Chapter 9

She ran inside and met the shock of her life, her mum was lying motionless on the ground.

Camilla said the only thing that entered her mind.

"Let's take her to the hospital," She said and Larissa nodded.

She ran out and came back a few minutes with a cab while She and Larissa carried her into the cab together.

They kept crying throughout their drive to the hospital and the cab driver felt pity for them instantly and kept on consoling them throughout.

Immediately they arrived at the hospital, he single-handedly carried her in his arms as he rushed towards the emergency room.

He came back and consoled the girls, asking them to fill out the necessary forms.

Camilla went to fill out the form while Larissa stood in one corner crying endlessly.

"Give me your number," He asked calmly.

She stared at him with her already swollen eyes and typed her number on his phone.

He saved it and was about to leave when she called him back, stretching some money toward him.

"No thanks, but you'll need it more," He shook his head.

"Thank you," She mouthed with a pale face.

"You're welcome, take care of yourselves. I'll be back to check on you girls tomorrow," He said and she nodded.

Camilla returned almost immediately trying hard to stop crying.

Mr Daniel came out of the emergency room and they rushed toward him happily.

"I'm sorry but I have bad news this time around," He said and their faces dropped.

"What happened?" They chorused.

"I've taken care of her but it won't last long, her lungs are badly damaged and have reached the last stage. She needs to do a transplant as quickly as possible," He explained.

"But right now, she's on oxygen," He added.

Camilla and Larissa felt their world shatter right in their very eyes.

"How much are we supposed to pay for all the expenses?" Larissa inquired.

"I won't collect money from you both for the oxygen but I would suggest you look for money for the surgery since that's the only thing I'm collecting money for," He explained.

"I've been your family doctor since and this is the little way I can help you," He said.

"Thank you, sir, but how much is the surgery," Camilla begged.

"$500,000," He dropped the bombshell.

"What!" They screamed.

********

Camilla and Larissa returned home last night and since then, they've not been able to sleep.

They've been thinking about how to raise that amount of money for her surgery.

"Milla, the money is not the problem, I will quickly call my account manager to transfer it over," Larissa said, trying to calm her friend down.

"But thats a lot of money to remove from your company account," Camilla said, making eye contact with her friend.

"Your mum's life is more important right now," Larissa said, bringing out her phone while dialling her account manager's number.

After a few rings, he finally pick up.

"What did you say? My mum did what?

"And you think you shouldn't inform me?" Larissa implied the account manager over the phone.

After seeing her friend's reaction, Camilla knows her mum must have tampered with her business again.

"What happened?" Camilla asked, moving to her friend who was pacing up and down in the room.

"Mila, that witch closed my account again, that business is my sweat, why will she do that? Larissa said.

"What are we going to do? How can we get the money, it's so urgent" Larissa said, blinking away the tears from her eyes. She didn't want her friend to break down.

"Am thinking right now, I can't lose her Larissa, she's all I have. Camilla said, swallowing constantly.

"Maybe I should call my mum, I think will just go by what she wants in order to safe Mrs Tyler," Larissa said working toward her friend.

" No, you can't do that, I can't be selfish and I won't be happy seeing you unhappy," Camilla said, holding her head to think of a possible solution.

"Larissa, maybe I should ask my boss right?" Camilla asked and Larissa shook her head defiantly.

"Leave him out of this, please," She glared.

"Your salary is $5,000 per month and the whole money is $500,000," She groaned.

"I'll have to call my mum to ask for my money," She said and was about to dial their number when Camilla snatched the phone from her.

"Don't please, I'm sure we will get another means," She said.

"Let's go to work first, I think we would surely get an idea," Larissa pleaded.

"Sure," She stood and went to freshen up.

She came out, ready for office but was wearing a pale face.

"I'm sure you wouldn't want everyone you meet on your way to know that you have an issue at home," Larissa said and with that, she smiled faintly.

They left the house shortly.

*****

She headed straight to her office and closed the door immediately.

Her desk bell rang and she smiled weakly, heading toward his office.

"I need to see the preparation of the Meeting with Mr Davis that was postponed till today," He said, immediately after she entered the office.

She nodded and left the office, but came back a few minutes later with it in her hand.

"You prepared for it, right? I want you to present it." He asked her, collecting it.

"Huh?" She faced him with widened eyes.

"No, I didn't" She shook her head continuously.

"Take it and prepare for the meeting in the next forty minutes," He handed it back to her roughly.

She sighed and went straight to her office.

"Arrrrgggghhhh!!" She yelled like a maniac, diving her fingers through her hair.

She went into her restroom to freshen up and came back afterwards a little bit calm.

She took the project and studied it, and although not everything entered her head she was sure that with the little one she studied she'll be able to perform well.

Damien rang the bell on her desk and she knew instantly that it was time for the meeting.

"Oh lord, help me," She prayed silently as she headed to the meeting room.

She entered the office and saw everyone in their seats waiting for her.

"I'm sorry, I'm late" She apologised, heading toward the projector.

She displayed a lot of robots on the screen and the idea she thought of sharing with them was a Radion.

"Radon?" They all chorused with furrowed brows.

"Yes, that's the name I gave it. It isn't a robot with an iron body or whatever but it'll be just like a human being. Like you and I," She pointed at them.

She showed them her drawings and explained to them the functions of each.

"She's brilliant," Damien thought.

"...and that's all for today," She ended and they all stood, clapping for her.

She smiled and bowed meekly.

"Wow, such a brilliant girl," Mr Davis smiled.

"Thank you, sir," She mumbled with her head bowed.

"I must say, I'm interested in this project," He added and she hugged him out of excitement.

Damien furrowed his brows staring at her.

"There's something off about her smile today, it looks insincere," He wondered.

"Well, it's not like it's my business," He shrugged the thoughts off.

"Thank you, sir," He smiled and shook hands with everyone before they all left. Leaving both of them alone in the room.

Camilla was about to leave when his next words shocked her.

"Meet me in my office later today," He said and walked past her, heading toward his office.

"What for?" She groaned inwardly and left the meeting room going towards the cafeteria downstairs.

"I'll have to ask Mr Jones," She sighed.

Right now, what matters to her is her mum's life, not her pride. So she has made up her mind to try her best in speaking to the beast.