Chapter Three - Mother

   The hospital looked gloomier than usual. Dominique dreaded coming here. She wished there was a way to take her mom and receive her treatment at home. But that would cost a thousand dollars to sort that out. And right now, she's only with twenty bucks. 

    Angina. That was what was eating her mother slowly. It first attacked her a few weeks after her father died. Since then, her mother has become bedridden and must live on oxygen for the rest of her life. Another reason why Dominique was ready to work anywhere was just so that her mother could get good and stable treatment.

    "Oh, Dominique, baby. You came back early. What happened?" Dominique's mother, Stella, said as Dominique entered the hospital ward. 

    "Well, I guess I did come back early. I lost the job, Mother. Nothing ever works for me, no matter how hard I try." Dominique said as she slumped tiredly on the chair beside the door.

    “Oh, Dominique. Come here, child. ” Stella called softly. Dominique sighed and sluggishly headed for the bed. She placed her head on her mother's thighs and sighed again.

    "Don't sigh, child. Another one would come. There are so many job opportunities out there, okay?"

    “I almost did it, Mother. I was this close. But everything just got ruined. Everything's gone now. How am I supposed to even pay for the bills?”

    Dominique started sobbing. Stella patted her head softly and started humming. 

    “You could apply somewhere else, Dominique. I don't understand your obsession with that place. There are other places in need of someone like you. I don't want you going back there, okay?”

    Dominique merely nodded and continued sobbing. She knew it would come to this. Her mother had dreaded the whole idea of her going to work there. She wiped her tears with her hand and hugged her mother's thighs. 

    “I just want to make you happy, Mother. They pay so well there. ”

    Stella smiled softly at her. "You caring so much for me already makes me happy, honey. It would be best if you didn't overwork yourself. You know how people there work so hard. I even heard from Chloe about that company. She said they don't eat or even have lunch breaks."

    "Well, that wasn't completely true. They have lunch breaks, but it's just for a little moment. You know I can't finish all my snacks that fast."

    Stella chuckled. “You're right. You're really one big glut. I wonder why you're still this lean.”

    Dominique laughed. "Mom! You know Dad never allowed you to call me that."

    When those words left her lips, she wanted to take them back. Her mother's mood had already changed. She knew why. The memories that came with calling her father's name were too painful. She squeezed her mother's hand and kissed it.

    "I'm sorry, Mom. I talked about Dad again. I shouldn't have..."

    "Dominique, stop. Stop apologizing. I never said that we should stop talking about your Father, okay? He was your father, and he loved you so so much. I wouldn't say the same about myself, but your father still loved you so much, baby, and never really meant any of this to happen. "

    Dominique nodded. The last days of her father's life were filled with anger and regrets, and he often lashed out at both of them. Once, he tried beating up her mother, and if only she didn't intervene, something terrible would have happened.

    Her mother said, "Remember when you turned ten, and you wanted a bike so much, but we couldn't get it for you because they weren't enough money?"

    "Yes, I do remember. Then Dad had to sell our already decorated Christmas to get enough money to buy me a bike. And we ended up without a Christmas tree. It was unfortunate, Mom. It's not something I'd like to remember."

    "I know, I know," Stella said as she carefully glided her fingers through Dominique's hair.

    "But do you remember how happy we were? You couldn't ride the bike because there was a lot of snow, and you threw a little tantrum, and Dad had to shovel the snow? Those were good times we had with your father. You shouldn't forget those moments."

    "Or when Dad hid a cockroach in your shoe, you squirmed in fear?" Dominique giggled.

    Stella smiled faintly. “I can't believe you still remember this. Okay, what about...”

    They spent almost an hour talking about old times, good old memories.

    "I love you, Mom."

    Stella grinned. “I love you too, my baby. Go wash up. You're sweaty.”

    Dominique snorted as she rose from the seat and stretched her arms.

    "That's why I hate summer so much—the sweaty season. I'll be back, Mom. I might stop at the grocery store to get vegetables for you."

    Stella sulked. "Vegetables again? Come on now, Dominique. The doctor said that I could take a little protein."

    “Protein. I'll make scrambled eggs then.“

    “I take back my word about you taking care of me.”

    Dominique grinned, waved at her mother, and walked out of the ward. She pulled her phone from her brown satchel and dialed Patricia's number.

    "Hey, baby...."

    Dominique stopped her. "I lost the job, and partly it is all your fault."

    "Huh? What do you mean? You told me that you got the job a few hours ago. And what do you mean that it's my fault?"

    "During the call, I didn't notice my boss, and I accidentally bumped into him and spilled the coffee all over him."

    “Wow.”

    Dominique frowned. “That's all you have to say? Wow? Really, Patricia?”

    "For all I know, Dominique. Please don't assume that it is my fault your boss couldn't see properly. So you mean he fired you because of that?"

    Dominique slipped a coin into the vending machine just a few meters from the receptionist's office. She bent over to collect her drink and her change. She opened it and took a big gulp.

    "Yes. Apart from that, he said that I broke every rule in the company. Like, who the fuck makes rules and principles for other people to live by it?"

    “Your boss.”

    They both laughed. Patricia's laughter echoed in the hospital walls.

    “So... Is he cute?” Patricia giggled.

    Dominique rolled her eyes. "No. He's not. His hair is even black. You know how much I hate dark-haired guys."

"Oh really? Are you sure cause? I just g****e him, and he is not ugly. Like, look at that blue eyes."

    “I'll hang up if you continue talking about him. ”

    Patricia sighed. “Alright, fine. I won't speak of Colin again. Ah, yes. That's his name. Colin Ansel.”

    "Bye, Patty." Dominique hung up and then giggled. She needed to go home, and if she kept on the phone with Patricia, she would never return in time for her mother's medication. 

    As she was about to step out, she heard someone call her. It was one of the nurses. Nurse Jolie, her mother's nurse. She wondered what had gone wrong.

    "Nurse Jolie, is everything okay?"

    Jolie was breathing hard as if she had just finished a track event. "It's your mother. "

    Dominique's heart sank deep. “My mother?” She struggled to say.

    "It's terrible, Dominique. She's not breathing. Her heart just stopped."