5. Mother is Gold

Maya walked out of Powell's Homes and Properties with a dejected shoulder. She was embarrassed to see everyone gossiping about her. Some were even bold enough as to point fingers at her.

“ Can you believe her? She's sleeping with the boss but acts like a saint” A woman was saying to her colleagues just as Maya passed through them. Maya turned to look at the woman who wasn't remorseful but instead glare at Maya.

Maya averted her gaze and turn to walk out of the building, she was running late to check her mom in the hospital before going house hunting. Seeing that Liam has sacked her, she wasn't sure if he would allow her to stay until a month in his house.

Maya flagged down the first taxi she saw and gave the name of the hospital to him before relaxing on the chair, she turned to gaze out of the window sobbing silently as tears cover her eyes.

“ Are you okay, Miss” Maya quickly dabbed at her eyes before turning to offer the taxi driver a tiny smile as she wasn't in the mood for small talk.

“ Yes, thank you” Maya replied as she smiles at the taxi driver before turning to gaze out of the window again, this time she forced the tears back as she wouldn't want the taxi driver to be concerned.

The taxi driver pulled into the Calvary hospital, he watched as the young lady came down from his car, dabbing her eyes furiously to rid off the traces of tears. She turned to offer him money but he refused, thinking that maybe she was crying because she needed money.

“ No, you keep the money,” He told her before pulling out of the hospital and drove off to his next client.

Maya stood gasping at the car which has disappeared down the road, she was surprised to see that there were still good people around. She hopes Liam could learn a lesson or two from the man.

Maya turned to walk into the hospital shrugging, she smiled in greeting to the nurse at the reception before turning to walk to the elevator but the nurse's voice stopped her...

“ Miss Banks” Maya turned to stare at the nurse urging her to go on with her eyes. She hopes it wasn't another payment as she just deposited a huge sum for the hospital bills.

“ Doctor Gordon would love to see you in his office,” The nurse told Maya before turning to attend to the people in front of her.

“ Okay. Thank you” Maya replied and walk into the elevator with a heavy heart. She pressed the third floor for the doctor's office while wondering what could be wrong with her mother that the doctor would offer to see her immediately.

Maya got down from the elevator as soon as it dinged. She strapped her purse onto her shoulder and force herself to knock on the doctor's office door after exhaling countless times.

“ Come in” Maya turn the doorknob as soon as she heard the doctor's deep voice from the inside. She walked in plastering a tiny smile on her face. She greeted the doctor before turning to close the door gently.

“ Good afternoon Miss Banks. Please have your seat” Doctor Gordon replied motioning her over to an empty seat across from him.

Maya nodded and took the empty seat across from him, she folded her hands across her laps before turning to stare at the doctor “ You sent for me, Doctor. Hope all is well? How's my mother doing?” Maya asked as she struggled to get the words past her throat without breaking down in tears.

“ Relax, Miss Banks,” Doctor Gordon told her as he reaches out to pat her gently on the hand before retracting his hands back to fold it on the table.

“ Everything will be alright if we can carry out the operation on time. I'm surprised you waited so long to take action” Doctor Gordon continued with professionalism in his tone of voice. He has dealt with issues like this and still doesn't get why people self_medicate when the hospital is available for their use always.

“ Doctor, I don't get you?” Maya exclaimed as she sat up, on the chair. She turned to look at the doctor expecting him to explain his point.

“ I mean, my mother only fainted, then why is she being operated on?” Maya continues, her voice rising loudly more than she had intended as she was scared. Her mind conjures back the images of the drugs in her mother's room. Was her mother really sick? No, it can't be. Maya forced the threatening image from her mind before turning to look at the doctor who was watching her with a skeptical expression on his face.

“ Miss Banks, is there any male I could talk to in your family?” Doctor Gordon asked after he had seen that Maya was unaware of her mother's sickness and was unsure of how she will take it.

“ Male?” Maya repeated, wondering what that had got to do with her mother's operation. That word seems foreign to her ears. All she needed was more information on her mother's sickness, not any male.

Doctor Gordon rushed to explain himself after he saw the confused expression on Maya's face” I mean like maybe your father or your husband. A man I could talk to about your mother's illness”

Maya's expression changed from sad to anger as soon as she heard that. She hated men who look down on women, what do the doctors think? That she can't handle whatever is it about her mother?“ Tell me anything about my mother doctor, I can handle it” Maya explained softly as she forced back the anger in her voice.

“ But Miss Banks, I _____”

“ I don't have a father nor a husband if that's what you wanted to hear doctor” Maya replied in anger cutting the doctor off. She wasn't in the mood to talk about her family history with anyone, not even her doctor.

