Lindsey pov
The first thing I did once I closed the sitting room door was fall to the ground, and after wrapping my arms around my knees, I busted into another painful tear. My chest was rising and falling because of how badly I wanted to scream, but I couldn't disturb others cause of my problems.
Everything went wrong totally in the space of three weeks. We are going broke, and if my parents keep going on like this, very soon, we won't have a roof over our heads. I know, because the money for Andrew's surgery will cost a fortune, the house, and I'm sure my parents won't hold anything back before dismissing it. Anything to save Andrew's life, even though I doubt if selling the house will be enough to get the surgery money. It's a huge amount. We don't have it.
It's afternoon, but I can't wait for the night to be here; I need to bury myself in its darkness while crying my eyes into a stupor without feeling like some eyes are watching my weakness through the wall as I'm crying right now.
Andrew's existence is literally to ruin everything for me. From depriving me of my parent's love to almost depriving me of a good life. If we go broke, how will I enter into a university? If Dad loses his job because he can't focus, how would we survive? Everything is not okay.
I don't mean to call him bad luck, but that's what it looks like. He's ruining everything for everyone. I hope he survives and let Mom and Dad's efforts pay off because I won't forgive him if he dies by default or mistake. He needs to live for their happiness. Even if he doesn't like me as a sister.
*
Two days later, when I was done roaming around the house alone, I decided to visit Chloe in the evening. We've not seen frequently, and it's because of me. I was not in the right state of mind, and although I wasn't supposed to hide from my best friend, I couldn't find myself saying much of what was happening to her.
"Swollen eyes, have you been crying yourself to sleep?" That was the first thing she said to me the moment we entered her room. She must have kept that to herself from when she saw me outside to only mention it now.
"I need the tears to add weight," I replied sarcastically. Laughing at my problems. The problems I will cry over once I get back home because it doesn't sound any way funny whenever I am all by myself.
"What about someone hitting you so you will have enough? My hands ain't doing anything, by the way," the foolish girl said, the hint of sarcasm in her voice hitting my ear drum hard, but I didn't stop to reply. I walked directly to her bed and lay flatly on it.
"You look depressed, any problem? I'm sorry I couldn't visit you yesterday. I had to attend Tonia's birthday," she pleaded. Tonia must have been upset that I refused to attend her parties. My problems are the reason why I am slowly turning into an introvert even when I am extremely extroverted. I just need enough time to sort out my problems.
"I saw the pictures she posted," I hand-picked another pillow and I placed it on the one I had so it would add to my comfort. I've come to stay here with her and probably sleep over if I end up not having an interest in going back home. Chloe won't complain, she'd be happy about it. She has always begged for me to sleep over.
"Her boyfriend spent a lot to make it special for her," she shared and I smiled. Tonia and Tony do have the type of relationship that's worth to envy but having a lover is the last thing on my mind.
I can't trust guys with my heart. Not after a guy I thought was worth giving a chance told it to my face that he was in love with someone else. It happened when I was in high school but all thoughts of the moments count whenever I am thinking about the reasons not to love anyone again.
"Did you take pictures? Show them to me," I requested because I'm sure that's her favourite thing to do. Chloe never misses out on pictures. She's nothing like me that I don't know what to do anytime I am facing a camera aside shying away from it.
"A lot of them, but you need to tell me the reason why you're looking depressed before I'll show you," she bent her knees to the space on the bed beside me and hugged her upper body in the air.
"Didn't I tell you that Andrew was admitted?" I muttered, not having the urge to talk about my problems. The little peace I am feeling will leave once I start talking about it.
"Yes, but you're not the one lying on the hospital bed. What's the depressed appearance for? All he's ever done is being rude to you anyway," Her rolling her eyes as she was speaking showed how annoyed she was. Chloe has never liked Andrew.
"Dad sold his car. They needed the money for his hospital bills. He has a heart disease," I shared everything that she doesn't know about. I only told her that he was admitted, she didn't know about the cause of the admission.
