The beauty contest

Amelia reversed the car out of the garage and parked in front of me. I said goodbye to Jake and entered the car, fastened my seat belt and we drove. Locating the hospital wasn't an easy feat, and immediately we got there and Amelia parked the car I jumped out of the car and rushed into the hospital with Amelia hot on my tails and rushed to the elevator, we met people in the elevator and the elevator stopping on each floor was stressing me out, when it stopped at the fifth floor I jumped out of the elevator and ran to ward 201, I found a woman sitting in front of the ward on the long bench stationed there, the woman was middle-aged, she was dressed plainly in a t- shirt and a long skirt she was dosing on the chair, so I am probably guessing she was the one that made the call to me, I tapped her shoulder gently, and she woke up," Good afternoon ma," I greeted," Afternoon," she responded after she looked at me up and down," Are you the daughter of the woman in there," she asked pointing at the ward," yes ma," I replied," she is in there, the doctor is still checking on her, she was just brought in here from the emergency unit not quiet long, "The woman said," Thank you ma," I said bowing respectfully to her," You are welcome," the woman said," since you are here, I will take my leave, I will check on you some other time later" she said," thank you very much, ma," I said," it is nothing, just remember to stay strong for your mother," she said and stood up from the bench," Yes ma," I said," Thank you ma," Amelia said and bowed respectfully to the woman, the woman patted my shoulder and left, I stood in front of the ward fidgety waiting for the doctor to come out of the office," stop that," Amelia said sternly looking down at my hands, I looked down at my hands and realized that I was peeling the outer skin of my hand which made it bloody, I looked at the hands and at Amelia who had a disappointed look on," you promised to stay strong for Xander," Amelia said her eyes misty with tears," I understand it is hard, but you have to always remember Xander," Amelia said," I will not do it again," I promised and looked down, I went to the powder room and washed the hands, I looked in a mirror and I what I saw of my reflection was a helpless girl who looked miserable, a tear rolled down my face, I rubbed it away and gave a sad smile to the mirror, I left the bathroom and came back to the ward mum is being kept, it had been more than twenty minutes I got here, and the doctor is not out yet, I started pacing up and down to ease my rising tensions," stop pacing up and down, have a seat," Amelia said," Amelia I am scared," I said," Don't be," Amelia said pulling me into a friendly hug," Just be positive and pray that we have it under our control, okay?" she said in a reassuring voice," I hope so," I said resting my head on her shoulder," yeah, that's the spirit just be positive," she said gently rubbing my head.

 Ten minutes later, the door to the ward was opened, and the doctor came out, I quickly Stood up and approached the doctor," Good afternoon sir," I greeted him respectfully," Afternoon," he greeted back,"Are you the patient's family member?" he asked referring to me and Amelia," yes," I said, Amelia moved nearer to us, stood beside me," How is the patient's condition," I asked and wrung my hand together out of nervousness," you will have to see me in my office, there is a lot to talk about," The doctor said," can we see the patient now," I asked," you can see her, but she is in coma right now and there should be no disturbance," the doctor said, "co... coma?" I stammered and almost collapsed, but Amelia quickly supported me," yes please, you can see me in my office for more details," the doctor said and walked away. " Amelia, mum is in coma," I said as a tear slipped down my face," it is ok, Mellissande," Amelia said and pulled me into a hug," mum," I wailed and hugged Amelia back tightly," it is ok, let's go and check on her," Amelia said and rubbed soothing circles on my back," Yes, let's check on her," I said and  rubbed my tears away. 

 I gently opened the door of the ward and both of us entered, and gently closed the door lightly behind us.

Mum lay paled on the hospital bed. Different wires passed across her body, I moved closer to her, she looked very pale like she was dead, the only thing that was proof of her being alive was the weakly beating heart monitor," Mom," I called as I weakly held her hand, Amelia stood behind me," Mom please wake up, Alex and I need you," I pleaded as I wailed silently, I held her hand tightly to my chest waiting for her to miraculously wake up," mum," I called pained," Mellissande you have to take it easy and go and hear what the doctor has to say," Amelia said Moving me from mum's body when she saw that I am about to get hysterical," Go and see the doctor and let us know what is wrong," Amelia said," But mum...," I said," you have to go and see the doctor now," Amelia said and dragged me out of the ward.

 I left for the doctor's office after I was dragged out by Amelia. The doctor's office was on the second floor, so I had to take the lift.

 I knocked gently on the door to the doctor's office," come in," A voice called from inside the office. I gently opened the door and entered.

 The doctor is a middle-aged man probably in his late sixties, he was wearing a side burn hairstyles, most of his hair are almost white, a significance of his old age and stress. He had taken off his lab clothes and was dressed simply in trousers and t-shirt which made him look younger," Have a seat," he said, and pointed to the seat in front of him," Thank you," I said and sat down in front of him," sir, please how is my mum," I asked eagerly resting my hands on the table," you can call me Doctor Bernard," he said," Doctor Bernard please how is my mum?" I asked,"She is out of the critical stage for now," he said," Thank God," I said heaving a sigh of relief," The woman that brought her in paid for her treatment which made it successful to save her," the doctor said, I rubbed my hands together in appreciation to the woman because I can't imagine what will happen if I had to lose her. 

