"Do you think you are fully compensated, Miss Mohr?" Paul asks, his eyes quickly running sideways, probably checking for suspicious people. We are in the streets, just outside Max's. He's handing over my paycheck, and to my utter surprise, I receive more than I expected.
My eyes glisten with suppressed tears. Paul tries to make the tears go by constantly telling me how large the compensation is.
"Thank you for this, Paul," I say, my voice cracking.
"You deserve it. Mr. Stone seemed... happy." His voice falters at the last sentence. Not sure how it sounds, but he seems unsure and not happy about it.
"Mr. Stone was happy with what I did?" At the back of my mind, I am praying Paul won't say anything about deductions. I want to stick my tongue with a pin for saying it. I shouldn't have. The ghost of that incident still haunts me. Each time I remember how badly I wronged the poor, innocent waiter, I cringe. But what can I do? I need the money. I need it more than anything else in the world.
"Apparently, he was." The tense of the verb is heavily emphasized. I assume Mr. Stone has already forgotten about me. Nevertheless, it's not a big deal. I got what I needed. I could secure Dad's new kidney and probably help lessen the hospital charges.
"So, Ms. Mohr, thank you for your services. We couldn't have survived that grueling night without your expertise!"
"Expertise?" I chortle. I don't want to call it as that. I am far from being an expert at anything. I acted upon the call of desperation.
I suppose Angel Grant is dead now. I didn't ask Paul who's going to be the next lucky girl. My job is finished. I don't have business with Paul or Hunter Stone anymore. Angel Grant is as good as a memory now. Tomorrow, I might be surprised to see Stone's picture in the newspaper with a new girl beside him. This time, I'd know he's faking it, as he always does.
It took me more than an hour to secure a spot in the kidney recipient list of the hospital, but it doesn't matter as long as Dad walks back home with a new healthy one. Though he doesn't approve of it, he has no choice but to accept the circumstances I set for him. I worked hard for this to come true. Surely, Dad would not take this for granted. All of Stone's paycheck was used for this new kidney which I have yet to see if it comes to real form. If I couldn't get one, I could always demand a refund. The lady at the desk told me so. Then again, I don't want a refund. I want a kidney for Dad. But I knew this is all a gamble. There's no assurance that I get what I asked. I could only wish for luck. I wish we get the right one.
His body has been recovering well recently. The doctor said when his vitals are stable, and there are no more abnormalities in his heart, he could go home. It was more than good news when Dr. Eric Martin told us. It felt like angels' herald in a cold night. I see Mom almost bursting into tears while hugging Dad. Even if Dad didn't say a thing, I knew deep in my heart that he's thankful he no longer has to stay bedridden all day long.
Putting down the medical record on the desk, Eric Martin smiles at Dad and shifts his gaze to me. "The tracings show no more abnormalities. No more blocks or slow and fast pacings. You might want to pack your things right away."
"I would gladly do that, Doctor!" Dad replies, his smile reaching both ends of his ears. "I think staying here makes me weaker each day." Mom lands a gentle pat on Dad's shoulder.
"But don't forget about your weekly appointment with me, George. It doesn't mean that I send you home, you're completely well. Your serum creatinine's pretty normal this time, but I can't promise you it won't shoot up again. You'll need your routine dialysis, George, and I expect Sarah to be with you so you both can draw strength from each other. And bringing Angel," he paused, shifting his gaze to me, "would be a splendid idea... for therapy, of course. Family therapy, I mean." I thought he struggled for the right word there.
"Angel would be busy for graduation practices," Dad says.
Suddenly, I feel all my blood draining out of the holes in my skull, and my face goes entirely white. The horror of the truth is slowly unfolding, and I don't want my family to know that I failed. When everything seems okay, it just so happens that I have to experience a share of life's damnation. It is every parent's pride to brag of their children's achievement, and Dad is no exception. He's expecting me to graduate with flying colors. He didn't even know of the financial struggle I endured to keep steady in my last year. He thought everything was fine in school, but no, it isn't anymore.
