Chapter 6: Discharged from the hospital

Chantel was on her way to the hospital when her phone buzzed. She answered the call

"It's done," she heard the person say after the call was connected and the side of her lips curled upwards.

"Thank you," she said and put the phone back into her bag

The car stopped at the entrance of the hospital and she got down. She paid the driver and entered the hospital compound. She went straight to the ward.

"How is mummy today?" she enquired walking towards the bedside with her eyes fixated on her mother who was still sleeping.

"The results of the test will be in today," replied Ruth and Chantel replied with a 'Hmm'

"How is Daddy?" she asked

"He will be moved to the ward today," replied Ruth

"That means he getting better," Chantel confirmed

"Yes," replied Ruth

"I have the results of your mum's lab test," said the doctor as soon as he entered

"One of you should come with me to my office," he said

Ruth decided to go with the doctor while Chantel stayed back with her mother.

"The results show your mum has a case of retinal vein occlusion. This I believe is as a result of the head trauma she suffered due to the accident," the doctor informed her

"Can this be treated?" Ruth asked

"Unfortunately, there is no treatment to revise the condition, however, we can treat any arising complication to protect her vision," the doctor explained

"Protect her vision?" Ruth repeated the doctor's words

"Does it mean the condition can lead to blindness?" she asked

"Yes, if arising complications are not treated," replied the doctor

"We will do our best for your parents. Your father would be moved to the ward this afternoon. His lab results are good," informed the doctor.

Ruth thanked the doctor and exited the doctor's office with both good and bad news. Her mother has an irreversible condition and her father is recovering well.

"Dearest sis, what happened?" Chantel asked as soon as Ruth entered the ward

"I would tell you but not here," she replied and Chantel nodded.

Mrs Brown opened her eyes a few minutes after Ruth walked in

"Chantel, you are here," she said

"Yes, mum. How are you feeling?" Chantel asked while Ruth forced a smile on her face to cover the pain she was feeling in her heart.

"I brought you some food," she said and opened the basket bringing out a flask.

She opened it and poured some porridge into the bowl. She picked the spoon from the basket and smiled at her mother.

Ruth adjusted the bed for her mother and Chantel feed her the porridge.

"How is your father? Have you seen him?" she enquired

"Yes, he is doing very well. He will be moved to this place today," replied Ruth

Chantel smiled and continued to feed her the porridge until the bowl was empty. She took the empty bowl to the washroom to wash it.

Once inside the washroom, the smile vanished from her face.

"I hope things will move faster. I am getting tired of smiling with fake and evil criminals" she thought as she washed the bowl.

She returned to the ward with a smile to find Mrs Brown had fallen asleep. She sat on the chair next to Ruth and pulled out a book to read. Ruth looked at her silently.

"What?" Chantel said after Ruth had stared at her for close to five minutes

"Nothing, just wondering how you seem very calm with everything going on," said Ruth

Chantel inhaled deeply and closed the book and turned to face Ruth.

"Look, in life things happen. When they do, you can only look at the way forward. Worry does not provide a solution. A calm and collective mood can help you make the best decisions," she said and Ruth shrugged her shoulders

"I understand but we need to start thinking of something. If the charity foundation does not come through for us, how are we going to settle the medical bills of our parents? You are not working, neither am I. I am not sure how long we can survive on our savings," she complained

"Ruth, you worry too much. Sometimes you just have to let things be and they will naturally fall into place," Chantel replied and went back to reading her book while Ruth turned her gaze to their mother who was sleeping.

The door to the ward opened and their father was pushed in. He was placed on the next available bed. He was sleeping when he was brought in but after transferring him to the bed from the stretcher, he opened his eyes. Ruth quickly moved to his side and Chantel closed her book.

"Daddy, how are you feeling," Ruth asked with concern and he responded with a nodded

"Doctor, what is happening to my dad? Can he talk," she asked seeing her father just nodded in reply to her question

"He is fine," the doctor replied and did a quick examination

"Give him time," he added before exiting the room.

