Again?

I was walking towards the exit with a smile on my face, and eagerly trying to reach to hospital.

"Hey," I heard a shrill voice yelling behind me, but I did not want to waste my time so I kept on walking ahead.

I suddenly saw Marie coming up to me, with an angry face.

"You think I'm stupid?" She yelled on my face.

I innocently shook my head and said, "I never said that, you are more intelligent than I thought, I mean you can tell yourself that you are stupid."

Her face turned red. And she huffed her foot angrily, "I am warning you, If that smile of your is because of Jason stay away from him, 'He is Mine' " she emphasized on last part. I took a breath to calm myself because I didn't want to loose my calm today especially.

"Well, I don't care about you , and your stupid claim. Tell him to stay away from me if you must, I mean if he listens to you ever. I have no interest in any of this. Understood?"

I warned her in a threatening tone, and put on a sickly sweet smile. She stood there gaping at me for a moment. She started to open her mouth again but I started before she could, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some important things to do rather than hearing you whine," I gave her a last glance and moved out of the school gate.

I walked around the busy roads of Somerville, the roads where my dad used to piggy back me. I remember when we all three were a happy family, dad used to work as a manager at some bank, and mom was a middle school teacher, but yes, that was ages ago.

I looked at a passing couple, they had expressions of love and care imprinted on their faces, "Probably enjoying the moment," I mumbled.

I lowered my head and started to move towards the hospital hurriedly, I did not need any guidance now as I have learnt the way by heart now, I think I could go there even with my eyes closed. But let's not try that. I don't wanna end up in hospital by an ambulance afterwards.

Shaking my head at my own stupidity, I entered the hospital doors. I was humming to myself in a joy and excitement.

I had only made up to second floor when I saw a doctor and few nurses wheeling a stretcher hurriedly. I saw them going to the right, through which I presumed that they are going to emergency room, I knew it because I have been there few times with my mother.

FLASHBACK

I came back from school, my 15 year self started to look around the dark small house in which me and my mother used to live.

"Mom?" I asked she was usually back by this time, as she has been feeling weak for few days. But when I didn't hear any response I thought she was still not home. So I put my bag at floor of living room and strolled towards the kitchen to drink some water, my mouth has been dry for hours by now due to my continuous talking with Anne, she is my partner for the Mathematics this session.

I entered the room only to find a person lying on the floor unmoving.

I shrieked terrified, and ran towards the lifeless body of my mother on the floor.

"Mom," I tried rubbing her hands in effort to wake her up, but to vain.

I started crying and running all over the place I searched mom's phone to call the ambulance.

In few moments, I saw an ambulance in our doorway, and the paramedics rushed to put her body on the stretcher. I stood there frozen in terror.

A young paramedic came to me, and rubbed my arm reassuringly.

"She will be alright," she said in a calm voice. I tried to calm my nerves as well and nodded.

"I can come with you, right?" I asked her at which she nodded her head.

That was the first time I saw myself vulnerable.

(End of FLASHBACK)

I rubbed my eyes and took a breath.

"It's alright," I reassured myself. "Whoever it is , he or she, they will be alright I hope," I prayed silently. And started to walk towards mom's room.

I knocked softly at the door and opened it to see whether she were sleeping right now. I opened the door to see no one in the room. The white walled room had no sign of life, I felt those white walls coming towards me and suffocating me to death. But I hurriedly moved out of the room.

I ran in the corridor to find someone who could tell me where was my mother. I finally saw a nurse coming out of one of the patients room.

"Umm, Excuse me?" I asked her desperately.

"Yes?" She responded to me while moving the tray with her.

"Do you know where my mom is?" I asked her like a lost child who was finding her mother. She looked at me quizzically probably finding this awkward to see a 18 year old confused like a baby.

"I could help you if you would be a little more specific," she said kindly.

"Miss. Walters," I said hurriedly. She thought for a minute and nodded her head at me indicating she knew who I was looking for.

"I heard they took a leukemic patient to the ER, I think you should go check there." and my worse nightmare came to reality.

I did not stop there for a second, and ran to the ER. I frantically started to pace in the hallway to find someone, anyone to tell me that it is not my mother, that she is alright, just something that could solace my heart.

I felt cold sweat drops moving down my forehead, I started shaking. Thankfully I saw a nurse coming out of the room so I ran to him and asked him, "Is that Ms. Walters in there?"

He gave me a questioning glance and nodded his head hitting me with thousands of knives just at once.

I started breathing heavily trying to maintain my breathing to regain my posture I found myself leaning against a wall. I again asked him, "Is she going to be alright?"

"The doctor is trying his best just pray for her." He said and started moving away from me.

"Pray, Pray, Right. I gotta pray, she used to say that Prayers change karma." I nodded to myself remembering my mothers voice ringing in my head.

"It's going to be alright one day baby," That's what she has been saying for past 11 years since dad left us with nothing. No house, No food, just nothing at all.

"I survived, we survived that. We will survive this phase as well together mom, we will!" I mumbled to myself.

I sat there for hour or two waiting for someone to come out of the operation theatre, to tell me mom is awake.

Maybe listening to my prayers, the door opened , and came out Dr. Watson.

I ran up to him, "Doctor, is she-?" I trailed off.

Nodding to my unsaid question he answered, "She is alright, but she is unconscious for now." I sigh in relief. "But, she is probably going to be awake by tomorrow as the medication we just gave her was really strong", I nodded at him understanding his words.

"You can go back home, if you want there is nothing to worry for now." He said in a fatherly tone and started to move out of the hallway probably going to his office.

I sat on a nearby chair and started breathing heavily, finally knowing she once again survived for me.

I walked to the bathroom and washed my face with the cold water and cleared all the sweating mess from my face.

"Of course, I gotta go make some money," I gave out a cold laughter. And strolled towards the gym.