Painful Smiles

A reason to live.

Chapter Two – A reason to live.

Lucky enough, it was the room of the girl. Her skin was pale and she looked worst than Michael. The giver always looked worst than the receiver anyways. Mrs. Peniel made a short prayer that she would survive all these.

Claudia’s parents had searched for her around the hospital. Clara had lied that she ran off to look for Mark’s ward. Mrs. Peniel easily recognized Claudia’s mom from the close resemblance.

“Good day, ma, sir” Mrs. Peniel greeted. When she noticed the confused-mixed-with-fear look they had, she went straight to the point. “So, Mr. and Mrs. Larabee, right? I honestly hope you don’t take this to court. The patient’s family would take care of all monetary expenses and compensate you accordingly”.

Mr. Larabee just nodded. But his wife had anger written all over her face, and outburst was coming. “We shouldn’t sue you, your crazy sister, and this hospital to court? What if I do the same to your own baby? Suck up blood from her like she was a non-living thing! Would it be fair? My daughter’s life can’t be compared with money. You guys owe us for life. You hear me! For life, scums!”.

Mr. Larabee tried calming her down before she created a scene. Mrs. Peniel could understand the poor mother perfectly. Her sister was very wrong.

But the case was actually a “life for a life” case. Mr. Louis would have killed her sister and she if anything happened to his son. He was out of the country at that moment.

It was finally agreed that the matter would be seen as “out of urgency” only and only if, Claudia survived it and the promised monetary expenses are paid. The affected family knew that they wouldn’t be able to go far with the case if they sent it to court. Mr. Louis was a powerful man.

While everyone pitied Claudia, somehow Clara envied her sister. From her own understanding, Claudia had given blood to save a rich prince from France. She wasn’t sure if it was a prince but he was from a big rich family. “I shouldn’t have pushed her to the nurse” she thought. But of course, she never thought of going herself.

Mrs. Larabee was prohibited from seeing her daughter, it angered her more. The excuse was “she needs to rest but somehow she knew something else was wrong”. Audrey, the “crazy nurse” was still trying to bring Claudia back to consciousness.

The girl had sank so deep into her slumber that Audrey chanted words of prayer as she worked. The girl’s skin was going paler and paler. It seemed like the sound of the heart-lung machine was getting higher and higher. It made Audrey tense.

If the girl died, not only would she go to prison but she’ll end up leaving a family broken, and have blood in her hands. Just then, the line dropped and a shrill sound filled the room.

She was dead or was about to die. Audrey rushed to grab the “heart thumper thing”. “God, please” she shouted as she tried the “heart thumper thing” for the third time.

A miracle, the line revived. Audrey gasped a “Thank you, God” and made a short “victory dance”. She let Mr. and Mrs. Larabee see their daughter as she left to rest and refreshen up.

Claudia woke up eventually but she expected to be dead. She watched around her environment before pieces of the memory came back to her head. She had wished for death to avoid the pain of living. But now she was back to the nagging Clara.

“Wait, I saved someone” she thought. She wasn’t useless if she saved someone. “I am a twelve year old hero” she tried getting up but went slightly dizzy. The nurse walked in. She was looking prettier than earlier.

She had brushed her brown hair backwards and tied it with a band. Her lips were smeared with red, also. She placed a pen and paper in front of Claudia. The little girl looked blankly.

“The person you gave blood to. He’s a little boy. He wanted to commit suicide. Could you write him a letter, he’ll appreciate it” she smiled. She was beautiful when she smiled.

Claudia was surprised though, to realize that other kids suffered depression and suicidal thoughts even at that young age. The nurse further explained that the young boy's mother had died and he felt alone.

Claudia understood because she too lost her grandmother to cancer. She was the only one who understood her and shunned Clara whenever she misbehaved. “Please, give him a reason to live. Just a short letter. A formal one” the nurse said again.

“Um… Ye-Yeah? Sure, I will w-write” Claudia stammered.

She peered into the blank sheet. Compositions and letter-writing weren’t her thing. Karma caught up with her here. What did her teacher say came first? An address or the salutations?

“Can I have the boy’s name?” she asked.

Audrey taught deeply, the boy’s name should not be known, ever. If news got out that the French heir nearly committed suicide then that’ll be very bad”.

“Call him anything, he’s French” the nurse walked away later. She locked the room when she got out. The room she kept Claudia was a hidden room in the hospital and should stay hidden till further notice.

Claudia began writing, “Dear French guy”. It seemed too informal, she was to write an informal letter, right?

She cancelled “French guy” and wrote “Frenchie” instead.

Dear Frenchie,

Suicide is never an answer to troubles. If it were, I’d have tried it. Don’t kill yourself or your mom would be sad. Live a good life and make her proud. I lost my grandma and it was hard but make the best of it, your mom didn’t want to leave, situations made her leave.

I look forward to seeing you live happily.

*Smiley face*

Feeling satisfied, she folded the paper as she stood up from the end. She forgot she was still recovering so she laid back in the bed.

She should hold on too. Maybe someday, Life would be fair to her.