The gasp Chloe gave showed me the reaction I was expecting her to have and without wasting time, she sat down properly on the bed while facing me. "A heart disease?" She repeated like the word wasn't what I had just said. I nodded my head.
"That's sad," she whispered but I heard it. I can't see the frown that was on her face earlier anymore. It has been replaced by a sad expression. The ones I've placed on mine for three weeks without getting tired of displaying it.
"I hope he gets better soon," Chloe said and patted my arm lightly. I hope he gets better too. I hope everything ends soon. I hope things get better in my family, even if I don't biologically belong there.
"Your phone is ringing," Chloe tapped me. My eyes met hers before I picked up the phone from the bed, where I dropped it. My heart had a frightened leap when I saw that the caller was Mom.
My phone shook in my hand a little. I silently prayed for the reason why she was calling not to be a heartbreaking one. Probably, Chloe noticed the worried look on my face, and that was why she gave me an assuring long stare, which forced my finger to wipe the phone screen upwards, answering the call.
"Mom," My silent voice called out to her before she could even speak to me. I also prayed in my mind not to hear her creaky voice because of tears from the call ending.
"Lindsey," It was a calm voice, devoid of any emotion and she wasn't crying either. I sighed in relief, knowing her voice wouldn't be that calm if something bad had happened to Andrew.
"How are you, mom?" I asked, knowing she'd lie that she was fine, but still, I couldn't help but ask. She's my mother and I want to know how she's feeling.
Mom didn't answer my question; instead, what she replied with was, "Please come to the hospital in the morning. There's something urgent that we need to speak with you about," She rushed her words.
"You can take a cab that'll bring you here in case you don't have some money to pay. I'll pay for your transport when you get here, okay? You can find your way here, right?" I blinked my eyes at each other.
"Yes, Mom. I can find my way there," What's urgent that she had to ask me to come over? She has asked me not to come. Because my presence isn't needed. That was what she told me.
"See you tomorrow, princess," I was called by the sweet name that I've not heard from her in years. She stopped calling me that long time ago. I couldn't react or reply before she hung up.
"What happened?" Chloe questioned once I dropped the phone back on the bed with furrowed eyebrows. Mom called me princess. That was unexpected.
"Something is fishy." My instinct whispered to me.
*
I walked into the hospital the next day, looking lost and anxious. I couldn't sleep well last night, even after Chloe tried her best to stop me from thinking about whatever mom wanted to say but she asked me to come around instead.
Somehow, I feel it's not a good news. Because she tended to be nice while requesting for me to come was the reason for so. Many doubts in my mind.
The nurse at the reception gave me a questionable gaze when I got to where she was standing at the other end of it, and I was staring at her.
"Hello. I'm here to see my brother," I said to her because I didn't like the glare she was giving me. It's too early for someone to have a grumpy face but this nurse right here has a deep frown on her face.
"Just that? No ward number?" She raised her eyebrows at me. She didn't even respond to my greetings. Why is everyone mean to me nowadays even when I didn't do anything wrong?
"Ward number 101,'' I muttered. My voice was not very loud, but I'm sure she heard what I said. She shut her eyes and opened it and without wasting another of my time, she directed me over to where the place.
I had to climb the stairs according to her description, and I tried my best to look ahead as I walked on the stairs and never tried looking downwards because I have a bad fright for heights.
It was not easy looking into the labelled door around the hospital as I searched for which one belonged to where Andrew was getting treated. With everyone going about their shits, or their relative who brought them here, anyone at home won't know what it feels like being in a hospital.
"98... 99...100...101," I mumbled the numbers to myself as I finally got to the door, which had the number Mom had called earlier to tell me.
The door was closed and I didn't bother knocking before entering. I prepared myself to see Andrew's face after weeks of not seeing him.
"Mom," I slightly bowed my head as I walked into the room. It was just her and Andrew who was in the room. She was sitting on a chair placed by his bedside, and Andrew was lying on the bed when I looked at him.
Unlike the last night, where we were able to haunt each other, where he looked healthy and maintained his harsh attitude; Andrew is down on the bed; his eyes are closed, and his face looks sick.
