Aiden continued his job–hunt journey, he decided to pocket the twenty dollars and get something for Hope later. After his interview, he would go back to the hospital to check if she was conscious and then he would ask her what she wanted.

He saw a poster for a job ad, it was hung on the gate of a small bank. They were in need of a security guard. He could apply for this.

He opened the gates and began to walk into the premises and then he heard someone call out to him, “Hey Mr. Man!” Aiden immediately swung around and met with a security guard.

Aiden began to walk back towards him. Immediately he approached the security guard, he eyed him from head to toe in a condescending manner. “And what are you looking for here?” The guard questioned.

“I’m Aiden Everton and I want to apply for the post of a security guard.” Aiden explained and the security guard cringed in disgust, pinching his nose together on inhaling the smell that oozed from Aiden’s mouth.

“You stinking man! You’re so smelly, ew. Get out of this building before my boss comes out and sees such a dirty man like you roaming around the vicinity.” The security guard shooed Aiden away.

“Please, it’s a long story but I can explain. I’m not usually like this, please. I really need this job.” Aiden begged, profusely— almost crying even. But it fell on deaf ears.

“Mr. Man please stop talking, your mouth smells like death. Nobody is going to conduct an interview for a man like you who looks like he works the sewers. Please leave this premises before I have to manhandle you out of here.” The security man said and on hearing his threat, Aiden quickly exited the building. He couldn’t sustain being beaten up again.

The doors to the building were banged shut in Aiden’s face and he sighed deeply, wondering what next to do. He decided to keep on looking for vacancies but every organization he visited, he was shooed out because of how unkempt he looked. And he gave up after the fifth organization had released their guard dog to pursue him out.

Aiden is back to square one. He decided to go back to the hospital and went straight to his daughter’s ward. He found out that she was conscious. Her face lit up with a smile the moment she saw her father walk in.

“Hey daddy!’ The little brunette beamed. Aiden couldn’t help but smile too, whenever he saw his little girl smile, it seemed like all his problems faded away. He loved her so much.

He sat down beside her bed, “Hey baby, how are you feeling today?”

“I’m fine daddy.” She replied. Her eyes settled down on her father’s outlook and her smile faded as she saw the bandaged up bruises and blood stains. “What happened to you daddy? Why are you injured.”

Aiden contemplated in that split second whether he should tell Riley that it was her family who did this to him, but he decided against it, “It’s nothing Hope. Daddy just had a small accident but it’s been taken care of.” Aiden lied but Hope wasn’t having any of it. She didn’t believe that it was just a small accident but she decided to take her father’s word.

The little girl felt the need to say, “Don’t worry daddy, everything would be alright. Just keep working hard and don’t give up. Very soon, we’ll have a breakthrough!” Hope smiled, encouraging her father and it touched Aiden so much. Hope was just a little girl but she was his biggest inspiration; everyday, this girl fought for her life and struggled with her heart problem but she never gave up. She kept on pushing, pushing to survive. Even now that she was on the brink of dying, she was still pushing. She managed to smile the brightest of smiles and encourage her father. She was his angel.

“I love you so much, Hope.” Aiden croaked, trying to stop the tears from falling and he hugged her.

“I love you too daddy. Don’t cry daddy, Men don’t cry remember?” Hope laughed, and Aiden too began to laugh amidst the tears that flowed freely now.

Just then, Hope suddenly began to cough and Aiden disengaged from the embrace. “Hope dear, what’s wrong?” He inquired.

Hope’s coughs intensified, she was coughing so hard that she began to choke and she was obviously struggling for air. She couldn’t breathe.

Aiden immediately entered panic mode and called for the doctors with the emergency button. Few moments later, the doctors rushed into Hope’s ward to attend to her.

“Doctor, what’s happening to my daughter?” Aiden asked vehemently as he rose from the chair. The doctors ignored him and focused on Hope.

She’s coughing and gasping for air. The doctors checked her heart rate and it was rapidly decreasing, at this pace she might just…

“Doctors, please tell me what is happening!” Aiden inquired again, his tone soaring heights as he watched his daughter struggle for her life and he couldn’t do anything about it. He felt angry within himself.

“Mr. Aiden, please calm down. You will have to leave the ward while we try to stabilize her.” A doctor responded as they tried to save Hope.

Aiden had no option than to leave the room. He waited outside in the lobby and was haunted by the sound pained coughs from Hope and her struggle for air coming from her room. He paced about the lobby, wondering if this was the end for her? He silently prayed to God to give him more time to raise the money. He can’t lose Hope. No, he can’t.

But when he started hearing those sad static beeps from the Heart Rate Monitor, he knew that it was a bit too late for prayers.