6 CHAPTER SIX - MARIANA
September 2012
"Buy Your chapel Veil, Dress decently to Mass" Mariana Said selling Her chapel veils beside the entrance of the San Francisco Parish. She was putting on a Three-quater sleeve light blue top and A long black Caribbean Skirt.
Ever since Mariana's father lost His job, at Juan-diego's Ranch, Mariana has been the bread winner of Her home. She had specifically asked Her father to stop working as Her father had health issues.
To sustain the Family, Mariana worked three Jobs. One being the Selling of Chapel veils, second is working at a Bar at night were She serves as a waitress. Third job is to take care of an old lady twice a week.
Mariana was so hardworking that all at the Church dearly loved Her for Her sacrificing spirit.
"Well done Mariana, I really admire Your hardwork" A lady in Her thirties who sells Grotto flowers beside Mariana said
"Thank You Mrs Fernanda" Mariana said with a smile while still looking around for costumers. Then it occurred to Her that it was already 4pm and She said hastily
"Oh!! Blessed Mother!! Its already 4pm, I have to go home and get ready for night work"
She quickly packed up Her market products inside a big zip bag and bade goodbye to Mrs Fernanda and hurried home.
One getting home She hurried to get ready in a white office shirt and pencil skirt then hurried off to El niño Bar, which was the bar were She worked.
At 9pm Mariana was done for the day and was on Her way home along a seemingly dark street which was dark due to power failure. She was careful looking out for thugs who might be out in the dark looking for Women to devour in theft.
As She carefully walked along the dark kind of lonely Street She heard someone gasping in pain
"Argggggghhhhhhh, Arghhhhhhhhhh"
"Oh Blessed Mother!!!!!" She exclaimed in great fear wondering who it would be that was gasping in pain. On a second thought She felt it was some thugs trying to prank Her into their trap, on this note, She walked faster but still She kept hearing the Voice which was gasping out of pain and loss of breath. Mariana followed the lead of the voice and got to a place were there was only a black car parked, She became even scared and suspicious but still She moved closer and low and behold She saw a Young man laying in a pool of blood and struggling with with His life before She was able to recognize who He was, the man had passed out. The Man in pain happens to be Juan-diego. Mariana's enemy.
What could She do?
The Man who caused so much pain to Her family!
The Man who threatened to deal with her!
Should She help Him? Or just let Him die being heaven's judgement on Him.
Mariana pondered all these words in Her heart as She stood in front of Him shocked and astonished and asked Herself as to who must have stabbed Him.
Even though She was Mad at Him, She still did the right thing.
She began shouting for help, running from one place to another.
"Somebody help, Help Me, Somebody please help Me Please" She Shouted Running about in tears.
At this time, a security Man was holding a touch on His hands and approaching when Mariana had seen Him, She ran to Him pleading for His help
"Mister Please, My friend has been stab,Please I need You to take Us to the nearby hospital Please I beg You" Mariana pleaded with the security while crying.
"Were is Your friend" the security Man said anxiously Hurrying Mariana.
"He is beside that black Camry Car, Please come and help Us please" Mariana said Hurrying
"Ok dear, lets go to Him"the security Man said as He and Mariana hurried to were Juan-Diego was, the security Man helped Mariana place Juan-Diego into the the back seat of the car and they drove Juan-diego to the hospital.
On getting to the hospital, Mariana went in to call for emergency and some nurses and a doctor came with stretcher to the entrance of the hospital were Juan Diego laid lifeless inside the car, they carried Him onto the stretcher and went into the Emergency room to try to revive Him. Mariana thanked the security who handed the keys of Juan-Diego's Car to Her and He left while Mariana went back into the Hospital and stood at the door of the Emergency Room all soaked in Juan-Diego's blood.
By 11pm The doctor came out of the emergency room and Mariana approached Him
"Doctor, how is He" Mariana asked anxiously
"He is sleeping now,We performed a minor procedure on Him to remove the knife and stop the bleeding, You see He was punctured very deeply. Thank God You came fast, We were already on the verge of loosing Him" The Doctor explained
"Thank God" Mariana Said with relief joining Her palms together like She was praying
"Who are You to Him Ma'am" The doctor asked
"Uhmmm....am His Friend" Mariana said to the Doctor thinking of something else to say instead of that.
"Whats Your name" The doctor asked
"Mariana" She answered while still being tensed
"Ok Mariana, it will be nice to contact His Parents or Wife so they could come and look after Him, He would be transfered to a regular room as soon as He wakes up in the morning"
"Ok doctor I will contact His parent right away, Thank You for everything" Mariana said in assurance and left the doctor's presence and reached for Juan-Diego's Car to get His phone.
She searched for whose number to call until She came across the number of Juan-diego's Mother, Esperanza.
Before calling Esperanza She called Home to say that She won't be coming home tonight as it was already too late in the night. Then She called Esperanza
"Hello Ma'am" Mariana said
"Hello, who is this and why are You answering My Son's phone" Esperanza calmly inquired
"Uhmmm....Ma, am not important but there is something You should know, Your son Juan-diego was stabbed this evening and right now He is at Lourdes Hospital, In Matilda street." Mariana explained
"What???" Esperanza exclaimed and started crying.