 "The thing is that actually the car did not hit her it was just that she is hypertensive patient so the force in which the car stopped in front of her and screeching of the car scared her, the primary stage is passed we have supported her with some drugs, but now there is a now more serious case now," the doctor said and faced me with all seriousness, when I saw the intensity of the seriousness in his eyes it made my heart skipped a beat," Doctor Bernard is there a problem?" I asked my heart palpitating, the doctor rested his hands on the table and faced me with all seriousness," Your mum has heart attack," the doctor said dropping the bomb," Heart attack?" I asked and stood up abruptly my eyes bulging out," sit down and let me finish my sentence," Doctor Bernard said, I sat down back in fear of the unknown," why did she have heart attack?" I asked, "Is she going to die?" I asked tears filled my eyes,"There is a blockage in the blood flow coronary artery of her heart which we will need surgery to remove No, there is a chance of her survival," the doctor said," what is the chance?" I asked, and a tear slipped down my cheek," there is at least sixty percent chance of survival if the surgery is able to happen very soon, and it is not delayed," Doctor Bernard said, I cleaned my eyes, mum is not going to die, there is sixty percent of her surviving," All that is delaying the surgery is money," the doctor said," How much is the money for the surgery?" I asked," it should be around fifty thousand dollars," The doctor said," fifty thousand dollars," I repeated after him and swallowed my saliva, that is a very huge amount how am I to find that amount," I think that is all," the doctor said," Thanks sir," I said and stood up dejectedly from the chair," you are welcome," Dr Bernard said," you can always find me when you are ready for the surgery, but I will advise you not to delay it," the doctor said, I was about to leave but when I reached the door I stopped and turned back," yes?" Doctor Bernard asked,"please doctor, when will she wake up from coma?" I asked," she should wake up in the next seventy-two hours the coma happened because her system automatically shut down because of stress," he said," Thank you sir," I said.

 I dragged myself out of the doctor's office and left for the ward mum is in.

 I sat down on the bench in front of the ward and rested my head on my knees," what's wrong?" Amelia asked opened the door of mum's ward and came out," mum she suffered heart attack," I said too tired of life itself," Heart attack?" Amelia questioned her eyes bulging out," how?" she asked," Did she not know that she is hypertensive?" she asked," I don't know, we will have to wait till she wakes up," I whispered," what did the doctor said?" she asked, I told her all the doctor had said, and I couldn't help but cry again," it is ok you will be fine," Amelia comforted me," so how much is the money for the surgery," Amelia asked," The doctor said it is going to cost approximately fifty thousand dollars," I said fiddling with my fingers," what???" Amelia whispered her hand flew to her mouth," That amount is outrageous," she said," I know, how am I to find that amount of money," I said resting my head on Amelia shoulder,"Please what is the time?" I asked Amelia when realization dawned on me that I haven't picked Alex from school,"3:30, are you going out?" Amelia asked," I haven't picked Alex from school," I said and stood up abruptly," oh! Yeah Alex," Amelia said as she stood up alongside me," let me go along with you to go and pick him up," Amelia said," Amelia," I called," yes?" she responded," Thanks for everything," I said and pulled her into a hug," you are welcome," she said and gave me her charming smile.

 We took the lift downstairs and went to the underground garage which is where Amelia parked her car. She pressed the remote control of the car and the car beeped and flashed its rear lights twice. Amelia drove the car out of the garage. She drove the car out," come inside," she said and popped her head out of the car window," OK," I said and went to the other side of the car and sat down beside her on the passenger seat and buckled my seat belt. Amelia started the car and drove it out of the hospital premises. I lowered the window, it was breezy, and I found tranquility in it, it relaxed my nerves, and it made me feel more comfortable back to when I was in the hospital. It was so stuffy in there, making it impossible for anyone to think straight. 

 I gave Amelia directions to Alex's school. My eyes felt heavy," Are my eyes swollen?" I asked Amelia, she stole a glance at me before she faced the road," yeah," she said," is it so obvious?" I asked," yeah," she replied again, I guess I can't hide this from Alex then because he is a very sensitive boy, and he will spot what is wrong once he saw me.

 We got to Alex's school, and it had already got silent with a few students around, some with their parents and some probably with their nanny. Amelia parked the car very well, and I dropped the car and Amelia soon followed after she turned off the ignition engine and locked the car. We entered the school and saw him seated on one of the chairs stationed outside their classes. He had not seen us yet, his head was lowered, and he was swinging his legs. His backpack and lunch pack were stationed beside him, we moved closer to him and stood in front of him before he finally raised his head," Tister! Aunt Amelly," he called happily, and jumped down from the chair he was seated on. He hugged me, and then he hugged Amelia," How are you?" I asked and bent down to his height," I am fine," he said, smiling brightly at me," Tister did you cry," he asked and touched my eyes with his fingers," uhn," I said and nodded affirmatively," why?" he asked," Did someone do something wrong to you?" he asked me innocently staring at me with his starry eyes," No dear, something entered big sister eyes," Amelia said ruffling his hair," ok, let me blow it out for you," he said and blew air into my eyes," where is mum?" he asked," mum met with a little accident," I said," she will be fine right?" he asked," yes," I said," since Tister said that, I will believe her he said and smiled at me," he said and smiled brightly at me," yes, she will be," I said and smiled back at him.