Reaching Out

Asher stepped out of the room, and carefully closed the door behind him.

CLICK!

In the hallway, a nurse was already waiting for him.

"Mr. Asher, you need to go to the accounting department about your payments," 

"Okay, I'll head there now,"

He walked past a few patients sitting in chairs, some lost in their thoughts, while others chatted softly with their families.

As he moved closer , he couldn't help but think about the piling hospital bills again. 

Finally, he reached the door labeled "Accounting.". 

Inside, the room was filled with the faint sound of tapping keyboards and the rustling of papers.

A woman behind the desk gestured for him to sit.

She looked worn out, probably because of dealing with people like him all day.

Even though she was tired, she had a nice appearance, with brown eyes and hazelnut hair.

A few lines on her face suggested she was around 40, but still very hot. 

"Sir, you gotta pay 30,000 Credits this month to keep your mother in the hospital," she broke the silence.

Caring for his mother in the hospital cost a staggering 100,000 credits each month.

Fortunately, government assistance covered 70,000 credits, but that still left him with a hefty 30,000 credits to pay.

But he had no choice .

His mother ended up in the hospital because of a rare disease.

They had to keep injecting medicine to control her dopamine levels, or she'd stop moving completely.

Her condition was severe to the point that she could only go 6 hours without a dopamine shot.

Sometimes, she would also just stop breathing for a few minutes. That's why she had to stay in the hospital.

Here, the machines could tell the nurses when that happened.

The hospital was like a safety net, always there to catch her when she needed help, especially during those scary moments.

"I only have 25K credits right now," he admitted .

It was all the money he had, including what he got from those snatchers and the cash from James.

If it weren't for all these bills piling up, he could have lived a somewhat comfortable life. But that thought rarely registered in his mind, and when it did, he quickly brushed it aside.

Without his mother, he would have likely died long ago, so he had to do everything in his power to keep her alive.

"I'll pay the remainder next month.. I promise "

This wasn't the first time he had to negotiate with her.

"Sir, you still have an outstanding balance of 120,000 credits," she sighed, her expression showing a hint of sympathy.

The debt had piled up over the years because he couldn't afford to pay the monthly bills in full. 

However, the harsh reality could not be change with pity alone— the hospital wasn't a charity, and even though she felt sorry for him, their facility was already the most affordable in the city.

"I know it's tough, but we need the payment for your mother's care. The administrative office is already giving you an ultimatum," she said, tapping on her tablet to emphasize the urgency of the situation. 

"Please, just give me another chance. I promise to pay the whole thing next month," he pleaded earnestly. His words carried the weight of desperation, a son's plea to keep his mother's lifeline intact. 

The nurse glanced at him with mixed emotions. 

She must admit that he was really handsome. Perhaps that's why, she often let him slide without paying the full amount .

"I know it's tough... Would you be interested in making some quick money?" She reached out and gently touched his hand.