HER LOVE HER PAIN

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

As the day kept unfolding her sister kept calling her and like the numerous times before Joanne ignored it putting it in silent. it was lunch time and Cindy was yet to let her phone rest. Fade up she picked up the phone.

“What Cindy can't you leave me be, I need some time to myself for once”.

“Joanne mummy had a heart attack, she has been admitted, the doctors said she in critical condition. Joanne I am scare please hurry”,

“Oh my God, am on my way calm down”. Joanne said already out of her office heading for the elevator.

“My mum had a heart attack, please cancel all my meeting and inform chief accountant for me”, Joanne told her secretary as the lift doors closed.

“Damn this lunch hour traffic, I have to get to IHK”. Tears were rolling down her eyes but she didn't notice them at all that, all she could think of was her mother, how they didn't patch things out last night. She knew that her mother had her best interest at heart but still she didn't consult her. She was a grown woman for god sakes but still she didn't want to lose her mother.

She arrived forty minutes later bee lining to the reception, they directed her to the emergency but her mother was already moved to private room. Reaching the second floor she immediately saw her sister crying on Jessica's shoulder.

“Cindy”, she called out to her sister who ran in to her arms crying.

“Mummy is not doing okay Joanne what are we going to do, I don't want to lose her too”.

“We are not going to lose her, you hear me. Now wipe those tears we have to be strong for her”.

“Joanne you’re here”, Jessica said holding her arms out for Joanne. She hugged her tightly.

“What did the doctors say?

“Nothing yet but they moved her here and are still running some tests we will know the results in a few minutes”, Mathew said hugging her.

“Okay, I will be right back", Joanne said heading back to the reception to sort out her mother's hospital bill but before she got there. She entered the ladies room before she broke down in tears. She was frustrated as it was, her mother was not well, her bank account was slumped, and to put it simply, at the moment she couldn't afford her mother's treatment since she had just used the money to pay Cindy's tuition fees and her mother's other medical bills. Joanne did not know what to do, the hospital they were at its self was an expensive one. At wits end she made up her mind. She had ask them to transfer her mother to the country's referral hospital.

As she was still crying over the sink Jessica walked in and saw the tears on her face. “Oh dear don’t cry everything is going to be okay, Mathew and I are here for you girls”.

“How is it going to be okay, my mum had a heart attack, I can't afford this hospital, Cindy needs tuition and there are these bills, work? I don't know what to do its all overwhelming”.

“It’s okay dear, don't worry Mathew and I are here for you, remember I love you like a daughter and I will never let you go through something like this alone. So don't cry besides Mathew already took care of the hospital bill”, Jessica quipped wiping Joanne's face with a wet towel.

They walked out of the restroom and headed for the cafeteria. They sat in silence for ten minutes steaming coffee mugs before them.
“Tell me about your son”, Joanne said breaking the silence. Jessica smiled.

“Remember when I told you to always have an open mind”,

“Yes”, Joan replied.

“Good this is what I was preparing you for. Well his name is Kenneth, his thirty five, has a strong personality, handsome she said with a smile. He has his own company, he studied engineering and he makes or builds ships, planes and other machines. His father wants him to take over the family business but he still refuses. He says he wants to build his own empire and that he’s doing but his horrible when it comes to choosing who to date. He works too much sometimes it worries me”. Jessica said turning to face Joanne. But he’s a wonderful gentleman.