“You never keep to your promises, Richardson. I’d be called stupid if I ever lend you money again.” A sweater cladded Kiara snapped angrily.

“I promise to return every dime back. There’s this project…”

He was cut off harshly. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Your supposed project that’s somehow going to transform your entire life. Yeah, right… that’s never gonna happen.”

Richardson spluttered. A lot of onlookers had gathered and were throwing him long glances.

“Kiara, listen to me, I promise to…”

“No, Richardson. Save your promises and get the hell out.”

~~~

One thing you need to know about the man named Richardson, was that he was always unlucky.

Icy wind whipped at his face. The cold rain pounded him without mercy as he tried to gather his thoughts while hastening his footsteps.

He wiped his face but it was no use because of how heavy the rain was. He decided to instead place a palm against his pocket to save the little money in there from getting soaked through.

His heart thud against his chest as he approached the hospital, the old building looming before him and making a dreaded feeling overcome him.

He could feel his confidence give out, but he squared his shoulders in the rain as he made his way into the building.

Thoughts about his mother engulfed him as he walked down the bleary looking hospital’s hallways.

It was currently some minutes past eight p.m and he hated how it had taken him almost the entire day to gather the little money he had succeeded in gathering.

He could already imagine the doctor and nurses regarding him mockingly, due to how pathetic he must appear to them.

On arriving on the floor where his mother was located, his mouth fell open in shock on seeing his mother right there in the freezing hallway, in her bed.

Anger overcame him, which quickly transformed into a feeling of helplessness as he stormed down the hallway to the doctor’s office.

As expected, the doctor didn’t bother to stand up on seeing him. He was chewing on a gum and regarding some books on his table with a lazy expression on.

“I take it you were unable to raise the required money for your mother’s surgery, right?” The doctor murmured tauntingly while regarding Richardson with a raised eyebrow.

Richardson spluttered out in anger. “Why is my mother out there in the hallway?!”

The doctor rolled his eyes a little and threw his pen down. He leaned back in his seat and folded his hands while chuckling.

Richardson suddenly wanted to punch the doctor.

“Well, Mr. Wilson, you see– your mother’s hospital bill expired today, and on seeing how long it took for you to show up here for her surgery’s payment, which was supposed to have been held this morning…”

“We assumed you were unable to gather the money, so there was no use for your mother to still be in the ward when another patient whose payment had been fully made was in need of a room.”

The doctor spoke impatiently, his words digging deep into Richardson’s heart.

“Here’s the money for my mother’s surgery. It took longer than I expected to raise the money.”

Richardson spoke quietly as he dipped his hand and brought out the money that was unfortunately wet and stuck together, courtesy of the heavy rainfall.

The doctor let out a loud scoff as he regarded the money.

“Why are they wet? Did you pick them from the ground? Or stole them from someone?”

“No, that’s impossible. Here you go, so my mother can get back into her room at least.”

The doctor shook his head as he stood up. “I can’t touch that, unfortunately. God knows the amount of germs on it right now. Perhaps you should go get it dried or something.”

Richardson squinted. “It’s money. Of course it has germs on it from a lot of people touching it.”

“More reasons why you should get it dried up.”

Richardson knew the doctor was only doing this because he knew he could walk all over him without retaliation, and that angered Richardson so much.

Richardson sighed resignedly. “Fine, at least put my mother back in the room while I go dry up this money.”

“Absolutely not, the money needs to be cashed in full first.” The doctor declared as he suddenly pulled the door open, which almost hit Richardson in the face.

Richardson stumbled out of the doctor‘s office along with the doctor, he was mortified but not surprised that the doctor was treating him with such nonchalance.

Richardson kept following the doctor while trying to convince him to get his mother back into the ward, when the doctor turned around to glare at him.

“Stop following me around like a lost puppy! The faster you get the wretched money dried up, the faster your request would be considered.” The doctor thundered loudly.

There were quite a few people located here in this hallway and they all turned their heads around to focus on the doctor and Richardson, making Richardson grow more mortified.

Richardson gestured around helplessly and attempted to speak, but the doctor turned around and walked in the opposite direction, leaving Richardson dumbstruck, as the onlookers began to murmur amidst themselves.

Richardson gathered the last of his tattered pride and went to the restroom when he dried the wet dollar notes with the hand dryer.

He returned to the doctor’s office in mortification, and had to stand stiffly while the doctor and his assistant attended to five people before finally attending to him.

“This money still isn’t enough for your mother’s full hospitalisation.” The doctor announced as he threw the money back at Richardson, while his assistant tried snickered.

Richardson had to pick the money from the floor and wipe them against his shirt, before handing it back to the doctor. He pleaded, promising to return with more money in a few days.

~~~

Richardson cradled his mother’s frail hand in his cold ones and brushed a soft kiss against it.

He missed her so much.

After a lot of pleas, his mother was finally moved back into a room that was smaller than the one she had previously been in, and he was currently perched beside her.

His mother was the only family he had left in this world, apart from his girlfriend named Alice, and he’d do everything in his power to not lose her.

He dropped his mother’s hand carefully and walked towards the window. He fished out his phone and scrolled through it.

The familiar feeling of dejection slowly washed over him as he realized that he was still yet to get a response to his message, as he had anticipated.

The dejected feeling was so intense, he hit his head against the window frame a few times while despising how completely pathetic his life was.