“ Okay, Miss Banks. I'm sorry but your mother has leukemia and it's at the final stage. We_____”

“ Please doctor, slow down. I can't get you. Leukemia? My mother?” Maya asked, she couldn't stop the tears that flow down her cheek. She sobbed uncontrollably as she remembered seeing her mother coughing out blood sometimes but she always blames it on stress.

And another time like that, she was losing a lot of hairs on her head but her mother always has excuses for one question or the other which was why she never take any of them seriously.

If only she knew, she would have gotten it treated on time, and now this. Maya forced her mind back to listen to what the doctor was saying as she saw his lips moving but she couldn't make out the words.

“ I'm sorry, Miss Banks. I wish I could tell you that your mother will live for a long time but I'm afraid it short. And how short it will depend on the operation and if we could get the money fast” The doctor rushed to explain the procedure as he pitied the young lady in front of him. He was scared of mentioning the amount needed for the operation for fear that she might faint.

“ Please doctor, after the operation, how long will my mother have before she di__di__” Maya couldn't bring herself to complete her sentence because she still couldn't believe that her mother was there in the hospital fighting between life and death just because of a selfish man.

Doctor Gordon nodded in understanding as he rushed to explain. He mostly likes how calm and composed she was. A lot of women would have fainted due to the enormity of what he just said but here she was trying to know more.

“ Roughly about six months to a year depending on her fast and successful the operation is,” Doctor Gordon said. Maya nodded, she couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face.

She never believed that she will be sitting down here and discussing how long her mother has to live. She wishes there was a chance to exchange her mother's life with hers then she would have gladly done it.

Maya offered Doctor Gordon a sad smile when he offered her a handkerchief, she collected it and dab at her eyes. Maya sat up on her desk as she asks the one question that was important to everything here

“How much is the money needed for the surgery?”

Doctor Gordon smiled, he took a sheet of paper and makes some calculations on it, he then totals everything together and handed them over to Maya as he couldn't say the amount with his mouth.

Maya's eyes widened as soon as she saw the total amount on the sheet of paper“ Two million dollars?” Maya exclaimed shocked. She stood up and paced around the room in shock.

“ But I don't have up to that amount of money with me. Even though I sell all our valuables, I still won't be able to get such an amount of money” Maya said to no one in particular as she kept on lamenting while Doctor Gordon watches her, giving her enough time to grieve.

A glance at his watch tells him he was running late for his regular check-up with one of his patients “ Miss Banks, that's the total amount needed for your mother's treatment. I'll suggest you go and look for it as delay could be dangerous” Doctor Gordon told her as he stood up and pick up his coat and files from the table.

“ If you'll excuse me, I have another patient to check on,” He told her before stepping out of the door. Doctor Gordon motioned over to a nurse who was passing down the hallway with a tray of surgical equipment in her hands

“Listen, please help Miss Banks when she is through” He waved her into his office and continue down the hallway to his next patient's ward.

Maya trudged down the corridor into her mom's ward with a heavy heart. She didn't remember getting into or getting out of the elevator as her mind was preoccupied with the thought of where she will see money for her mother's surgery.

Maya sat down on her mom's bed. She took her mom's hands in hers with tears spilling down her eyes, she spoke to her mom “ Mom, I'm sorry for being a bad daughter. I'm sorry for neglecting your health. I'm sorry for_________” Maya paused to wipe her tears with the back of her hands. The tears kept flowing and flowing especially when she remembers that her mother has nothing but a short time to live.

“Maya”

Maya came out of her thought as soon as she heard that frail voice. She turned to see her mother smiling sadly at her as she tries to grasp her hands.

“Mom” Maya screamed as she bent down to hug her mother tightly“ I'm so sorry” Maya continued slowly as her mom tried to wipe Maya's tears with the back of her hands.

“I promise to do everything to make sure that you'll be fine, mom” Maya told her mother, with newfound confidence surging through her.

“ I'm sorry for keeping it from you. Hope you will forgive me” Her mother said in between coughs. Maya couldn't handle it anymore. She stopped her mom from speaking

“ Mom, I understand. You were only doing it to protect me, okay?” Maya forced herself to smile at her mother who was looking at her like she has something to say but the cough just won't let her

“ It's okay Mom,” Maya told her mother trying to reassure her before she bent to pick up her bag.

She took her bag and draped it on her shoulder. She bent to kiss her mother on the cheek before turning to walk out of the door.

Maya flagged down the first cab she saw. She gave the address of the one person she knew will be able to get her the money and settle back to relax on th back seat. She will do anything, even though it means begging him to get it.