"Ok thank You am coming there right away" Esperanza added
"Ok" Mariana answered and Hunged up the call.
She went over to the counter to Were some nurses were seated to ask for the Doctor who has just attended to Juan-Diego and they directed Her to Him. She handed the Car keys and cell phone of Juan-Diego to The Doctor but the Doctor insisted She hold it so that She could come back in the morning and Juan-diego could see and thank the person who saved His life. Initially, She refused but after being persuaded by the Doctor, She gave in and kept the Things to Herself to return them in the morning the doctor ordered one of the nurses there at the counter to take Her to their dressing room were She could change to something else and get rid of the Blood stained cloth She was wearing. The nurses attended to Her giving Her one of their Scrubs to wear and She went to the hospital Chapel to pray and to get some sleep.
In the Morning at 6am, Mariana woke up and quickly went to the rest room to Ease Herself and wash off Her face after which She left the hospital and returned home on getting home it was seemingly bright Mariana was received into the house by Her Mother, Consuelo, a Woman in Her middle 40s who was putting on a white night gown
"My child what happened yesterday night, and why are You wearing like a Doctor"" Consuelo asked anxiously opening the door for Mariana
"hmmm...Good morning Mother" Mariana said and walking into the house looking tired.
"Goodmorning Dear" Her Mother answered closing the door and walking close to Her in astonishment.
"I rescued someone yesterday" Mariana said Sitting down on a black arm chair in their parlour and resting Her back on the chair.
"You rescued Someone? Who?" Consuelo asked still looking amazed
"A man, He was stabbed badly yesterday night" Mariana answered looking sad and getting up to go to the refrigerator in the Parlour to grab a cup of cold water.
"Oh My God!!!!" Consuelo exclaimed.
"Mother the Crazy part of this whole thing is that the Man I rescued yesterday was the same Man who fired Father" Mariana said in anger turning to Her Mother.
"What!!!" Consuelo exclaimed in shock
"Yes!!! Juan-Diego, Father's ex- Boss was the Man I Rescued, that Bastard who Fired My Father" Mariana said angrily
"Oh!! My God" Consuelo exclaimed in shock sitting gently in another arm chair in the parlour and then She continued
"How did You take care of this issue My dear, I wish I was there to help You"
It was not easy for Me, I got help from alot of people and this morning I just had to come home in order for Him not to wake up and find out it was Me who rescued Him, but I will be going back to the hospital to go and meet His Doctor to drop His car key and phone with Him so He can pass it to Juan-diego and after that am done" Mariana explained calming down and sitting on the arm chair were She was before.
"Am very proud of You My child, even when You know that this Man hurt You and Your father, You still chose to save His life. You did the right thing and for that I am proud of You" Consuelo said
"Mother, let Me go inside my room and refresh so I can go back to the hospital after which I shall go to Sell My Veils" Mariana said getting up from the arm chair
"Ok My daughter go and take some rest" Consuelo said
Ok Mother" Mariana said leaving the Parlour and entering Her room.
Mariana went back to the hospital at 8am to see Juan-diego's Doctor whom She was told was performing His ward rounds. Mariana had to sit patiently at the reception waiting. When the Doctor had completed His ward rounds and came back to the reception Mariana approached Him saying
"Goodmorning Doctor" Mariana said with a smile
"Ohhh Goodmorning Miss Mariana" The Doctor Answered with a smile too and added
"You are just in time, Mr Juan-diego is awake and His parents are in there with Him. He has been transfered to regular room now, His parents are requesting to see and thank You for what You did for their Son" the Doctor said
"Oh No doctor, no need, I don't want that, I just came to drop His car keys and Phone so You could help Me give it to Him" Mariana said in protest
"Ok if You insist" the doctor said collecting the materials from Mariana who bade the doctor farewell and left the hospital.
The doctor entered the room were Juan-diego was laying talking with His parents.
"Uhmmmm....excuse Me, I was asked to give this to Mr Juan-diego" the Doctor said
"These are from who?" Esperanza asked looking surprised And taking the materials from the Doctor
"These are from the girl who saved Your Son" The doctor said
"Really!!!" Juan-diego said trying to sit up and continued
"Is She still around, Doctor please let Her come in here Please"
"I wish I could But She has left the building and She ordered Me not to tell You who she was. She is such a good Girl. She was here through out the whole night praying for You at the Hospital chapel" the doctor explained.
"Whats Her name, didn't She drop a number or something We could use to trace Her?" Juan diego's father, Carlos added
"No, She didn't drop anything. She said She didn't want to meet anyone" The doctor said
"Doctor pls whats Her name?"
Juan Diego asked anxiously
"Uhmmmm....Mariana...but I don't know Her surname, when She brought You to the hospital, She was wearing a waitress uniform, it seems to Me that She maybe working as a waiteress" the doctor explained
"A Waitress?, I was attacked after I went to El Niño bar could it be that She is a waitress at El Niño?" Juan diego asked
"You can look for Her later, You need to focus on Your recovery first" the doctor advised
"That's right Juan, focus on recovery first then You can look for Mariana later" Esperanza answered
Juan-diego was restless. His heart
Was set and determined to find this Woman who gave Him a chance to life. For being a terror no woman except His Mother has ever been nice to Him. He needed to know this lady who has given Him life.
