Nora's standpoint.
I shook off my now stained shirt, I could still feel the hotness of the coffee against my skin as I looked up at the person.
It was a tall stranger, holding an almost empty cup of coffee. His lips parted as if to apologize, but his words caught in his mouth when our eyes met. He stared at me for a few seconds as though he had seen me before.
“Hey!” I snapped my finger, jolting him back to reality. “You don't even have the guts to apologize?”
“I… Um… I apologize for my clumsiness.” He stuttered, not taking his gaze off me.
My eyes twitched with confusion and self-pity. I can't believe this is what has become of me. I wanted him to yell back at me, pick up a fight with me. That way, I would be able to let the tears flow. I could have a reason, but he stood there, calm, as if almost smiling.
I rolled my eyes at him and was about to take a step past him, but he grabbed my arm, pulling me back to the spot. My eyes widened with surprise at the way he looked at me.
A smile curled up his face, like he had been waiting for this moment. Then, confusion flashed on his face.
“Is anything the matter, mister? If not, excuse me.” My voice was harsher than I intended.
Rather than a response, he patted my head gently, stroking down my messy hair. His gentle touch sent a wave of calmness through my body and a tear rolled down my cheeks, guilt gnashing at my insides for being so at peace when I might lose my father.
I melted in his hands, almost letting go of everything, and I couldn't understand why. Why this stranger felt as though he were the one I had been waiting for, why time froze as he stood in front of me.
Just then, a voice cut through my thoughts.
“Alexander?” The frail voice sounded excited, and the man moved to stand beside me, facing the woman on a wheelchair.
Two bodyguards, dressed in brown suits, stood beside the woman and a nurse behind the wheelchair, her hands on its handle.
Though the woman looked weak and sick, a genuine smile played on her lips.
“Mom?” Alexander called in a low voice, his voice icy and his face cold as he looked at the nurse. “Why did you bring her out?” He barked, moving closer to his mom and covering her well with the blanket that sat on her knees.
“It's fine, Alexander. I wanted to get some fresh air, but I think this is more than enough.” She uttered, glancing and smiling at me, which I forced a smile in return.
“Is this the loving lady you've been hiding from me?” She asked, taking my hand in hers.
I wanted to correct her, that I was just a stranger to her son, but Alexander took my second hand, staring at me lovingly.
“Yes, mom. She's my girlfriend.” He smiled, tightening his grip on my hand while I looked at him with my jaw down, almost trembling in shock.
My eyes widened and though I wanted to say something, it was as though I lost my voice for a moment.
“You're more beautiful than I ever imagined,” his mom patted my hand with her other hand, causing me to turn to her with a forced smile that didn't reach my lips.
What should I do? And how dare this bloody stranger pull this kind of string on me? Why now? I thought within me, almost screaming out the words of my thoughts.
But it all came to me when Alexander winked at me with a strained smile that made him look like a cute bunny. A genuine smile spread on my lips for the first time in the day.
“Did I say something funny?” His mom's voice jolted me out of my thoughts.
I slipped my hand from their grasps and knelt beside her. Seeing her so frail, yet happy just by one tiny action from her son filled my heart with joy, my smile like an ironic smile, laughing at how I had failed as a daughter.
If this is all I have to do to put a smile on a stranger's face, then so be. I thought, my finger caressing her face softly as I put her hair behind her ear.
Her eyes shut for a moment and when they opened, they were filled with tears.
“Why does it feel so good?” Her voice came as a whisper, the tears crackling in it.
“Because you're happy. That's how you feel when you're overwhelmed with happiness.” I smiled, a tear rolled off my cheek.
“It's time for your meds,” the nurse butted in.
“I'll see you around then…" She paused, her eyes yearning for how to address me.
“Nora is the name, ma'am.”
“Just call me Yvette.”
The nurse wheeled her away while I rose to my feet, tears still rolling off my cheek and my body trembled as it got more intense.
“Hey!” I felt Alexander's hands on my shoulders as he called to me, but I turned to him, burying my face in his chest.
“Let's get you somewhere quiet,” he offered as he led me out of the hospital.
A few minutes later, we sat on a cemented bench. His back leaned as he stared at the stars. I studied him for a moment and I just can't see why someone like him would say something like that.
“What did you do that for?” I questioned, swiftly shifting my gaze away. Looking at him felt like I could drown in them and forget how messed up my life was at the moment.
He glanced at him before staring at the stars again. “It's been since forever I saw her smile, I just want to make her remaining days peaceful and happy.”
“Her remaining days?” I gulped down hard, fear of losing my dad gnashed at me. I can't make peace with that. “How do you intend to do that when all of this is a lie?” My voice quivered slightly.
He sat up and turned to me, taking my hand in his and our gaze locked. “How about we make it real?” A sly smile, that I couldn't quite trust, curled up his lips.
My heart raced, my cheeks tinted with blushes, reacting to his touch.
“Get a grip!” I snapped at myself, slowly wriggling my hand from his.
“What do you mean by that?” I gulped hard, looking away from him.
“Be mine…" His words grasped my attention, my eyes widened in surprise. “For 100 days. That's all she has left.”
I chuckled and rose to my feet, turning back at him, trying to make out if he was joking. But the look on his face was serious. I wrapped my hands around my arms, shaking my head.
“You can't be serious.”
“Why are you here at the hospital? I'll sort whatever it is you want…" He paused and rose, moving closer until I could feel his hot breath against my face. “Just be mine, and I'll get it done.”
“$5000?” I teased, trying to talk him out of it.
“Done!” He straightened up, his smile bright like something that brings me home.
“You don't just expect me to believe your words?” I shrugged, my hands slipping off my arms. “My dad is in there, and he needs the money to survive.” My voice trembled, thinking about the pain he has to go through.
Alexander brought out his phone and after a few minutes of scrolling, he stretched the phone to him. My eyes screamed with questions.
“Enter your account details,” he urged.
My heart skipped a beat, unable of what or how I should feel if he was serious, as much as how I could feel if this was a lame prank.
I grabbed the phone and wanted my details with my heart in my mouth, and returned the phone to him.
“You can check now,” his voice filled with a hint of pride, but I paid it no attention until I heard a beep from my phone.
I brought out my phone from my pocket, unlocked it and a gasp escaped my lips when I saw the amount. The exact thing I asked for.
My eyes met his.
“Do we have a deal now, Miss Nora?” He questioned, his voice cold, same as when he spoke to the bodyguards.
Without a response, my gaze landed on my phone, a smile contoured with tears I tried to hold back, played on my face.
“My mom would be so happy,” I muttered to myself as I went to my dialer.
But before I could dial her number, her call came in.
Perfect timing, I thought as I answered the call and brought it to my ear.
What I heard on the other end broke my heart in a million shreds; my mom sobbing.
“Mom? Is something wrong? Why are you crying?” I bombarded her with questions, fear and worry etched in my voice.
“Your dad… He's gone, Nora! He left without me. How could he!” She yelled before breaking back into sobs.
It was as though the world crumbled to the ground, I slowly lowered the phone, dumbstruck.
My knees wobbled, but before I could fall to the ground, Alexander caught me, his eyes yearning for answers.
“He's dead.”
