Jesus… close to eighty thousand dollars?
I can’t breathe. I never had a chance in hell. I never had hope even when I thought I did. I feel so foolish. There I was just seconds ago thinking about telling James my situation. I never knew things were about to take a turn for the worse.
I feel so faint I have to grab the edge of the sofa to keep from falling over.
“I… I… don’t have the money,” I choke out and burst into floods of tears. I’ve never felt more helpless in my life. Despair fills my soul.
I failed.
Mom… I failed my mother. The most precious person to me.
I can’t save her.
Mom.
Dr. Mulligan is talking, but I can’t hear her. Everything is closing in on me, and my chest feels tight.
Warm hands hold me and stop me from fading away. It’s James. I look up and see him, and he takes the phone away from me.
“We have the money,” he says into the phone. “Do what you need to do. We’re on the way.”
He holds me to him, and I just stare back as he speaks. I’m looking at him, watching him take charge of a situation I can’t handle.
“I’ll make the payment straightaway. Send me the details,” he continues then hangs up.
He sets the phone on the table and sighs. “Paige. Why didn’t you tell me your mother was sick?”
“James…” I manage, but the emotion overwhelms me and the tears return. I can’t believe what he just did for me.
He pulls me into his arms and holds me as I cry.
“Thank you,” I whisper against his chest, and he answers me with a kiss to the top of my head.
* * *
It took us less than twenty minutes to get to the hospital.
Mom is still in surgery.
It’s going to be a long night.
James and I are sitting together in the waiting room. We’re the only ones here now. We’ve been in here for the last two hours.
He’s got his arm around me, and I’m resting against his chest while he strokes my hair.
“I’m going to get you some water,” he says. “You need to drink something.”
I lift my head and shake it. “No. I don’t feel thirsty.”
“Baby… you still need to drink something. I’ll go get it. I’ll be back in a minute.”
He gets up, and true to his word, he gets the water and is back within the minute.
He hands me the little plastic cup, and I sip some of the cold water. I’m not thirsty, but my throat is dry, and when the cold liquid hits the back of my throat, it soothes me.
We haven’t spoken since we got here. We’ve just been waiting.
I can just imagine how much questions he must have. I’m still in shock by what he’s done for me.