The deal

Raya was pacing the lobby when the doctor walked out of her mother’s ward.

“Miss Bridges, can we talk in my office?” He asked, his expression was completely unreadable. Raya went into the doctor’s office utterly confused, she did not know what was going to happen to her mother, all she could do was hope.

“Miss Bridges, your mother’s heart rate is currently stable, we also had to sedate her.” The doctor said.

Raya felt a little bit relieved.

“But we can not really do that much for her here as we do not have the funding for us to afford some advanced technology that would have been instrumental in treating her.” The doctor added.

“Your mother’s leukemia is quite different from most I’ve seen, it would do her a lot of good if she can get treated by a specialist, I have a colleague in Australia who specializes in cancer cases particularly leukemia” The doctor said sympathetically.

Raya felt her eyes start to fill up with tears, how was she going to get her mother to Australia for treatment? She could hardly keep up with her medical bills here not to talk about abroad, with a sought after specialist.

Regardless of what was going on in her mind, Raya knew she would have to raise the money somehow… anyway possible. She  could not watch her mother die, she was not going to be the helpless child she was twenty-one years ago when her father had died in that car crash. The same one that had changed her family forever.

“I’m really sorry Miss Bridges, I wish we could do more for your mother but at this point all we can do is hopefully keep her vitals stable and keep her comfortable. This is Doctor Nelson’s card to give him a call.” The doctor said,

“Thanks doctor” she replied as she took the card determined to do whatever she can to save her precious mother.

***

“Daddy! Daddy! I got into the cheerleading team!” Maddie yelled excitedly as she ran into the living room.

“Slow down miss Maddison so you don’t break a limb.” Madam Georgina who had been working for the family for as long as anyone can remember said.

Maddie grinned and continued to run to her father.

“ I made the cheerleading team! I made the cheerleading team! Soon I will be crowned junior miss cheer!” she said in a sing-song way to her father.

“That's great Maddie.” Raphael said tossing aside the office document he was studying, his attention was now fully on the girl.

“I know right? I need to go make a TikTok about it.” Maddie replied.

Mackenzie who was sitting at the corner rolled her eyes at this. Even though they are twins they are completely different from each other, which is what you might describe as a nerd, Maddie is the exact definition of a cool kid.

“Since you want to continue rolling your eyes at me, tell me one cool thing you’ve done this week… that’s right nothing oh wait you joined that boring mathleet group further cementing your position as one of the boring nerds.” Maddie said rudely.

“Maddison Renolds, apologized to your sister right now.” Their father said sternly.

He wished Mackenzie would stand up for herself sometimes but the girl was a little bit too timid like he had been when he was younger.

“I’m sorry Kenzie.” Maddie said in the most unremorseful tone.

“Now there's this shoe I really want...” Maddie started.

“You are not getting anything from me until you really feel bad for what you said to your sister.” Raphael replied. He saw Mackenzie smile in the corner.

“Arrgh!” Maddie yelled in frustration.

The door bell rang, Feggerson their butler when to get it.

“Sir there is a young woman requesting to see your father.” Feggerson said in a posh British accent with his back completely straight and his hand behind his back.

He stared at the woman and frowned wondering what a pauper like her was doing in the mansion.

“ I think dad’s in the study. Does she have a meeting with him?” Raphael asked, his father has been having a series of secret meetings with mostly his doctor and lawyers so this is probably no different.

“Yes she says she does.”

“Okay then let her in.”

“Are you sure though sir? She does not look like… our sort.” Feggerson said, eying the girl in slight disgust.

“Feggerson! Let her in now!” Raphael said.

Sometimes he wasn’t sure he liked Feggerson that much, the man had the tendency to discriminate against people just based on whether they looked rich or poor.

“Yes sir.” Feggerson replied and the girl walked in. Raphael immediately recognized her, Raya,  from last week’s party.

“Good morning sir.” She said timidly. She looked out of place in the big mansion.

Raphael immediately felt anger rush into him, he had thought she would be different.

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

“I’m here to see your father.” Raya replied calmly.

“Let me guess, you thought about his offer and you have decided that it would not be bad to marry me and get your own share in the Renolds empire.” He said.

She is nothing but a money hungry social climber, he decided.

“Raphael stop rattling the poor girl, my dear come in.” His father said from behind.

Raya walked into the study hoping that Fredrick Renolds would listen to her request, hoping that her dear mother could be saved.

“So my dear, have you decided to take my offer?” Fredrick asked.

“Not particularly, I was just wondering if there’s any way you can help me sir… I need to save someone really dear to my heart, I would work for you my whole life to repay the debt if I have to.” Raya replied on the verge of tears.

Her mother wasn’t doing so well, the doctor had said point blank that she would die if she wasn’t moved to a better facility before the week runs out.

“I can’t help you, you see I believe in deals, contracts… that sort of thing. Marry Raphael and all your problems would become mine. I would make sure you never lack anything.” The man persuaded.

“But Raphael doesn’t want to marry me, I don’t think he should be forced.” She said,

“That is none of your business, just do as I say and your mother would be taken care of.” Fredrick said.

“Wait, how do you know about my mother, I never said she’s the one I need to help?” Raya asked, startled.

“I have my ways. Enough questions for me, I just need to know are you going to marry my son or do I have to call someone to escort you out of here.” The man asked impatiently.

Raya hesitated.

“I don’t have all day you know.” He said. Raya started to think about her mother being happy and healthy, maybe this might give her another chance at an active life, maybe with the right treatment her cancer would finally go into remission and they could create some wonderful memories together after thinking about all this marrying a stranger did not seem like a bad idea.

She would be saving her mother, that's all that mattered.

“Okay. I will marry him.” She replied.

“Splendid, I’ll have my lawyer bring a contract for you to sign. Don’t be alarmed, it's just for formalities, after that the ceremony would happen in exactly two days. Is that okay with you?” He asked.

“Yes.” Raya replied because it seemed like the correct answer.

“Great.” Raya could feel Raphael and the girls staring at her as she left the house.

“Who’s that?“ she heard one of the girls ask.

“Oh, just a random person.” She heard Raphael reply.