I noticed him having fatigue, a chest that's unusually rising and falling faster than it should. I doubt if the pain he's going through right now can be guessed because it's evident in his appearance.
My heart aches; seeing my brother in such a state breaks my heart. Seeing Mom looking up at me helplessly as I walked over to her side and stood quietly before she hurt me.
Mom had already lost her smile since the day Andrew was brought in here, and she had no joy to see on her face. It looks like she hasn't been sleeping or feeding well. I could see some of the bone on her neck showing through the top she was putting on. She has lost weight too.
"Did the nurses stress you?" She asked like she knew the nurse almost ended me with her eye rolls. I shook my head, declining what I know is true. The nurse did stress me with her attitude. But she didn't say anything to me.
"Okay. Did you have something to eat before coming?" The expression of concern on her face is the one I haven't gotten in a long time. The last time I had it was a year ago when I fell sick and was almost dying. I saw both concern and fear in her eyes that day.
"I had a beverage before coming," I replied, and my eyes left hers to stare at Andrew. They need to find solutions to the disease because his appearance isn't pleasant to look at. I felt pity for him.
"Where's dad?" He was supposed to be here with them, or did he go to work?
"He went to speak to a friend about his work. He has been warned several times for skipping work, and now, a spy told him he'll be sacked," The heavy weight of sadness in her tone as she spoke wasn't missed by my ears.
"God will help us," I hoped and said. She nodded her head while looking at me. I blinked my eyes around, and minutes later, with her refusing to say anything and wouldn't take her eyes away from me, I decided to look at her in the eyes.
"What happened, mom? You said you needed to see me urgently," I dived into the discussion that brought me here. Many times I've requested to come see Andrew, but she rejected my request. If not the sudden change of mind that made her accept me to see him now, my heart told me it was because something was wrong.
"We need your help, Lindsey. I need to request from you. A request that will save your brother's life," She said and I felt the hair on my skin standing against it. Fear gripped my body a little but not totally. I had to remind myself that the request won't be me giving my heart to him. My parents don't hate me that much. I have legs to run away if that's the case too.
"What is it?" I couldn't find myself adding "mom" to the question because my mind wasn't settled. I just want her to tell me what she wants from me.
"Hum. I think I need to wait for your dad to come and tell you. It's not something you have a lot of choice to; you just have to do it to save him," Wait for Dad to tell me. Why can't she say it?
"Please tell me what it is, mom." I requested. She won't toy with my state of mind until Dad is back. Especially when I don't even know when he'll be back and I can't hold my body from being scared.
"Andrew is dying. His heart is failing each day we've wasted searching for money here and he needs to get the surgery done else..." She paused, holding her palm to her face and rubbing her teary eyes with it. I'm pitying her but I need to know where I'm to come in in the story.
"He'll need to get a bypass surgery done. We don't have the money for it, and Smith has done all he could to gather some money, but it's not enough," she shared. I've gotten wrinkles on my face right now because I was worried.
"You gave the key to the car to the buyer, right?" She asked, and I nodded my head in reply. "We've sold the car, and still, the money isn't enough to save him," her eyes that have been on me shifted to sleeping, Andrew.
"We only have the space of a week to arrange the money for the surgery else... Otherwise, we'll lose him," I felt how hard it was for her to complete the statement, and I saw the tears that rolled down her eyes with it.
"Smith met with someone, and they are ready to give us the money to treat him," I felt relieved when I heard that there was hope of Andrew being saved. But I didn't know what she would say next, and it broke my heart apart for the rest of the day.
"We'll be given the money but it's on a condition. A condition that requires you to be a surrogate mom for their dying soon," my heart crumbled against my chest. I may lie on a bed next to Andrew's own before we're done with this discussion.
"Luna, you need to save your brother's life by agreeing to bear his child. You just have to save him with everything you can do, and this is the way to. Be a surrogate mom for the billionaire." Mom pleaded
with tears in her eyes and me, I was already crying even before she could complete her statement. A surrogate mom at age 22?