"Oh no!" Chantel exclaimed causing Ruth to jump out of fright

"What happened?" Ruth enquired looking at Chantel

"Something bad happened to Damien," she said

"What happened?" Ruth asked

"He is dead," she announced and Ruth's hand flew to cover her opened mouth in shock.

"It was just announced on the alumni page," she said

"What happened?" Ruth asked after recovering from the shock

"They didn't say but wait let me call someone," she said and dialled a colleague's number and brought the phone to her ears.

Ruth just sat there waiting for Chantel to be done with the call to know what happened to Damien

"He had an accident," she said once the call ended

"Accident?" Ruth repeated and shut her eyes and a memory of Damien's smiling face came to mind

She blinked her tears away rather to the surprise of Chantel.

"Why are you crying for him? Have you forgotten Nick broke up with you because of him," Chantel reminded and rolled her eyes at Ruth

"How can you say that? Sometimes I wonder what kind of heart lies in your chest. We don't even know why Nick left me how can you pin it on him? Ruth chide

"Whatever, I know two faces when I see one," she said and went back to her book.

Ruth just looked at her sister and shook her head in disbelief. She knew Damien was a good and honest person and felt such shouldn't have happened to him.

Later that evening, Ruth left for home while Chantel spend the night with their parents. Ruth arrived at home and went to bed after taking a shower but she could not sleep. She stayed awake all through the night till morning.

As early as 4 am she went to the kitchen and started preparing breakfast, lunch and supper. She realized most of the ingredients they bought were still in the fridge

"How is Chantel cooking without using the ingredients in the fridge?" she thought

She went out to the main bin which was yet to be taken out and saw the food boxes

"Oh dear she was ordering take-outs," she whispered to herself

"I should have known her lazy ass would not cook," she said in frustration as she headed back into the house.

At 6 am she packed the cook food into the basket and left for the hospital. On her way to the hospital, she decided every afternoon after lunch, she will return home to cook so Chantel will stay back and look after their parents. She will return to the hospital with supper and if it's Chantel's turn to go home for the night, she wouldn't have to order a take-out when coming to the hospital in the morning. She can just warm the food she had prepared and bring it over. This way they will save some money.

The car stopped at the hospital entrance and she got down from the car, paid the driver and walked into the hospital but run into Chantel at the entrance.

"What happened?" she asked, upon seeing the worried expression on Chantel's face.

"The doctor wants to see you," she said and headed for the entrance

Ruth went to the doctor's office

"I am sorry Ms Brown but this hospital cannot lo her treat your parents. You will have to take them home," the doctor said to her

"Wait! What?" Ruth said

"Ms Brown, kindly see the reception and do the paperwork and clear the bills," he said and walked past her leaving Ruth in complete shock.

She dropped the basket in her hand to the ground and her tears began to stream down her face. She went after the doctor but could not find him when she got to the reception. She went to the ward and realized the monitors have being taken off her parents.

"This doesn't make any sense. Why will they discharge her parents who are yet to recover fully?" she thought

"Ruth, what happened?" Mrs Brown asked

"I am not sure but the doctor said we can take you home," she said trying not to alarm her mother

Her father sat on the bed silently with a hand and leg in bandaged.

"I will be back," she said and went to the receptionist who handed her the papers to complete without allowing her to talk.

"I got a taxi to take our parents home," came Chantel's voice

"You did what? Chantel, can we care for them at home?" Ruth questioned

"Ruth, I know this is not far but the charity foundation is not going to support us and the hospital can't treat us for free. What can we do? Let's take them home, we will figure something out," replied Chantel

"You request a discharge because we can't pay the bills?" Ruth asked thinking Chantel requested the discharge from her response

"No, I didn't. Why will you think that?" she asked and Ruth just shook her head and more times began to fall.

Chantel took the papers from her and completed the paperwork. She wrote a letter to her father's bankers and had her father sign to authorize the bank to pay their medical bills from her father's account.

Mrs Brown was able to walk to the car with Chantel holding her hand but Mr Brown was given crutches to aid his walking. Ruth helped him to the car and they left for the house.