"Oh!" Eric Martin flashes a smile at me. "That's amazing! Congratulations, Angel. I might invite you for a congratulatory dinner some other night." Martin never fails to add a little bit of flirtation to his job. It's not that I repulse it, I'm just not in the mood for dinner when I do not even deserve an inch of it.
"Angel's birthday is fast approaching," Mom intervenes. "You might want to come and celebrate with us."
"Mom?" I raise my brow to stop her before she goes all out.
"What's wrong with inviting your dad's doctor to your birthday?"
I feel my cheeks burning.
"Right! What's wrong with Sarah inviting me to your house, Angel?" His sly smile widens.
"I don't want grand celebrations," I whisper to myself, but I guess Mom heard it as she tilts her head closer to me. "Besides, I'll be at Max's for work."
"You can always ask for a day off," Dad says.
"Not really. It's kinda busy at this time of the year."
"Well, maybe we can celebrate it at Max's!" Eric suggests.
"Please, people, a simple greeting is enough," I say. "And Eric, thank you for all you've done to my family. I truly appreciate it, but really, please don't waste your time on me."
An odd silence spread like wildfire. I am completely unaware of how tactless I turned out to be. Dad's face goes ashen pale, same as Mom's, yet I refuse to look at Eric. I know he took it as a blow to his pride, but I didn't have to witness his shame.
"I mean, you don't need to forego important medical arrangements just to attend some silly birthday. I'm not really the celebrating type."
I can see disappointment written on his face. If it was only me and him, he could have yelled at me for my insensitivity. Dad shoots a glare at me, and I know Mom is raring to hit me with her slipper.
Eric forces a smile â a professional one, one that goes after a serious loss or defeat.
"I think that's all for now," he mutters, taking away his eyes from me. "George, Sarah, I'll see you in a week." He turns his back on us and heads to the door, slowly closing it.
The moment he disappears from my sight, I let out a big sigh. What a relief!
"What have you done, Angel?" Mom's voice is condemning, and her stare is as murderous as a python's. "I don't like what you did there."
"The young man was just being nice." And here goes Daddy acting like he hadn't done anything like this before.
"He was flirting with me," I say annoyed.
"What's wrong with Eric showing interest in you?"
"Mom?"
"What?"
"You're not actually digging this whole thing, are you?"
Mom makes a furtive smirk which Dad somehow allows.
"And you too, George Mohr?"
"Eric is a nice man. I actually like him," Dad tells me.
"Honestly, people, you're impossible!"
"Sweetie," Mom wraps her arms around me and gives me a warm kiss on the cheek. "You're not getting any younger. You'll be off to the real world. No more school. No more Ray, I guess. You'll be needing someone other than your dad and me."
My tongue is itching to spill the truth. Perhaps, this bad temper is due to the ugly truth that I will be missing graduation. Poor Eric, he's become the innocent target of my grouchiness and pure disgust for the one person who caused all this misfortune.
"I only need the two of you," I say.
"We'll always be here for you when you need us." Dad approaches me and holds my hands in a tight grasp. He then leans over to give me a quick peck on my forehead. "But it's time to open yourself to other people. It doesn't hurt to be a little selfish, does it? You've always thought of us. Now it's time to think of your own happiness."
Dad sounds like he's sending me away to some invisible groom.
I am more touched by their little gesture of affection than the thought of seeing myself with some man. Perhaps I'd consider love after all these trials... after Dad has found a new kidney, after I land a good job when I finish school. Obviously, I won't get to experience that lucky day soon. Maybe some other time.
"Looks like that fucking bastard is on the loose again." Colin grits his teeth together, looking over his shoulder to get a view of Damien persuading Ray with all his might to get past through the counter to bother me again.
