2|The Call

[Present day...]

"The results came back. It's just as we thought, Nat."

These weren't the words Natalie Taylor wanted to hear, and it certainly wasn't the news she'd expected.

"Jamie's's gonna need that new kidney soon."

She felt like a steam train had run her over, crushed her chest and squeezed all the air from her lungs as she struggled to breathe. Her fingers turned as rubbery as her legs, and her phone slipped out of her hands, whining as it crashed to the floor at her feet.

"Nat? Say something. Are you okay?"

Her sister's disembodied voice sounded muffled, as though it came from some far-off place. Natalie leaned over to grab the phone, wincing at the huge spiderweb crack on the screen. So much for tempered glass!

She brought the damaged iPhone to her ear, mumbling, "Sorry, I dropped my phone."

"I thought you fainted," Amber replied. "I was so worried."

Natalie ignored her concern as she swayed on her feet and held on to the wall to steady herself. She was very close to passing out.

"What does this mean for Jamie?" she asked, loathing the thin, terrified voice squeaking through her suddenly dry lips.

"He's on a waiting list. But we both know how long these lists are. There's a chance we could be donors."

Natalie smiled weakly, seeing a glimmer of hope for the first time since she picked up the call. "That's great! Let's do it, then. I'll come up this weekend, and we can get the ball rolling—"

"It's not that simple. For us to get tested, the costs are astronomical." Amber carried on in her quiet, calm voice.

Natalie inhaled slowly, swallowing down her frustration. Their little brother was fighting for his life, and their lives were a hot mess of note, but Amber was as cool as ever.

It was the one thing she could never understand about her sister—how she remained level-headed even when the situation didn't call for calmness.

"I don't know how to say this—"

"Just say it," Natalie said, forcing herself to be brave and face the truth head-on. But she was as afraid as she was at eight when she realised their father wasn't coming back. The last time she was this petrified was seven years ago when their mom suffered her final stroke.

"Jamie has to start dialysis soon. The doctors say it's the best treatment plan while we figure something out for the transplant."

"Dialysis is a good thing, right?"

"Yes," said Amber.

Sensing she was holding back stuff from her, Natalie pushed. "What are you not telling me?"

"We've already exhausted the funds in the medical aid on Jamie's in-hospital stays. My remaining savings will cover a few treatment sessions, but that's pretty much it."

There was a brief pause while Natalie tried to make sense of her sister's revelations and ignored the chatter and footsteps echoing in the corridor as her colleagues were swept away in the lunch-hour rush.

Her stomach rumbled as if on cue, reminding her in her mad dash to make it for the 6:00 AM bus to the Central Business District she'd skipped breakfast. Hungry as she was, she doubted she could eat anything after their call.

Amber continued, shattering the uncomfortable silence, "I know it's not fair to ask, especially since you're already doing so much for Jamie. But, are you able to give us a bit more?"

"Of course. Send me all the details," Natalie said, her mind already racing with plans and ways to raise the extra cash. She didn't know much about dialysis, but it sounded costly. After paying off her living expenses and sending money to Amber, the little left of her salary wouldn't cut it.

"Nat, he can't die. We promised Mom we'd look after him."

Her sister's pitiful sniffles five hundred kilometres away broke Natalie's heart. She would have given the last cent in her bank account if it meant Amber would stop crying.

"Listen to me, Jamie won't die. I'll get a second and third job if I have to. We'll figure something out," she promised.

"Thanks, Nat!"

Natalie hated cutting her sister off, but she had to return to work. "I have to go. I left my workstation unattended."

"Of course!" Amber said quickly on her end. "And I'm sorry I called you at work."

"Don't be. You did the right thing."

Natalie didn't leave the bathroom after they hung up. Her legs finally gave in, buckling under the crushing news she'd just received. 

She sat on the toilet pan and hid her face in her hands, her hair floating around her in a thick cloud of black curls as she dissolved into a flood of tears.

The bathroom door screeched open, ushering in a stream of visitors. Toilets flushed. Taps gurgled as water gushed and splashed. The thunderous hum of the hand dryers drowned out the gossip and make-up tips.

In the safety and privacy of her stall, Natalie covered her mouth with her hand to block out her sobs, her slight shoulders quivering.

Minutes passed. The body-break rush eased and eventually slowed down. Engulfed by silence again, Natalie smoothed down her black pantsuit, dabbed her eyes with a wad of tissues and blew her nose.

Feeling more in control of her emotions, she left the stall, washed her hands and headed back to the office.

