LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 6: God, Please Help My Grandma!
Abigail read the text message:
"Abigail, I tried to contact you, but you didn't answer your phone. I wanted to inform you that your Grandma has had an incident. Your Grandma put you as her Guardian. So, we shall need you here at the hospital to sign the paperwork so we can proceed with the surgery immediately. Please get in touch with me as soon as you read this."
Her heart nearly stopped beating as she read the message. She read it several times to ensure she hadn't read it wrong.
'Oh God! Please help my Grandma,' Abigail prayed as she stood abruptly from her chair. Just as she was about to rush outside, someone called her.
"Abigail, are you alright?"
Lana's voice stopped Abigail in her tracks. She turned to face her and could see the confused and concerned look in her eyes.
As if pulled out of her confusion, Abigail approached Lana, taking her hand gently before she said, "Sis, Lana, I have to go now," her voice sounded cracking as she held back tears, fearing she might lose her Grandma this time. "My Grandma had an accident. I need, I need... to go to the hospital now."
"Oh my god, Abigail, I'm so sorry," Lana said, gently patting Abigail's hand. Although she barely knew Abigail, somehow, she felt moved by how sad and confused she looked.
Lana didn't know why, but she felt as if she had known Abigail for a long time, just like a close friend. Sincerely, she said, "Abigail, I wish... I could help you."
Abigail nodded while holding back tears. She didn't care when Ryland left her, but losing her Grandma would devastate her. Grandma was the only one who truly and sincerely cared for and loved her since she was a baby, and for that, she tried to give her Grandma as much love and care as possible.
"I need your help, Sis Lana. Can I leave my suitcase here? I promise I'll come back tomorrow morning, and we can talk about work—"
"Yes, of course," Lana interrupted hurriedly, knowing that Abigail must now rush to the hospital. "You should go! Don't worry about your suitcase; I'll keep it for you. And we can also talk about work tomorrow..."
Abigail's eyes blurred with tears as she heard how kind Lana was. After accepting her sling bag from Lana, she rushed toward the bus stop not far from the café.
She needed to hail a taxi to the train station. Her Grandma now lived in the nearby town, and she needed to take the express train to reach her.
***
After arriving at the train station, Abigail was grateful; she still managed to buy a ticket for the express train, which was leaving in just a few minutes.
As soon as she stepped into the carriage, the doors closed, and the train began moving.
On her way to Orange Town, she had a forty-five-minute train ride; she focused on looking for a studio apartment near the Crimson Leaf Café on several property marketplace websites. However, almost all studio apartments in the area are expensive.
Just looking at the prices made her feel nauseated. Renting one for even a month could instantly drain her savings.
After finding nothing within her budget, she tried to push aside her worries about where she would live. By then, the express train had finally reached her destination: Orange Town.
When Abigail arrived at the hospital beside the Autumn Garden nursing house, she saw Nurse Rosa standing at the entrance, seemingly waiting for her.
"Oh dear, Abigail, you finally arrived. Please follow me..." Nurse Rosa took Abigail's hand as they rushed to the elevator and headed to the third floor.
Nurse Rosa started explaining Grandma's condition:
"Your grandma slipped and fell in the bathroom, but luckily, the on-duty nurse found her in time. I don't know what might have happened if they had been a few minutes late. We rushed her here immediately to check her condition."
When Abigail hears that, her heart races. No words escape her lips, but her expression clearly shows her fear.
"After thorough checks, they found fractures in her hips. That's why we need you to sign the documents before the surgery."
"Is my Grandma still awake... I mean, did she faint?" Abigail's voice trembled as she spoke.
"When your grandmother was found, she was still conscious and told us not to call you. But once she arrived at the hospital, she lost consciousness and hasn't woken up yet," Nurse Rosa paused when she felt how tightly Abigail was holding her hand.
"Nurse Rosa, please save my grandma. She is the only family I have," Abigail sobbed, unable to hold back her tears.
"Oh, dear Abigail..."
Nurse Rosa stopped and embraced her momentarily, feeling deeply sorry for the girl's situation. After her mother's death several years ago, Abigail had to look after her grandmother and pay for all her medical bills. Her father had abandoned her and never cared for her as if she wasn't his daughter.
After loosening her embrace, Nurse Rosa looked into Abigail's eyes.
"Abigail, listen, even though your grandma is unconscious, all her organs are working normally. She needs surgery because her hip is fractured and dislocated. The doctor needs to perform surgery to set the bone so that it can heal properly."
Abigail listened to Nurse Rosa's explanation, feeling anxious and scared. She wasn't focused on anything else, but she needed to know one thing: her Grandma was not dead yet.
If that happened, she would be utterly alone in this world. She didn't have anyone left whom she could trust.
Her father had betrayed her, and today, Ryland did the same.
How could she deal with everything happening at once? On the same day? Losing her fiancé, whom she trusted and loved, and now her Grandma?
"Alright, let's go to the administration office. We can't waste any more time," Nurse Rosa said, continuing to walk while holding Abigail's cold hand.
Feeling devastated, Abigail didn't say anything but walked alongside Nurse Rosa.