Page 57 of The Call She Made That He Never Answered
The family in the next bay stared at us, shocked.
I took a deep breath. Counted to ten. Told myself to stay calm.
"Mom! Do you have any idea what kind of situation Ella's in right now?"
Maya sat up too fast and started coughing violently. I rushed over to pat her back.
"Oh, what's this? You two ganging up on your mother in front of strangers?" Mother stood up, voice rising. "I came all the way from another city to help you out, haven't even asked you to reimburse my bus fare, and you're screaming at me over a little money!"
She jabbed a finger at me. "Especially you. You married into the Rockefellers. Your husband's loaded. What falls through his fingers could set me up for life, and you're gonna act cheap with me?"
I opened my mouth to say something, but the words died. I finally saw it. This woman hadn't changed at all. She was still selfish to the core.
She didn't come to make up for abandoning me and Maya. She came to feed.
Fourteen years ago, she left us for a man who could support her. Now she thought she'd found a richer host.
"I don't have money," I said, forcing my voice steady, keeping my anger from taking over. "I'm not Mrs. Rockefeller anymore. I signed the divorce papers. I'm living in an eight-hundred-dollar-a-month apartment. I've got just enough in my account for Maya's transplant and a year of expenses. And you—"
I slapped the phone onto the bed.
"—just burned through three months of our living expenses."
The room went dead silent. The family next door yanked their curtain shut.
Mother stormed over. "Divorce? You're divorcing Lucas? Are you out of your mind?"
She grabbed my wrist, yanking me away from Maya with shocking force.
"Let go of me!" I struggled.
She shoved the phone back in my hand, her voice shrill. "If you're not divorced yet, then call Lucas right now and beg him to take you back. Right now!"
"I'm not calling him." I pushed the phone away. "You have no idea what Lucas put me through!"
Mother looked unhinged, pacing the cramped room. "You'll never find anyone better than Lucas! Do you even realize what you're throwing away?"
"I don't regret it!"
"Don't regret it?" Mother laughed bitterly. "Ella, you've had it too easy. You don't know how hard it is for an ordinary woman in this world! Look at your sister. This is what being stubborn gets you!"
"Get out!" I pointed at the door. "You're disturbing the other patients."
"Let them hear! Let everyone hear how stupid you're being!" Mother was practically frothing at the mouth. "I thought you came here to help Maya. Turns out you're the one who dumped Lucas? Ella, you think life's a fairy tale? Even if Lucas wronged you a thousand times, as long as he's paying, you should treat him like your boss!"
I stared at her, the last shred of warmth in my heart turning to ash.
"So in your eyes, my happiness and dignity aren't worth as much as money?"
"That's right, they're not!" Mother screamed. "You think I came here to play servant for you two? One broke caregiver and one sick girl with a genetic disease. You think you're worth my time?"
She raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. "Wake up!"
My ears rang. My cheek burned, stinging and hot.
"You dare hit her?" Maya let out a distorted shriek. She didn't even care about the pain. She ripped the IV out and stumbled off the bed. "You never took care of her! What gives you the right to hit her?"
"You put her up to this!" Mother's face twisted with rage. She swung her arm and shoved Maya hard. "Ella's young and stupid, but you should know better!"