When her still-misty gaze fell on the photo on her desk, she immediately wanted to dash back to the bathroom and bawl her eyes out again.

It was the only personal item she had in her little cubicle, the only thing that made this place less lonely.

Having faced her fair share of layoffs in the past, Natalie had learned early in her short career as an office administrator not to turn her workstation into a second home. The fewer personal items she had, the easier it would be to pack up and move on when the time came.

The photo was her most treasured possession. One of the few she had of everyone together and the last they ever took with their mom. Almost a year later, they'd buried her next to the father Natalie barely knew.

Had she known it would be the last photo they'd ever take as a family, she would have smiled more, held her mom's hand even longer, and maybe dropped a kiss or two on her cheek.

Tears still brimming in her eyes, Natalie picked up the black metal frame and traced her fingers on the glass, marvelling at how happy they were. Even the colours looked more vibrant too.

Memory was such a weird thing. She remembered the day and how excited they all were. But not what the photographer wore, the weather outside, or the background music while they waited to take their first-ever family portrait.

"Mom, what do I do?" she asked the ghosts of their former selves trapped in time in the photo.

Now that she was back to her senses, Natalie realised she'd made promises she couldn't keep. Could she honestly get a second job when her first one kept her busy enough as it was?

Still troubled by her sister's call, she forced herself to put the photograph and her money problems aside and focus on her work. Turning to her laptop, she picked up where she'd left off before her unplanned break.

She was so engrossed in her report that she didn't notice her colleagues shuffling in from their lunch break. She only looked up from her screen when Emily placed a steaming red latte on her desk.

"Marry me, please?" Natalie said, taking a sip from the colourful paper cup. She closed her eyes, relishing the honeyed tea swirling in her mouth.

She was an instant coffee kind of girl. But she'd never turn up her nose at red lattes from Rise, the coffee shop across the street. They made the best, not surprisingly, since they had franchises all over the country.

"I figured you'd need it when you skipped lunch," Emily said, sitting at her desk. She was twenty minutes late but in no hurry to start on her reports.

She scratched through her designer bag and fished out a cute compact case, grumbling about her 'terrible' skin while she retouched her make-up.

It annoyed the shit out of Natalie when pretty girls moaned about being ugly. Or when skinny ones claimed to be fat. But with Emily, she wasn't offended. Not as much, at least.

Tall and slim, with big green eyes and flaming-red hair, Emily looked like she belonged on the cover of Vogue. Her looks alone were enough to make any woman want to hate her. But her sweet disposition endeared her to everyone who knew her. She was a girls' gal and any man's dream.

"So, where did you go?" she asked, returning the make-up kit inside her bag.

"I had to take a call," Natalie said, avoiding her friend's gaze because if she saw pity in her eyes, she'd fall apart again. "Jamie's results came back. It's just as we thought. His kidneys are failing."

"Oh, Nat, I'm so sorry!" Emily pulled her close and squeezed her hard. "Anything I can do to help?"

Natalie shook her head, her lower lip quivering, a clear sign the waterworks weren't too far off. "Not unless you have a hundred grand stashed away somewhere."

"Well," Emily had a thoughtful look in her eyes as she tapped her long, blush-pink nails on her desk. "I might be able to help. Let's chat later."

Natalie didn't think her friend would have that kind of money, but she nodded anyway.

"Will you be alright? You don't want to take a half-day?" 

"Nah, I'll be fine," Natalie replied with an award-winning smile.

"You know, you can talk to me, right? I may not look like it, but people tell me I'm as good as a therapist sans the crazy hourly rates!"

Natalie couldn't help but laugh at her nonsense. It was so like Emily, though, to make her feel better without even trying.

"Good, you laughed! I was starting to think I'll have to call in the clowns or something."

"Right!" Natalie smiled and turned back to her screen.

Promptly at 3:00 PM, Emily stood up and knocked on Natalie's desk. "It's drink o'clock. Are you coming?"

"Oh, shoot! I forgot it's today," she groaned, mussing up her hair. "And I'm so overdressed for the occasion!"

Emily saw right through her and called her out.

"Natalie Taylor! I know you're not trying to leave me with all these animals!" She pointed at their colleagues still gathered in the office. They'd all planned to go for drinks after work.

"Great, you caught me! Now what?" Natalie held up her hands in feigned surrender.

"You are so cute!" Smiling, Emily grabbed their bags, took her hand and led her out of the office, not giving her a chance to bail on her.