Chapter Ten

Liam's heart pounded as he scribbled down the last few numbers on the crumpled piece of paper. Fifteen thousand dollars. That's all he had managed to scrape together from friends after weeks of desperate pleading and calling in every last favor.

His mother's life-saving surgery was just a few weeks away, and the cost was a staggering two hundred thousand dollars. Liam had foolishly hoped his buddies from the old neighborhood, some making decent money now through shadier pursuits, might have been able to front him the full amount temporarily. But that had been naive wishful thinking.

With a shaky breath, Liam crumpled the note in his fist. He raked his other hand through his disheveled hair as panic gripped him like a vise. What the hell was he going to do? His mom's condition was deteriorating rapidly, and without this operation, the doctors gave her six months at most.

The sting of helplessness brought frustrated tears to Liam's eyes. No matter how hard he tried to turn his life around, to make an honest living through long hours in construction, his past always seemed to cast a long shadow he couldn't escape.

"Hey man, it's not the end of the world," Alex said, trying his best to be sympathetic. "Fifteen grand will at least cover some of the costs, buy your mom a little more time to"

"More time for what?" Liam snapped, whipping his head towards his lifelong friend with heated eyes. "You didn't hear the doctor did you? She needs this surgery like, yesterday, or she's done!"

Liam instantly regretted his harsh tone when he saw Alex visibly wince. The guy had come through like always, contributing the biggest chunk to the pitiful sum.

"Sorry, bro. I'm just...I'm losin' my mind here," Liam said, burying his face in his calloused hands. His shoulders shook with the effort of holding back sobs. "I can't lose her, Alex. She's all I got."

Alex nodded solemnly, placing a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. The other guys averted their eyes, equally pained yet unable to offer any more financial assistance. They all knew the harsh realities of their circumstances, but it still stung to feel so powerless to help someone they cared about.

The heavy silence was shattered by the shrill ring of Liam's cell phone. He flinched at the piercing sound, then fumbled to retrieve it from the depths of his grease-stained work pants pocket.

"Great timing!" He muttered under his breath as he quickened his steps to the ringing phone. As he saw the caller ID, his heart sank. It was his younger brother, Dave.

Liam knew what Dave wanted, and he still hadn't come up with a solution. If he refused to take the call, Dave wouldn't stop. The kid would keep calling until he got through.

"Hello," Liam answered. 

"Liam! Finally, why haven't you been answering my calls?" Dave snapped, his voice tense.

"Dave, relax, okay? I've been busy, but you just called me now, so what's the big deal?" Liam retorted, trying to control his rising frustration.

His little brother had always been impatient, and it continually grated on Liam's nerves. Did Dave think this was easy for him?

"Liam, Mom's condition is getting worse! Haven't you gotten the money yet?" Dave fired back.

Liam felt his heart constrict painfully, like an arrow piercing his chest. His fist started shaking as tears welled in his eyes. "What did the doctor say?" he asked, sniffing back the wetness. Now was not the time for emotions - he had to be strong for their family. He was all they had left.

"He said she has about two months to live if we don't do the operation," Dave replied, his voice cracking with emotion. "But even if we do the surgery, we'll still need to get her medication regularly."

Liam clenched his teeth and pulled at his hair with his free hand, the other clutching the phone tightly. "Why are you just telling me this now?" he demanded roughly.

"Didn't I just say I've been calling you?" Dave blurted out in frustration, and Liam could picture his kid brother's blond curls being raked back - a nervous habit they had both inherited from their father. "Liam, I'm begging you, please do something! If I could, I'd get a job to help pay for mom's operation, but no one wants to hire an underage kid for more than minimum wage. I'm trying here, but I'm barely keeping it together!"

The raw anguish in Dave's voice made Liam's throat constrict painfully. His little brother was only sixteen, entirely too young to be facing such immense struggles and heartbreak. Liam had to be the strong one, had to find a way to make this unbearable situation right.

"Dave, listen to me," Liam said, his voice roughened by unshed tears. "Don't worry about jobs or money, alright? I'm handling this. I've...I've got a plan in the works. I'll get the money we need for Mom's surgery, no matter what it takes. I swear it on my life, little brother. You just focus on taking care of yourself and mom until then, you hear me?"

It was a blatant lie, one that tasted like ashes on his tongue. But Liam knew he had to keep Dave's hopes alive, had to be the unwavering rock his baby brother could cling to in their darkest moment.

"Okay, I'll...I'll wait for you to send some money for Mom's meds," Dave managed to say through his ragged breaths. "Just...please, Liam. I can't lose her too. Not like we lost Dad."

"You won't, Dave. I promise," Liam vowed, "Take care of yourself and mom. Let me know when you get the money for her medication, alright? And anything else you need, you call me."

"Okay. Thanks, Liam."

Disconnecting the call, Liam put his hand on his head, fighting for control of his ragged breathing and the storm of emotions raging within him. He sniffed hard, swiping away the dampness on his cheeks as he pulled himself together.

"That was my little brother, Dave. The doctor says if we can't get mom into surgery within the next two months..." His voice cracked, and he had to pause to steady himself before pushing on. "That's it. She's not gonna make it past that."

A heavy pall fell between them as the severity of the situation sank in. These were hardened men who had seen some incredibly dark stuff in their lives, but the prospect of a beloved mother's impending death still cut them to their core.

"We only got the fifteen grand so far," Liam continued gruffly. "Which leaves us about 185 grand short for the full surgery and aftercare." 

He raked a hand through his disheveled hair, blowing out a shuddering breath. When he spoke again, there was an unmistakable edge of desperation and recklessness in his voice.

"So that's what we're gonna get. By any means necessary, we're gonna get my mom that money before time runs out. And if that means getting back into some...unsavory business, well..." He gave a mirthless chuckle. "I don't have any other choice here, do I?"