Chapter 1 The day her world came down

“You have five days to save your mother’s life, Ms. Ursula Luthers.” The words of the doctor echoed in her head as she stepped out of the hospital.

Her chest felt tight, heart hammering.

Five days… twenty thousand dollars… triple bypass…no time.

She clenched the hem of her washed blue denim jacket. Maybe if I hadn’t asked about Dad… maybe she wouldn’t be lying there… maybe she’d be fine.

Her thoughts drifted back to last night.

Her birthday. Her mother, Franca, singing in a tired, fragile voice. “Thank you, Mom,” Ursula had said, smiling as the candle on the small chocolate cake flickered causing her face to glow.

“You’re welcome,” Franca said, brushing Ursula’s cheek gently. “Mom… What about Dad? Last year you said he’d be here…” Franca’s hand recoiled.

Her voice hardened.

“Why are you so ungrateful, Ursula?”

“But...mom…”

“I single-handedly raised you! I gave you food, clothes, hope! And all you do is ask the same damn question every year?! Huh?!”

Ursula’s chest ached.

“I deserve to know!” The words slipped out in a loud voice before she could stop them.

Tears burned her eyes.

Suddenly, Franca gasped, clutched her chest, eyes wide and collapsed. An ambulance, sirens wailing, rushed her away.

Ursula shook herself back to the present moment.

A yellow car honked inches from her knee. She had been standing in the street, lost in memory.

“Get out of there! Are you trying to get yourself killed?” the driver yelled.

She muttered an apology and stepped back onto the sidewalk.

Her phone vibrated in her hand.

Jared, her boyfriend.

She had called him almost ten times before without an answer.

He finally returned the call.

“Jared, where are you?” she whispered into the line.

“Uhh..I’m out of town.”

“Jared… I need help. It's my mom… she had an emergency.. she needs surgery. Twenty thousand dollars, please. I’ll pay you back.”

A pause.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“But…”

“I gotta go.”

Click.

Ursula’s throat ached. She blinked rapidly, trying to stop the tears.

Her apartment waited for her. The door was open. She feared what it was. On her door, a red poster that spelt: DEADLINE EXCEEDED. Her stomach dropped.

They had evicted her. Ursula stepped inside cautiously. Boxes were already packed, shoved to the corners by the landlord’s assistant. Her few belongings were scattered, electronics and clothes.

“Pack it up, miss,” a stern voice barked from the doorway. “....You’ve overstayed. Rent’s overdue.”

“Wait… I’ll pay… please…just give me time” Ursula’s voice trembled. Her heart pounded so hard she felt it in her throat.

“No more excuses. Your time's up. Out.” The assistant pointed to the stairs. She watched him lock the door and leave with the keys.

Ursula’s hands shook as she gathered her things. Her laptop, the one she had dreamed of using for law school, was now just a piece of junk to sell. Clothes folded and bagged. Electronics shoved into a bag.

She barely looked at them. They were now destined for a garage sale, especially the expensive Blackwood gown that her mother had gotten as her birthday gift. She wondered how even got the money as the Blackwood brand was the most expensive brand in the city owned by a mogul, Ethan Blackwood.

The distress garage sale yielded only a thousand dollars. Not nearly enough at all. She wrapped her clothes in a bag and begged her neighbor to hold them.

“Just don’t waste time. My wife will be back soon,” he warned.

She made her way out of the building, the city lights blurred through tears.

She had nowhere to go.

Then, she thought of Shania, her childhood best friend.

A glimpse of relief.

Maybe Shania's parents aren't home. I should see if I could stay there for the week. Yes.

Ursula moved toward her best friend’s house, her thoughts spinning. She couldn't wait anymore. She just wanted to fall and cry on someone's shoulder. Someone who understood. She could already imagine warmth as she stood in front of Shania's house.

A knock.

Another knock.

“Who's there?” a masculine voice answered to her surprise.

Was Shania's boyfriend around? Was it her dad? Shit! Her parents are around. This was probably not a good time. I should probably leave and come back later. But where do I go?

Her heart raced and her palms felt sweaty. She cracked her fingers in anxiety.

She was about to turn around and leave.

The door opened and there was Jared.

He would have been completely naked if not for the white towel tied around his waist.

Water dripped from his hair.

Behind him was a blonde girl she knew very well in a towel.

Shania. Her best friend.

Ursula's eyebrows lowered and her mouth hung open.

“Wait…you….what is this, Shania?” she managed to say, her small voice shaking.

Shania lowered her eyes.

Ursula wasn't sure whether it was shame or guilt.

She didn't care either.

She looked back at Jared.

He rolled his eyes.

“Out of town, huh…?” Ursula said while nodding her head repeatedly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“...so, this..is out of town, Jared?... I see.”

He didn't bother hiding the smirk.

“This isn't what you think it is, Urs” Shania tried to reach out for Ursula's shoulder.

Ursula turned around and walked away, holding her chest.

She heard the door bang behind her.

It made it worse.

Now, she was headed to no particular direction.

Tears blurred her vision.

Her head felt light.

She started to cough and sway from side to side.

The air in her lungs felt stuck. “Where is it?” she searched her pockets for her asthma inhaler.

“Shit” she cursed.

She remembered sticking it into her bag of clothes back at the apartment before handing the bag to her neighbor.

She tried to walk faster to find a pharmacy but she was feeling weaker by the second.

It was in vain.

Her chest tightened from the lack of oxygen.

She fell to the ground gasping for air.

Her eyes widened.

She squeezed her jacket.

Tears streamed down the side of her face as she tried to shout but failed to.

Her chest locked tight, no air left.

Her vision went black.

Then, silence.