Sufferings

“Aunt Mary, is she okay?” She asked her mother’s best friend while panting heavily. Only she knew how she was able to reach the hospital after receiving the call that her mother’s condition was not good.

Mary looked at Olivia and nodded her head. She looked worried to no end.

“I went to your apartment after you left, to check up on her and stayed for half an hour. She was sleeping peacefully, but when I was about to leave, she suddenly started vomiting. It was not normal. I had to call the ambulance and bring her here.” She said with a bit of a shaky voice. Olivia would thank her profusely if she was in her senses at that moment. Aunt Mary was her mother’s best friend from college and lived in the same apartment building they lived. She would often check up on her mother while Olivia was away for work. She could not have been more grateful that she was there with her mother.

“The doctor is seeing her at the moment.” She informed patting Olivia’s back. Olivia pushed back the tears that were threatening to flow like a river. She had to be strong. Her mother needed her to be strong.

She was praying for her mother in her heart while controlling the emotions from bursting out. It always calmed her down a little and gave her a sense that she was not alone.

The doctor came out, and she rushed to him to ask how her mother was doing.

“Please come into my office.” He instructed in a professional tone. Olivia went behind him and told Mary to go and sit with her mother.

“How is my mother?” She asked once she was seated in the office. Dr. Robert smiled at her a little probably noticing her fidgeting and looking anxious. He knew Olivia and her mother since they occasionally visited the hospital when her mother needed treatment as the hospital was close to their apartment.

“There is no need to worry. Mrs. Mary told me that your mother had her chemo session earlier today, so it explains her current condition.” He told her in an assuring tone. She could not control herself anymore.

Her shoulders shook as she started shedding silent tears. She did not know if they were tears of happiness that there was no threat—at least for the time being or tears of sadness that she had to be tested against the only family she had in this world.

Dr. Robert offered her some tissues which she took thanking him in her hoarse voice.

“Ms. Olivia, you are a strong lady and so is your mother. These days will pass only if you know how to pull yourself together.” The kind doctor said making her let out a sigh. He was right. She was given the situation, and now, she had to face it. Crying and slumping will do no good, she thought. She had to be there for her mother.

Her mother already worried a lot about Olivia more than her condition. She should not show her weak side of her to her mother.

“I have written some medicines. I have also given her IV therapy for the time being. You can take her home after the process. And don’t worry little one!” Dr. Robert said giving her the prescription and telling her teasingly. She chuckled at being called ‘little one’. He was hardly in his mid-forties, and she was twenty-one.

Neither his age nor hers could justify him calling her that. But she knew that he was trying to cheer her up.

“Thank you, doctor.” She thanked him and left the office to go to her mother. She was sleeping peacefully when Olivia entered. Mary was sitting beside her.

“What did he say?” Marry asked her worriedly. She put her hand over Mary’s.

“There is nothing to worry about. It was just a reaction to her chemo.” She assured her and looked at her mother who looked so peaceful. She wanted to take away all the pain and thought about how she would do anything for her to look peaceful like she did at that moment.

“Thank God!” Mary sighed with relief.

“Aunt Mary, you should probably go and rest. I am here with mom.” She said to Mary who narrowed her eyes at her in return.

She suggested that because Mary looked so tired. 

“We will go together. The one who needs rest are you, Olivia. I know how tiring your job can be to entertain the crazy crowd.” She shook her head empathetically. She did not like Olivia’s job but neither did Olivia. She had told her aunt about the nature of her job but instructed her not to tell her mother. Her mother would have stopped her from doing so. She had no choice.

“I am okay, aunt.” She refrained from saying anything else despite being disturbed by what Joe Williams said to her.

"Give me the prescription. I will fetch the medicine until she wakes up." Mary said getting up and leaving Olivia with her thoughts.

It had completely left her mind when she came to know about her mother’s condition, but it hit her again while she waited for the drip to finish so she could take her mother home.

He always made her uneasy with his words and actions, but this time, he was as bold as he could get. It was beyond her how a mature-looking man could not get the idea that she was not the least bit interested in him. He was the co-owner of the club, and she respected him for that. That was all she thought of him.

“Olivia…” She heard her name being called in her mother’s weak voice. She came out of her train of thought and looked at her mother who was looking at her with worry and concern. She had woken up thankfully.

“Are you okay?” She asked taking her mother’s hand in hers.

“I am. I am.” She nodded, “You look worried.” It was not a question but a statement. It was amazing how she could decipher her feelings at a glance even when she was lying on the hospital bed.

She smiled at her mother.

“I am okay now that you are awake.” She told her kissing the back of her mother’s hand softly.

Amelia, her mother, smiled weakly with adoration in her eyes. She adored how her daughter had grown up to be so beautiful and strong. She even knew how to hide her pain from her mother. As much as she was proud of her, she was sad that she had to be the main reason for her misery.

