CHAPTER 6

LISA`S POV

“We have checked his blood sugar levels and his blood pressure. Both are under regulation and he is going to be okay.”

The doctor says before walking over to other patients in the other wards. Teresa Grace Hospital is so huge and prestigious. The kind of hospital that only millionaires can afford. I stare at the chandelier that is hanging in the reception room. Magnificent.

I yawn, my eyelids begging to shut. I glance at my phone that is about to die and I cannot believe it. It is 6.00 a.m. and have not gotten out of this hospital. All night I spent sitting on this chair waiting for the doctor to get him from the Emergency ward. The receptionist also spent a good amount of time trying to reach McGrath`s family and inform them of the incident. He does not have a wife or children. What? This is insane. Well, they also confirmed that indeed he was Roger McGrath, the billionaire who owns McGrath Media house.

When I was in high school I wanted to apply to a scholarship and internship program offered by his media house. I wanted it so badly but my GPA failed me. The requirements were that one was to have a GPA of 3.8 and above. Yeah, you are right. My dumb ass got 3.7 and that was how my dreams of enrolling in one of the most prestigious and rewarding programs were shattered to pieces. I however got a partial scholarship for an in-state scholarship at UBC but I could not afford the other half scholarship and I had to drop out from Uni in my second year.

Yeah, tough shit.

 “Excuse me, ma`am?” I feel someone tap me on my shoulder and I look back. It`s the receptionist who was sitting at the desk at the time Roger was brought.

“Oh, hey?” I say.

“Please come with me. I will take you to a room where you can take a shower and freshen up.”

“Umm… no need.” I smile, checking my phone for time. “I am heading home, it`s 7.00 a.m. already.”

“You might make good use of coffee, won`t you?” She laughs. “Don`t worry the room expenses are all catered by McGrath.”

“Oh, okay.” Free things? Hell yeah.

“Come with me, I will show you to your room, where you will be free to freshen up a bit and then you can order breakfast from our hotel cafeteria to be delivered to your room. Just dial 555 on the phone in the room and it will go directly to the cafeteria office and you can order whatever you want.” She is walking toward the glass elevator and I saunter behind her.

On the thirty-fifth floor, the elevator slides open and we reach a door, where she opens it and she lets me walk in. A king-sized bed sits in the middle of the room, on the left there is a floor-to-ceiling window that has light-blue curtains draping it.

“If you need anything please do not hesitate to call me, I`ll be at my desk.” She says.

“Okay, thanks.” I smile kindly to her before she saunters off.

*****

What, he asked to see me?

I stand, shocked as the security man at the hospital entrance walks back to where he was standing. He asked me to not immediately leave because McGrath wanted to see me in his ward. Nah, I just was a Good Samaritan yesterday who happened to be the one who called an ambulance for him. Nothing more, nothing less—just plain white and black. And I do not expect anything from him in return. Jesus.

I get into the elevators again back to his room. Last night I could not speak to him because he was in a comma. Seems like he is in a much better position today to want to talk to me. I push the door to his ward and step in. Two men in black suits are sat by him, working on their laptops.

“Lisa, I`m glad you are here,” McGrath says, lifting his head to see me standing awkwardly near the door. Wait. How did he even know my name? I scrunch my face in confusion.

Seeing my confused face, he sits up by his bedside, and his feet on the cotton carpet. “I am sorry I did not introduce myself to you. I`m Roger McGrath.” He extends his hand to me and I shake it

“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. McGrath. Lisa Crown.” I say taking my hand back and he points to a chair opposite him and I sit on it. The two men are glued to their laptops, not lifting their eyes a bit.

“I know you are wondering why I asked you to come to my office. I just wanted to thank you for your kindness. You saved my life yesterday.”

“You are welcome, sir.” I stand on my seat and begin to walk to the door. “It was an honour but I have to get going…”

“Please, if you could just stay for a minute, I have something to talk to you about.”

“You know, for a rich man like you I thought that you wanted to gift me a couple of dollars for my `good deeds`. I laugh taking a seat on a chair that is beside his bed. “Seems like I should lower my expectations.”

He hurriedly rummages through a small brown bag beside him and brings out a rumpled photo. “You don`t have to worry about the money, trust me.” He hands me the photo, smiling with a glint of hope in his eyes.

I quickly scan the photo, and… it`s my mother. Young, beautiful with a bright smile—so bright, it lights a dark room. It`s her. My mother. The photo opens a can of emotions in me that I didn`t know existed. I had bottled those emotions, tightly, never to be opened again. And he thrusts her photo on my face just like that? I look up at him, he is eyeing me, intently.

“Do you know her?”

“What? No, do you always shove rumpled millennial photos on strangers' faces and ask if they know the pictured people?” I feel anger boiling in me. “You surely have something better to do, Mr. McGrath.”

He clears his throat nervously. “I`m sorry I just thought that you knew her, you know. You have the same eye color as the woman in the photo.”

“Dark brown eyes? Is that what you always do, walking around checking for women with dark brown eyes? Is it some sort of kink you have with dark browns?” I lash at him, my mouth running like an overflown dam. He hit a spot and he sure is reaping the rewards.

“If you have nothing better to tell me then I`d rather get going. Y`all rich people be expecting us to shrink at your mercy just because you have fat bank accounts.” I shake my head in annoyance. I can`t have another rich person humiliate me like this. First, it`s the Thatchwood and now him? A stranger?

What is he even doing with my mother`s photo anyway, this creepy man?

He exhales deeply before asking the two men who were typing on their computers to leave. “Wait outside please.” They walk outside, shutting the door behind them.

“Where did you get that photo?”

“I know her, and I know that she is your mother…”

“What…”

He raises his hand, motioning for me to remain silent.

“Yes, we dated when we were young.”

“Okay, and?”

“She got pregnant…I got her pregnant.”

“And?” I roll my eyes.

“I believe it`s you, Lisa you are my daughter.”