"Just let him be, Colin," I tell him as I refill his glass with beer. "The more you pay attention to him, the more he feels important. That's a ridiculously absurd disease whose antidote is yet to be discovered."
"Do you have no plans of kicking him out?"
"He's a customer. His money flows to the cash box, how can I send him away?" I try to focus on wiping the edge of the counter table with a dry rug. Tonight is a regular night. The diner is half-filled, but everyone in the kitchen is busy. Apparently, it's only me that's spared from doing anything, and I hate it. I hate to be always assigned in the counter. I wish they sent me to the kitchen, so I could do some real job and not just display flashy smiles to anyone, ask them about their orders, and stretch my patience for impossible customers the likes of Etheridge.
"Angel." Colin's voice softens.
"Yes, Colin?" I halt.
"You and him... I mean, you and that brat Etheridge, there's no you, is there?"
I step back in surprise with what he just said.
"Sorry for asking but I just can't help it. Etheridge has been acting quite strange lately like he's someone so important in your life," Colin says. "He's like some possessive boyfriend."
"There's no we, Colin. Damien Etheridge is just a pain in the ass," I tell him. "I'd die first before I start liking him."
A sneer explodes on his face.
"But isn't he too persevering?" Colin asks, looking again at Damien and Ray's direction,
"He's just trying to annoy me like he always does."
"It doesn't look like that to me."
Damien has broken loose of Ray's clutch and is heading to the counter. I feel myself waver at the thought of him overpowering the tiny courage that is left on me. After the heated conversation at school a while ago, I don't think I still have the courage to face him. I poured everything back there and yet I failed to win.
"Sorry, Angel." Ray's apologetic face is not to blame. I know he did all he can to stop the beast in Damien. "I tried."
"Angel, please hear me out," he begged.
"What else do you need to tell me?" I quickly walk to the other side of the counter, trying to avoid Damien. "Haven't you heard what I said? I don't need your explanations."
"Hey, dude!" Colin calls out. "The lady obviously doesn't wish to talk to you."
"Stay out of here!" Damien churns with fire, his gaze unrelenting and dark and his voice angry. His fingers are pointed at Colin in warning.
A looming chaos is to unfold if I don't stop this. Damien is slowly losing his temper. His frustration is aggravated by Colin stepping into our squabble. It is no good. Colin only made everything worse.
"Hey, what's your problem, man?" Colin steps forward, raising his voice. The diner is temporarily silenced. Everyone's caught up in the scenario. They all know who Damien Etheridge is, and they already know that disorder is bound to happen. Who is this young man going against the Damien Etheridge? People might be wondering. It is a rare sight to see someone go against the mayor's son â Damien Etheridge at that.
"I said, stay out of this!" It sounds like his last warning before he goes berserk.
"Damien, it is best for you to leave," I intervene.
"Not until you talk to me."
"I already told you I don't need to listen to your excuses. What are they to me now?" I have totally lost faith in you, I wish to tell him.
"Didn't you hear her? She wants you to leave!"
Snap, Colin! He should have just shut his mouth.
"And who are you tell me that?" Threateningly, he turns his back on me and faces the already charged up Colin, his fists ready and his pulses pounding in anger.
"I protect Angel from the likes of you! And I don't care whether you are the president's son or a royal prince. I can still beat you to death!"
Damien, not letting his pride be beaten by a commoner and be shamed in front of all these people, dives to Colin, and both plunges to the ground. He has his hands around Colin's collar, trying to strangle his competitor. When Colin attempts to fight back, Damien hit Colin's pretty face with hard blows.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" I scream at them. Colin's face has turned purple, and everyone around us gasps at the thought of Damien committing the unspeakable crime of murder. The darkness that fills his eyes remains. They look scary. I do not know how to get back those piercing gray eyes that always melt my heart when they stare at me. I want to see them now, not those scary ones. They are murderous.
"I said stop at this instance!"
Damien stops.
Poor Colin. He's allswollen and purple on the face.