It was a year ago that she came to know she had ovarian cancer. She always experienced sudden fatigue, bleeding, and diarrhea for the last few years, but she did not pay any heed. She was too busy trying to give a comfortable life to her only child.

Paul Anderson, Olivia’s father, left the world in an accident when she was very young. He was a family man, but unfortunately, nature did not give him enough chance.

And now, she was also sick. Her soft-hearted and innocent child was suffering because of her.

“You woke up.” Mary smiled entering the ward, “The doctor said we can take her.” Mary informed getting back with Amelia's medicines.

“Thank you, Mary. And sorry for bothering you again.” Amelia said weakly as she tried to sit up with Olivia’s help.

“Don’t be silly. Remember the promise we made in school that we would always be together.” She tried to make light of the situation while remembering the good old days. Olivia laughed. Amelia also let out a hearty laugh, but it was easy to notice how hoarse and weak her voice sounded.

“I remember.” She smiled as the nurse removed the IV. Olivia made her stand up, and they took her to the apartment with Olivia thanking the heavens that her mother was alright.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I think your phone is ringing.” Amelia told her daughter while she was sitting on the couch, and Olivia was busy making dinner. She probably did not hear her phone ringing.

“Oh! Let me see.” She went to her room to attend the call.

“Hello!” She greeted the manager of the club, Mr. Morris. She did wonder why he was calling though.

“Olivia, get to work in an hour!” She heard him bark orders in his usual pissed-off tone like he was against the whole world or the world was against him—she could not make out what his reason was for his behaviour.

“Why? I informed Laura I would not be able to make it today.” She said in a confused tone. It was true. She had called Laura in the morning to tell her she would not attend to work the following night. Her mother was not in a good state. She had to wash up the bed sheets and all as there was mess everywhere after the last night’s events when her mom got sick. She was also worried about her getting sick again. That was why she decided to take a day off.

“You are coming in an hour.” He barked again and ended the call. No explanation—nothing. He was always like that to the workers and employees. If it was not for the money she needed for her mother, she would have not thought twice before quitting.

Her eyes pricked at the helpless situation she was in. She took a few seconds to compos herself before going out.

“Mom, there is an emergency at work. I have to go. Will you be okay?” She asked Amelia who looked at her worriedly.

“Everything okay?” She asked.

“Yeah…They’re short on the staff today, so the manager requested me to assist them.” She made an excuse. Her mother seemed to buy it as she nodded her head.

“I will be okay. Don’t worry about me.” She assured her spreading her arms. Olivia shook her head with a smile before taking refuge in her support person’s arms—her mother.

“I will be back shortly. If you feel something is wrong, there is the beeper.” She laughed quietly as she heard her daughter say. She had insistently gotten it for her the same day. She was taking care of her like a child.

“Nothing will happen. Go!” She urged her after she saw Olivia narrowing her eyes when she saw her mother laughing.

“Let me bring you dinner, then I will get going.” She said in a hurry as she poured some soup for her mother and fed her quickly despite her mother’s protests that she could eat by herself.

“At least, have some dinner.” Amelia shouted while she went to her room to change.

“I will eat at work. Don’t worry.” She came out of her room and kissed her mother’s cheek saying her goodbye and left the tiny apartment consisting of two small rooms, a bathroom, a small kitchen and a tiny living room. They could hardly afford the rent.

She quickly hailed a cab and reached the club in no time. Mr. Morris had given her an hour’s ultimatum. Thank God, she reached there on time and started her performance right after.

It was not packed like the previous night as people had stuff to do the other day—Monday. Despite the factor, she gave her all in the performance like usual. She still received enough tips.

The thing about the tips was that she had to divide it in half and give the rest to Laura. It was a rule that all the strippers had to follow. The club gave them monthly salaries, so they claimed a part in the tips the strippers received.

She gave Laura the half and retreated to change into her clothes to get to her mother. It was already late since she was instructed to give a longer performance for some unknown reasons. People were beginning to leave.

Just as she was about to get to the changing room, a strong pair of hands grabbed her and put one hand on her mouth to keep her from screaming.

The person had grabbed her from the waist while her back was touching his front, and dragged her to the dark hallway that was situated at the back of the club. It was mostly empty since there were rooms where they kept bottles of wine with some other materials.

She kept struggling and trying to yell but the person only stopped once he was beside a room and opened it with a key. She tried to kick him with her silver stilettos and succeeded in doing so as she buried her heels in his skin and started hitting him, but the person only flinched despite the fact that it must have hit him hard.

“Shh!!!” He whispered taking her inside forcefully and bit her left earlobe—not too hard but no too softy either.

She stilled as she recognized him.

Someone else had watched the scene unfold. Someone not too keen to find out how the man manhandled her.