Should Have Not Asked - New Adult Romance (Wattys 2014)

Chapter 16 - Tailing

"Do you think you are fully compensated, Miss Mohr?" Paul asks, his eyes quickly running sideways, probably checking for suspicious people. We are in the streets, just outside Max's. He's handing over my paycheck, and to my utter surprise, I receive more than I expected.

My eyes glisten with suppressed tears. Paul tries to make the tears go by constantly telling me how large the compensation is.

"Thank you for this, Paul," I say, my voice cracking.

"You deserve it. Mr. Stone seemed... happy." His voice falters at the last sentence. Not sure how it sounds, but he seems unsure and not happy about it.

"Mr. Stone was happy with what I did?" At the back of my mind, I am praying Paul won't say anything about deductions. I want to stick my tongue with a pin for saying it. I shouldn't have. The ghost of that incident still haunts me. Each time I remember how badly I wronged the poor, innocent waiter, I cringe. But what can I do? I need the money. I need it more than anything else in the world.

"Apparently, he was." The tense of the verb is heavily emphasized. I assume Mr. Stone has already forgotten about me. Nevertheless, it's not a big deal. I got what I needed. I could secure Dad's new kidney and probably help lessen the hospital charges.

"So, Ms. Mohr, thank you for your services. We couldn't have survived that grueling night without your expertise!"

"Expertise?" I chortle. I don't want to call it as that. I am far from being an expert at anything. I acted upon the call of desperation.

I suppose Angel Grant is dead now. I didn't ask Paul who's going to be the next lucky girl. My job is finished. I don't have business with Paul or Hunter Stone anymore. Angel Grant is as good as a memory now. Tomorrow, I might be surprised to see Stone's picture in the newspaper with a new girl beside him. This time, I'd know he's faking it, as he always does.

It took me more than an hour to secure a spot in the kidney recipient list of the hospital, but it doesn't matter as long as Dad walks back home with a new healthy one. Though he doesn't approve of it, he has no choice but to accept the circumstances I set for him. I worked hard for this to come true. Surely, Dad would not take this for granted. All of Stone's paycheck was used for this new kidney which I have yet to see if it comes to real form. If I couldn't get one, I could always demand a refund. The lady at the desk told me so. Then again, I don't want a refund. I want a kidney for Dad. But I knew this is all a gamble. There's no assurance that I get what I asked. I could only wish for luck. I wish we get the right one.

His body has been recovering well recently. The doctor said when his vitals are stable, and there are no more abnormalities in his heart, he could go home. It was more than good news when Dr. Eric Martin told us. It felt like angels' herald in a cold night. I see Mom almost bursting into tears while hugging Dad. Even if Dad didn't say a thing, I knew deep in my heart that he's thankful he no longer has to stay bedridden all day long.

Putting down the medical record on the desk, Eric Martin smiles at Dad and shifts his gaze to me. "The tracings show no more abnormalities. No more blocks or slow and fast pacings. You might want to pack your things right away."

"I would gladly do that, Doctor!" Dad replies, his smile reaching both ends of his ears. "I think staying here makes me weaker each day." Mom lands a gentle pat on Dad's shoulder.

"But don't forget about your weekly appointment with me, George. It doesn't mean that I send you home, you're completely well. Your serum creatinine's pretty normal this time, but I can't promise you it won't shoot up again. You'll need your routine dialysis, George, and I expect Sarah to be with you so you both can draw strength from each other. And bringing Angel," he paused, shifting his gaze to me, "would be a splendid idea... for therapy, of course. Family therapy, I mean." I thought he struggled for the right word there.