Chapter<b>114</b>IDon’tHaveTimeforThat
Emelieclenchedherfingerstightly,nailsdiggingpainfullyintoherpalms,
Shecalledoutcalmly,“Dad,putdownthufe.Putitdown.”
Ronan’sfacepaleduponseeingthepolice.“LIIdon’tknowwhathappened,Emelie.Ididn’tmeanto.Idon’tknowwhyitturnedoutlikethis
“Wheredidyougettheknife?Emelieswallowedhard
“wewewaitedinthehallway<b>for</b><b>so</b>long,andthedoctordidn’e.Ithoughtofpeelinganappleforyourmom.
“Thenthenursesaidthesurgerywascanceledandtoldustogoback.Shesaidtheheart<b>was</b>notavableanymore.They
eydidn’texinclearly.Igotupsetand…”
Emelie’svoicesoftened.“Puttheknifedown.Lethergo.I’llhandlethe rest.
Romannodded<b>rapidly</b>.
Helplessandunsureofwhattodo,heshakllymovedtheknifeawayfromthenurse’sthroat.
Thenursefledimmediately.Policeswarmedin,pinningRomantotheground.Emelieclosedhereyes,unabletow
watch.
Policeswiftlycuftedandtook<b>Ronan</b>away.Emeliemovedtofollow,butanofficerstoppedher“Are youafamilymember?”
Emellepressedherlipstogether.“Yes.”
“Comewithusthen.”
Emeliewasbroughttothestationinanothersquad<b>car</b>.Butshecouldn’tseeRonan,onlythetwoofficershandlingthecase.
Despitethechaos,Emelieremaineposed,sincerelyansweringalltheirquestions.
Finally,sheadded,“My<b>dad</b>isagoodperson.Hedidn’tmeantocausetrouble.Hewasworriedaboutmymomandactedrecldessly.
“Hislimitededucationledtoamisunderstandingofthedoctor’sexnation.Icapensatetheinjurednurse<b>and</b>thehospital,whateverittakes.“
Thefemalepoliceofficernodded.<b>“</b><b>We</b>understandthesituationfromthehospital.
“While<b>Ronan</b>hadhisreason,medicaldisturbances<b>are</b>nowcriminaloffenses.Hisoffensecouldrange<b>from</b>lighttoheavycharge.
“Atworst,hecouldbesentencedtoimprisonmentforthreetosevenyears.”
Emeliestruggledtospeak.“Isthere…nootherway?”
“<b>A</b>goowyercanhelpyoualot.Gogetone.
Emeliewalkedoutofthepolicestation.Itwasnoon,andthesunshonebrightly.
Shestoodunderthesunforamoment,feelinglikeallthemoistureinherbody<b>was</b>evaporating.Herthroatwasdryandsore.
Shetookoutherphoneandmadeacall.
Noansweronthefirsttry.Shecalledagain.
Thesecondonefinallyconnectedneartheend
William’scoldvoicesoundedevenicieroverthephoneline.“I’minameeting.Youhavethreeminutes.”
Emelieaskedstraighttothepoint.“Mymom’shearttransnt.Wasityoubehinditagain?”
Williamreplied,“Whatheart?”
“Mymomwassupposedtoundergoahearttransnt.Butsuddenly,theheartwasallocatedtosomeoneelse.Didyousabotageit?”Williamseemedtofinditridiculous.“Doyouhaveprood?”
Proof?Williamneverleftanyevidencebehind.
Emelieenunciatedeachword.“Youknow<b>my</b><b>mom</b>hasaheartcondition–don’tdenyit!Iremember!
“Thedayyoumademegobacktowork,yousaid,‘Giveyourmom’scurrentcondition,Ithoughtyouneededahigh–paying,stablejob.“”
Heknewhermomhadheartdisease<b>,</b>andhermom lostherchanceatahearttransntshecouldhardlybelieveitwasjustacoincidence.Williamadmitted.“Elmow.AndIdidsay<b>that</b>.So?”
“Soyoutookmymom’sheartto<b>punish</b>me!William,tormentmehoweveryou<b>want</b>,butleavemyfamilyalone!
“Doyouknowmymotheronlyhassixmonthslefttolive?Ifwedon’tfindadonorwithinthattime,she’lldielyou’relillingher!”<b>William</b>soundedimpatient.“DoyouthinkIhavenobetterthingstodowithmytimethanobsessoveryourfamilymatters?
“Ifyoudidn’t,howdidyouknowaboutmymom’sillness?”
“Ifyouwantanswers,findthemyourself.Nobodyowesyouanexnation”
Heloosenedhistiewithacoldexpressionoutsidetheconferenceroom.Then,heturnedandwentbackin.“Let’scontinuethemeeting
Theexecutivesexchangednces.Itwasthefirsttimethey’dseenWilliamtakeapersonalcallduringaqueeting
Chapter115HeHasNotStoopedThatLow
Themeetingendedinanhour,andWilliamretumedtohis<b>office</b><b>.</b>
Hissecretary,Fabian,wentinimmediatelytoupdate.
