As soon as we are outside, I suck in the fresh air and let it give me strength. Nicholas is right by my side, placing his hand on my lower back. I take comfort in his touch as I gather the courage to tell him everything that’s on my mind.
I’m not usually one to share my problems with anyone, but the weight on my shoulders is heavy and I feel like if I don’t get it off now, it will crush me.
“You want to know why I live in a bad neighborhood, even though you pay me well? Why I don’t drive a nice car, or buy expensive clothes? Because I have a ton of bills, for myself and my parents. Basically, I’m supporting two households with one income. Every time I think I get ahead of making payments, a new bill arrives at my door.”
As the words pour out of me, I feel lighter, so I keep going.
“They are all I have. I would do anything for them, but I feel like I will never get a chance to live my own life. I want my father to live, but I already know I will be paying this surgery off for the next decade, and that makes me so angry. Angry with the healthcare system for making it too expensive, and angry with my parents for putting this burden on me.”
I gasp in shock, slapping my hands over my mouth. I can’t believe I just said that out loud.
“Fuck. I’m a terrible person. What kind of daughter thinks this way?”
“Wow, Riley, you are not a bad daughter. You are the most selfless person I know. I had no idea you were supporting your parents like this.”
“Of course, you didn’t. Why would you? It’s not like I walk around sharing my personal business with everyone. And if you haven’t noticed, I don’t wear my heart on my sleeve. Besides, you know how the saying goes; if you have problems keep them to yourself, because fifty percent of people don’t want to hear it, and the other fifty percent are glad you have them.”
“I’m not that kind of person. I don’t celebrate others’ pitfalls. I’m an asshole, but I would never. Everything you’ve been through… you’re so strong, Riley.”
“I don’t feel strong. I feel weak. I’ve devoted my life to the well-being of my parents, and they depend on me immensely. I can’t let them down. They’ve spent their entire lives taking care of me, and now it is my turn. I can’t, and will not, leave them to fend for themselves.”
By the time I finish pouring my heart out, Nick has wrapped his arms around me once more and I’m nestled against his warm chest. During this quiet moment, Nicholas cups my head in his hands and lifts my head from his chest. He looks me in the eye and then leans forward to kiss me. His lips are soft and gentle, but he tastes like sin and lust. For one second everything feels like it’s going to be okay.
All too soon, reality crashes back into me. Remembering where we are, I pull away and regain my composure.
Nicholas clears his throat. “We should get back and check on your mother.”
I nod in agreement, even if going back into that hospital is the last thing I want to do. My mother is right where we left her. We take a seat next to hers and Nicholas offers me his hand.
The doctor finally returns to the waiting room to let us know they moved my father to the ICU floor, and that we can go up to see him. My mother’s hand grips mine as we take the elevator upstairs. I’m a mess of emotions and I can tell my mother is the same.
Nicholas leaves, telling me he’ll be back to check on me later. We go inside to see my dad. Walking into the room and seeing my father hooked up to all those machines is heartbreaking, but I fight to keep it together for my mother. If I break down, she will break down. I know she will feed off my energy, so I have to remain calm and strong for her. We move deeper into the room, and a nurse closes the door behind her as she slips out.
My father isn’t coherent. He lays in the hospital bed sound asleep, or sedated by the medicine that they’re giving him. I sit next to him and take his hand carefully in mine. My mom is quietly crying beside me, and my heart breaks in two.
I’m lost in thought, wondering how the hell I’m going to fix all of this, when someone knocks at the door. Perplexed, my mother and I look to see Dr. McGuire peeking in.
“I’m doing my last round for the evening, but I wanted to come in and discuss with you what you can expect from the surgery. We’ve got him scheduled for tomorrow at lunch. It will take about six hours total, unless there are complications.” He smiles, and now I’m even more confused than I was before.
“Are you sure? We haven’t even talked to the hospital about our financial situation.”
The doctor raises a brow. “Oh, well, I thought you already paid for the surgery. That’s why this is moving so fast, Ms. Moore.”
“Okay.” I’m not sure what to say, but I’m not going to turn down the surgery that could save my father’s life.
The doctor gives us a brief on the surgery and how my dad’s recovery is going to be. I try to listen the best I can, but my mind feels like it’s been through a blender.
“Do you have any questions?”
“No, I have no further questions right now. Thank you for your help.”
“Great, I’ll leave you ladies to it, and will talk with you soon. Have a nice evening.”
“See, Mom, everything is going to be alright. Dad’s going to be just fine. We’re going to be just fine,” I assure her, trying to convince both of us.
After the doctor leaves and I settle my mom in the waiting room, I make my way downstairs to talk to the financial office.
“Could you tell me if this bill was paid today?” I ask, handing her the paperwork we got from the hospital earlier.
“Of course.” She taps on the keyboard of her workstation. “By the looks of it, as of about an hour ago, the entire surgery has been paid in full.”
This has to be a mistake. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“How? By who?” I ask, shocked.
Who has the type of money to make a purchase like that? Better yet, who would do such a thing for free? I grow more tense by the second. Maybe someone heard what was going in the waiting room, but even then, it’s a far fetch that anyone would do something like that for us.
The nurse squints at the screen. “Brooks Enterprises paid for it with an American Express credit card. Do you know a man named Nicholas Brooks?”
My jaw nearly hits the floor. Do I know him?
I know him all right, but maybe not as well as I thought I did.
16
Nicholas
After hearing the weight that Riley had on her shoulders, there was no way I could walk away and do nothing to help her. So, I did the only thing I could. I paid for her father’s surgery. It was the right thing to do. All this time I thought she had no interest in me and was some hard-nosed, pissy-brat. But the truth is, she’s just a girl working her ass off to care for her parents. God knows, if there was something I could have done to save my mother, I would have. I completely understand her passion and need to be there for her parents.
Now that I’m waist-deep into things with Riley, I figure it’s time to enlighten my family on what has taken place and how I plan to fix it. During my drive home from the hospital, I call my father and William and ask them to meet me at my house for a family meeting. Sure, my father will be a little upset at the initial blow of hearing it all, but ultimately, he will understand. The idea of disappointing him is not one I want to think about.