Chapter 2

Esmeralda pov.

I stood outside the emergency room, my hands clenched around my purse so hard that my fingers had gone numb. I should be used to this but I'm not. It never gets easier watching the one you love slip away from you.

"Doctor... How's my mother?" I blurted, to the first doctor who strode out.

"Well…" the doctor pulled off his gloves, his eyes filled with so much seriousness, I felt my heart skip a beat.

No! No!

"Is she dead?"

"No, she's still alive." He responded quickly, and I let out a deep breath I didn't realize I had been holding. "We managed to stabilize her again, Miss Esmeralda. But we can't keep resuscitating her like this."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He sighed softly, his hand rubbing against his temples. "Her heart is failing. And these episodes will keep happening, until one day.” He paused. “We won't be able to bring her back. She needs surgery."

The hallway seemed to spin, and I staggered backwards. "S...surgery?" I stammered.

"I'm afraid that's the only option she has." He said calmly, "she needs to be placed on a donor list for a heart, which takes time. And in the meantime, there are immediate costs; tests, medication, preparation for the operation.”

I swallowed hard, already dreading the answer. “How much?”

“Around thirty thousand dollars.”

I blinked so hard, I thought I was dreaming. We couldn't afford that. Even though our insurance can't cover it, we drained it all on her medications last year, and we're still in debt. There was no one else to run to, no father, no relatives, just me.

We're all alone.

"I can't afford that." My voice broke in anguish.

"I'm sorry." He muttered gently, his expression softening by the second. "There's nothing we can do without the surgery ..." He trailed off, before walking away.

He didn't have to finish his sentence; I knew what that meant. That I was going to lose her.

After the nurses had departed, I pushed the door open slowly. My gaze fell on my mother, lying still on the bed. The machines hooked her frail body, their steady beeping was the only proof of her heartbeats.

For a moment, I stood there just watching her, till my phone vibrated in my hand. It was from work. I had an afternoon shift and was late for it.

"Hold on, Mother." I took a last look at her and whispered, even though she couldn't hear me.

***

By the time I got to work, I was panting heavily and my head was pounding like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.

I needed to rest, but I couldn't afford to, not when I needed the hours and the money.

“Esmeralda.” Diane, my coworker, called out as soon as I stepped into the restaurant. “The manager wants you to report to his office before you check in.”

“Why?” My voice trembled. I knew I had been running late for a couple of days. I had explained my current situation to him, and we had agreed I would make up for it with extra hours.

“I don’t know.” Diane muttered, avoiding my eyes. While behind her, I could see a few of my coworkers' girls struggling to hide their laughter.

Why couldn't they just mind their business? I groaned inwardly.

“I’d hurry if I were you, dear.” One of them mocked.

I shot her a glare before walking toward the manager’s office, my mind racing with the possible lies they'd have told against me.

“Esmeralda.” His voice came the moment I opened the door. His eyes filled with anger, and I could feel him scanning me from head to toe.

“Yes sir,” I muttered awkwardly, resisting the urge to bite my lip, like I always did when I was distressed

“We received several complaints about you.” he started bluntly, wiggling his pen between his fingers.

“A complaint?” I frowned. “What for?”

“Your appearance,” he said bluntly. “Our customers feel uncomfortable around you. Some even said they felt disgusted and lost their appetite when you served them.”

His cruel words punched me in the gut. “That doesn’t make any sense….. I only wear what I have.”

“This is a high-end restaurant,” he interrupted. “We can't afford that kind of bad image.”

I stared at him dumbfounded. Where was this coming from? I mean just yesterday, he commended me for my hard work and resilience, so what changed?

“So we have to let you go.”

What?

“Please …. Sir, my mother is in the hospital.” I swallowed the lump in my throat, before I continued. “I really need this job.”

“I’m afraid, there's nothing I can do. It’s already been decided.” He replied, pointing toward the door

Silence filled the room, but I stood there for a second longer, hoping, praying that he would change his mind but not once did he blink.

“You may leave my office.” He snapped.

“This isn’t fair,” I whispered, but he didn't respond. So I straightened up. And gathered the last shred of dignity I had left and walked out.

At the entrance, Diane stood with the others. Their satisfied smiles told me everything I needed to know.

“I hope you're all pleased?” I said quietly.

“I'm sorry.” Diane muttered looking away.

I forced a smile on my face, even though it hurt. “It's okay, see you around.”

Where would I go?

This was the only question that replayed on repeat in my head as I stared blankly into the open field in the playground.

With no job, I was practically homeless. And my mother… God, how was I supposed to pay for her surgery?

My phone buzzed in my hand, it was my landlord calling for her rent. I stared at the screen for a second, then ignored it.

I had no other option but to do the one thing I had sworn to never do.

My phone felt heavy in my hand as I placed a call through to my friend.

“Mulan….”

I hesitated, my fingers tightening around my phone. “About what you told me.” Then I closed my eyes and whispered.

“I’m ready.”