“Mr.Middleton,Ms. Bowen’sfather’ssurgeryisunderwayandhasn’tfinishedyet.Ifthere’sanynews,thehospitalwillcontactme.”
Williamfrownedslightlybutreplied,“FindoutwhathappenedtoEmelie.”
Fabianpausedandthensaid,“okay.”
Afterleavingthepolicestation,EmelietetumedtoAlderbrook
Whentheincidenturred,Billy,herbrother–inw,quicklytoolsCertaaway.
IfGretahadseenit,herconditioncouldhaveworsenedfromtheagitation.
<b>Once</b><b>she</b>enteredthehouse,Elianarushedtoaskcher,“Emelle,how’sDad?”
“He’sbeendetained,”Emeliereplied.
Elianacopsedintoachair.“Doesthatmean<b>he’s</b>going<b>to</b>jail?”
Emelienodded.“Maybe.”
Enabitherlip<b>,</b>poundingher leeinself–reproach.“It’sallmyfault!IknewDadgetsriledupeasilybut didn’twatchhimcloselyenough!”
“Don’tmeyourself.I’llgetwyerforDad.There<b>should</b>beawayout,”Emelie<b>said</b>,pouringherselfassofwater.
“How’sMom<b>?</b><b>”</b>
Elianapointedtothebedroom.“She’sveryworried.Butthankfully,shehasn’thadan episode.She’srestingthere.”
EmeliewentintocheckonGreta.
Seeingher,Gretabrightenedwithhope,sittingup.“Emelie,yourfather…”
Emelie<b>eased</b>herbackdown“llhandleDad’smatter.Trustme.
TearsfellfromGreta’seyes.
“Itoldyounotto<be</b>back,nottocontactus.Ourtroublesalwaysholdyou<b>back</b>.Weareaburdentoyou.
“We’refamily,sothere’sno needforthat.Everyproblemhasasolution.”
<b>Emily</b>paused.“Ifwe<b>can’t</b>solveit,weepttheconsequences.Whenhe’sreleased,we’llstillbefamily.”
Oreta<b>said</b><b>in</b>agony,“It’sallmy<b>fault</b>.Igotthisillness.Whendiagnosed,Ishouldhaveendeditallinsteadofdraggingyoualldown!”
Emelie’snervestensed.
“Mom,youmustn’tlosehope.You knowourfamily’ssituation.Don’tmakerashchoicesagain.Deathsolvesnothingandonlycasts<b>a</b>lifelongshadow!”
“No,Iwon’t.Iwon’tlosehope,Iwon’tcausetroubleanymore.”Gretamanured.
Emelleheldhermother’s<b>hand</b>,herthoughtsinturmoil.
Suddenly,sheremembered.“Dadtoldmethat<b>day</b>,youbothsavedupseventytoeightythousand<b>dors</b>.Howdidyousavethatmuch?Doyou<b>have</b>jobs?”Bonnardtorunasmallgrocerystore.Afterwellingeverythingtopayoffdebts,hewasleftwithnomeansoflivelihood<b>.</b>Theyhadlimitededucationandnoskills.Beingoverfiftyyearsold,theyshouldhavereliedontheirchildren’ssupport.However,fromwhatsheobserved,Eliana’sinwswereanaveragefamily.Theycouldn’tsupporttheirelderlyparents.
However,RonanandGretaseemedreasonablywell–off.Howhadtheybeenmakingaliving alltheseyears?
Gretaansweredher.“WepackagedthecooldesatNibblers‘factoryinAlderbrookTheircooldesarethemostfamous.
“Weweretryingourluckbyinquiringiftheywerehiring.Surprisingly,bothyourfatherand1gothired.Howfortunate!Factoriesrarely<b>employ</b>elderlylikeuswithnoworkexperience.”
Shetouchedherchest.“Theydetectedmyheartconditionduringthefactory’smualhealthcheck.”
Emelledidn’taskfurther.“Please<b>test</b><b>.</b>I’sksomefriendsaboutDad’ssituation.”
“okay,okay”
Thoughburdened,Gretawasstipatientwithlimitedenergy.Sheslowlydriftedtosleep
Emeliewalkedout<b>and</b>satonthe<b>small</b>stooloutsidethehouse.<b>She</b>understoodnow.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.
<b>William</b>likelyarrangedGretaandponam’sjobs.Initially,hesaidthatifshefollowedhim,hewouldtakecareofherparents.
Shethoughtheonlypaidofftheirthreemilliondordebt.Buthealsohelpedthemfind<b>a</b>basic jobtomakeendsmeet.
Probably,hisarrangementresultedinthefactorynotifyinghimaboutGreta’s<b>heart</b>condition.<b>That’s</b>howheknew.
Williamtoldhertofindtheanswersherself,andshedid.
ButEmeliestillwasn’tsure.Washe behindGetslosingthathearttransntopportunity?
Hopefully,itwasn’t?dan.