyes opened, only to come face to face with unfamiliarity. She stared blankly at the white ceiling as she tried to process what just happened but only succeed in inviting a headache as a painful moan left her mouth.

She slowly sat upright, bringing a hand up to massage her pounding temple. Suddenly, her orbs went wide as flashbacks of the previous night's events came rushing back to her head. With a panic gasp, she held the bedsheets higher to her naked chest, her back hitting the bedstand as another painful groan came out. She could feel her back and butt burning like they were being cooked over a fire.

She bought her hand over her mouth as she tried to suppress a sob. How stupid was she giving herself to a stranger, how could she engage in a one-night stand?

She felt so cheap and dirty and what made it worse, the stranger just left after having so many rounds with her last night, if Mystique hadn't passed out, the stranger whom she had no idea what his damn name was would never have stopped. He was thrusting into her like a heartless beast. But what surprised Mystique more was that she enjoyed every minute of their session.

Mystique, Mystique, how could you be so stupid!!

She cursed as she took deep breaths to calm her poor self down. Then she had a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" She asked aloud as she quickly got out of bed, ignoring her aching body.

"Room service!" A female voice replied.

So, they were in a hotel. How horrible! She felt like a prostitute!

Picking up her clothes from the floor, she didn't bother going to the bathroom or taking a shower as she hurriedly put them on also grabbing her glasses.

May heavy thunderstrike the next person that would drag her to a fucking bar!!

The knock came again but at the same time, Mystique held it open as she immediately rushed out, ignoring the greetings of the girl.

Reaching the elevator, she climbed in but at the same time, her phone rang. Taking it out of her pocket, she saw that it was Bell. She pressed the answer button and bought it up to her ear, only to come to encounter the shouting voice of her friend.

"Stop yelling Belle," she said into the phone, rubbing her temple as she tried to calm the pounding headache, also putting on her glasses.

The pleasure was over, now it was time for the pain!

Having a hangover in the morning was one of the reasons why she hated drinking, now she was facing the consequences of her actions.

"Wherever you are, rush to the hospital" Bell sounded worried. Mystique felt her heart skipping painful beats.

"Hos- hospital?" She stammered.

"Your uncle was admitted!"

*~*

Reaching the general hospital, Mystique rushed in as she ran towards the receptionist and she was led to the waiting room where she found Bell. "Where is Uncle? What happened to him?" Mystique pinned her with questions as soon as. Her voice lashed with panic, worry, and fear.

Bell placed her hand on Mystique's shoulders encouragingly. "I- I don't know what happened. When I couldn't find you last night, I thought you must have gone back home, so this morning, I went over to your place to find your uncle passed out on the floor" Bell explained, gaining a gasp from the other, who bought her hands over her face, suppressing a scream of frustration.

This was all her fault, she shouldn't have trusted her uncle to take care of himself. None of this would have happened if she hadn't drunk that glass of wine, leaving and having sex the whole night with a stranger. 

Oh my God, what am I gonna do!'

Mystique moved to the wall as she pressed her forehead against it, harsh breathes leaving her mouth. She would never forgive herself if anything happens to Uncle!

"Misty, Take control of yourself. Nothing is guaranteed yet." Bell said.

Mystique turned sharply to Bell, tears raining down her perfect face like a fountain. "Belle, I have no one. He is the only family I have left. What am I gonna do if something bad happens to him? I would never be able to forgive myself"

"Nothing bad is gonna happen to him. You will get through this Misty. Just have some little faith" Bell assured her but that did not lessen her worries, they only increased.

Soon enough, the doctor came out and Mystique immediately rushed over to him, nearly knocking over the man, invaliding his personal space. Bell pulled her back a little from the doctor.

"Am sorry but how is my Uncle. Is he alright?" Mystique questioned in one breath, staring teary at the Doctor, who sighed.

"Come, we will discuss this in my office," the doctor said as he went ahead and the girls immediately ran after him as they made their way to his office.

"What is wrong with my uncle. Why did he suddenly faint?" Mystique questioned as soon as they entered the office and had settled themselves on the chairs.

"Your Uncle is suffering from 

Sudden cardiac death (SCD)" The Doctor said and Mystique nearly had a heart attack of her own. She thought her uncle was suffering from cancer which was being treated but they had to stop giving him medication because they could no longer afford it.

"Like a heart attack?" Bell questioned confusedly.

"Sudden cardiac arrest is not a heart attack but can occur during a heart attack. In contrast, sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the electrical system to the heart malfunctions and suddenly becomes very irregular. The heart beats dangerously fast. The ventricles may flutter or quickly, and blood is not delivered to the body. In the first few minutes, the greatest concern is that blood flow to the brain will be reduced so drastically that a person will lose consciousness" the doctor explained.

"Please, save my Uncle. He is all I have left" Mystique's voice shook as she stared at the Doctor pleasingly.

"Luckily, we can still suppress cancer from spreading to his lungs but a surgery needs to be conducted very fast"

"How much is needed for the operation?" Bell questioned since Mystique was sobbing.

"You should go to the receptionist, she would give you the bill" the doctor replied dismissing them. "But remember, we can only start with the surgery when the money is paid"

*~*

T

The more she stared at the bill, the more her pupils grew wider, then slowly her eyes started to water again. "Belle, where am I going to get such amount of money," she asked slowly as if her voice was slowly leaving her.

Belle scratched the back of his head. "Misty, even if I sell everything in our house and gather all my savings, I would never be able to get such amount of money" She stopped when she saw her friend, who looked like she was going to faint any time soon. "But don't worry, nothing is going to happen to your uncle, he is a strong man. Am sure he will be able to hold on till we can gather the money" Bell assured her with an encouraging smile.

"You think so?"

Bell nodded her head. "I know so" she then moved closer to Mystique's ear and whispered. "I have been meaning to tell you that you seriously need a shower, you stink of coition"

*~*

Mystique sighed as she stared at her bear reflection on the mirror in her bathroom. The stranger did not pity her poor delicate body as signs of bruises were everywhere. A shiver ran down her spine as she took in the hickeys on her neck followed by an image of a man sucking on her neck while she was moaning beneath him shamelessly. Good thing they would never meet again! And even if they did, Mystique would pretend as if she doesn't remember him.

Suddenly, her gaze landed on a piece of paper lying beside her Jean. It fell out from there but, Mystique could not remember putting a paper in her pocket. 

Curious, she bend down and picked it up and her eyes widened as she realized it was a cheque but what made her mouth hit the floor was the amount written. 

$5 million!!.