01

“Larry, don't be like this, I'm your wife and Olly is our daughter…”

“So? Does that mean you could be useless and become a liability to me? You laze around all day, expecting me to believe your petty lie of being sick, ha! dream on!”

“What nonsense are you saying, huh?, You know better than anyone else that I worked hard to make sure there's food on the table for everyone. Was it my fault that I got sick? Answer me!”

Olivia could hear her parents arguing voices from the bedroom, she opened her eyes, sat up and reached for her foot wear in the cramped dimly lit room.

She walked out of the room, and slowly went towards the sitting room.

She stopped at the back of the slightly opened door, poked out her head to peep at her parents.

Her gaze stopped on her mom, who sat lazily on the couch, with a solemn expression.

Lately her mom's illness has been deteriorating, making her pale and easily exhausted.

All she knew was that her mom was sick, but didn't know the cause of the illness. Her both parents didn't want to let her know what exactly was happening to her mom, but why would they be arguing again ?.

She glanced at her father, who seemed drunk as usual. He stood there fuming with anger and hatred.

“It wasn't my fault either. Your sickness has been eating up my whole money, I can't cater for your daughter and your medical expenses anymore, what am I, a money making machine ?!” Larry said, arching his brows in annoyance.

“Olly is our daughter, why make it look like I got myself pregnant with her ?Why are you saying all these now?” Lily said, her frown getting deeper.

“I've decided that you'll move out with your daughter and Carter for yourselves, I can't waste my money on you both, not anymore” He said, with a tone of finality.

Olivia's breath hitched, when the words left her father's mouth, she widened her eyes in surprise.

“You!, What did you just say ?, You won't!...., You won't dare…, You won't dare to do this to us, you are lying right ?” Lily stood up immediately, widening her eyes at him, while closing their distance.

“You heard me right. And I'm not going back on my words.” he said, raising an eye brow.

“Where do you expect us to move in, if we leave here? If not for anything else, think about your daughter, think about Olly, she's too young to face all these”

“Suit yourselves, I just don't want to keep seeing you two, not anymore”

With that Larry made to walk away from her, but staggered a little.

Slap!

Lily landed a hot slap on his cheek, before he could make a move.

“You are a scumbag!, You dare to tell us to move out from your house, just to run away from your responsibilities. What would people think of you ?. You know what ?, I regret the day I met you, the day we got married, I regret ever meeting you.” Lily cursed, as she closed her eyes to stop the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Olivia's eyes stung with pain, as she stood there, blankly staring at her parents. Her heart was shattering into pieces, as she tried to recollect what she did to offend her father.

But she couldn't come up with one, then why was he being mean to them?, Why was he sending them away ?.

Fresh tears ran down her cheeks, as she continued thinking about it.

“I'll leave tonight with my daughter, but you'll regret this day. You would never be happy, never!” Lily said through gritted teeth, refusing to shed a tear in front of him, as she slowly turned her back on him, to leave.

Thump!

She slumped and fell to the ground.

“Mom!!” Olivia screamed, as she pushed the door open and ran towards her mom.

“Mom, please wake up!” Her voice wavered, as she knelt close to her mother's body.

She caressed her face, brushing off the strands of hair that covered her mom's face.

“Dad!, let's take her to the hospital!,” She sniffled, raising her face to look at her father, who stood still, like nothing mattered to him.

“What hospital ?Who's going to pay for the bills ? You tell me, have you ever brought money into this house before, huh?” Larry lashed out at her and turned away.

Olivia's gaze darkened, she stared at her father, while tears fell from her face.

“Dad, why are you being like this ?You can't leave mom to die, just because you can't cater for us anymore. If you wanted me to work, I would have taken up a job, and earned for us, you didn't have to tell us to leave just like that.”

Sobs, sobs…,

“Everything was fine, when mom wasn't ill, she did everything all by herself, Dad you know more than anyone that mom helped you out when you got fired from work. Even if you don't want to see us anymore, can you at least take us to the hospital, please dad….” Olivia sobbed as she begged her father.

“You now talk back to me ? Ha! What was I thinking ?, a snake would surely give birth to a snake, like a mother like a daughter.” Larry sneered.

Cough!, Cough!, Cough!.....

“Mom, are you okay ?” she said, pressing her hands together.

“If anything happens to my mom, I'll never forgive you!” Olivia threatened, while glaring at her father.

Larry's expression seemed to change, he pinched his brows and sat up from the couch.

He helped Olivia to carry Lily outside the house, taking her into his car, Olivia entered the car, and they drove off.

Immediately they were admitted into a ward, Larry reversed his car and drove back home.

Inside the ward, the doctor ran several tests on Lily, he adjusted his coat and went out of the ward.

Olivia, seated outside the ward, noticed the doctor coming out from her mom's ward. She didn't hesitate to rush towards him.

“Sir, what's wrong with my mom ?Is she okay ?!” She asked, grabbing the young man's coat.

Startled by her sudden action, the doctor halted and seized her up. He adjusted his rimless glasses and stared at Olivia.

“Where's your father ?, I mean, you didn't come here alone right ?”

“I-i-i don't have a father…..” she closed her eyes as she took a deep breath.

“Is anything wrong with my mom ?” she quickly added, staring at the doctor.

“In my office.” The doctor said, and went ahead.