8

The tapping of my impatient foot was echoing in the almost empty hallway. There was no one except me, Rose and her parents. There aren't any relatives of us. My parents don't have any siblings and my grandparents died a long time ago.

I was feeling alone. Everything was a mess. After getting the news of my parent's accident I drove my car like a mad girl and after reaching to the reception and getting all the details about my parents, that's when my breath hitched. They were in the operation theatre.

I dialed Rose's number and told her about the accident. Without any more questions she asked me the address and in half an hour Rose with her parents was here.

That's when I broke down in my best friend's arms. I cried and cried until my tears stopped coming in the eyes. Now there were only dry hitches of breath. I was scared.

Suddenly the door of operation theatre opened and a doctor came outside. I stood up and ran to him.

"Are you their daughter?"

"Yes, are they alright?"  I asked in a scared tone.

Please god please. Let them be okay. Let them be okay.

I felt Rose and her parents also came closer to stand beside me. Rose's arms came around me to engulf me in a soothing hug to protect me from whatever was coming in my way next.

"I won't give you a false hope, dear. Your parents had a terrifying accident. Your mother's one leg, shoulder and head is broken and your father's arm is broken and he has a slight fracture in his spine." He stopped to let me take in the disastrous news but from looking at his face I knew that this was only brief, the main disaster is yet to come.

I gulped and nodded my head in understanding. He took a breath and started saying, "Dear, I'm afraid to inform you that we might have to go through surgeries to make them stand on their feet once again. There is a big chance that because of the head injury your mother might lose her memory. But even much worse thing is, that there's a big clot of blood in her head that we need to remove otherwise there's a big chance of brain cancer."

I felt my body sagging against my best friend my heart thumping in my chest loudly. But there was more.

"And my father?" I whispered.

The doctor's face looked sympathetic at my condition.

"Your father have a spine fracture. That is the reason of our worry. We have to do surgery to fix up his spine and we have to do it as soon as possible. The spine is connected to legs. If we didn't fix it soon then your father won't be able to stand on his feet ever again."

My heart almost stoped beating. I didn't even realise I was crying until I felt the wetness on my cheek.

"Then what are you waiting for doctor? " I heard Rose's mother asking the question that was bubbling in my head. "Start the surgery. How much money it'll take to start the operation?"

"You need to deposit 150000 USD for both the surgeries. Apart from that amount you also need to deposit admission form of hospital along with required charges. You can collect other details from the reception."

"Oh God." I gasped as tears threatened to fill my eyes. Yes, we had money but I knew that we don't have that kind of money. Even if I collect all the money from our bank accounts, there might be 5000 USD in it. Not even a penny more than that.

"I don't have that kind of money doctor." I gasped while crying.

The doctor's face was filled with sympathy when he replied, "Oh dear, I'm afraid I can't do anything about it. Although I can request our hospital authorities to give you some concession but that amount would be too small to give you any financial help. And I'm sorry to inform you dear but we have to start the operations by tomorrow evening otherwise we might have to go through difficulties in saving their lives." 

Shit shit shit shit shit fuck!!!

I gripped my hair tightly in my fists. Unbearable tension was giving me a headache but I couldn't give up like that. I had to save them.

"Okay doctor, I request you to start the preparation of the operations. I'll do something. But please save them. Please."

The doctor nodded his head and went away. I walked towards the ICU to have a look at them through the glass door and after watching them, it was very hard to control the tears that were weighting my heart down in fear and pain.

20 hours later

I was sitting in a garden with Rose. Tears were flowing from my eyes. She hadn't left my side even for a minute.

I went to the bank to collect all the money for the operation. My guess was right. We didn't have more than 5000 dollars. Without requesting Rose's parents offered me a help. But the amount was still not enough to pay the expanses of the hospital.

Now only 30 minutes were remaining until I have to go and deposit the money otherwise the operations won't start and I might lose my parents.

I was feeling broken from inside there was nothing I could do. I was helpless. I can't see my parents dying in front of me bit by bit.

My head was on Rose's shoulder when I saw a familiar BMW halting in front of me. Eric walked out, removed his shades and looked at me with a smirk on his face.

"So, bitch... you don't have enough money to save your parents?" He asked while smirking. He was enjoying my vulnerable state. But my mind and voice was blocked. I haven't had it in me to play the throwback game with him.

"Stop it, Eric." Rose replied angrily. "Can't you see what kind of situation she is going through?"

"I can see that and she deservers every bit of it." He hissed. Before Rose could pounce on him he said further while smirking, "But I can give you the money you need for the operations."

I felt my eyes shooting in his direction. "You.... you ca.. can give me the money?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes." He replied in the same tone while smirking. 

"Oh God." I stood up abruptly and walked to him. "Please help me then. Please. I promise I'll return you every penny with interest. But please help me to save them. Please."

I felt Rose coming and standing beside me.

"Alright then." He said in a sickly sweet tone. "But I've a condition, darling."

That's when my heart spasmed.