Saving Grace

Sunlight pooled into the room as Grace tossed on the bed, her brown hair sprawled all over the white pillow. She opened her eyes slowly and carefully to meet a pair of cleopatra eyelashes of a lush, succubus-black over her ungulate shaped eyes twinkling in delight.

Grace shrieked and a scream fell out of her mouth.

“Don’t be scared, I am the nurse on duty. I just came here to check up on you,” The nurse said, pushing her hands farther into the pockets of her blue scrub.

“Okay!” Grace hummed, calming down.

Grace watched as the nurse placed a plate of chopped pineapples and watermelons on a pickup tray beside her bed. She drank in the nurse’s physical features. The nurse was plump and short, she seemed to have a cheerful personality from the way her Cupid bowed lips stretched to give a gentle smile.

“I hope that fruits might make you feel better, make sure to have fun with them.” The nurse continued, moving towards the window.

The nurse adjusted the curtains, handling them with expertise. Her hands worked on it quickly, her concentration fixed on the curtains. She had heard of the patient in this room, the patient who was doomed. The patient who couldn’t walk, she felt like starting a conversation but she shrugged it off, deeming it as unnecessary and irrevelant.

“Is this alright?” The nurse asked, glancing back at Grace, her hands still holding on to the green curtains.

“It’s perfect,” Grace replied as her dry hands reached to grab a pineapple and it went straight into her hungry mouth. She smiled as the juice filled her mouth, kissing her taste buds before sliding down her throat.

“Thank you for the fruits.” Grace continued amidst the loud chewing from her mouth.

“You are welcome,” The nurse replied sweetly before stepping out of the room.

Grace propped her chin up and glanced at the empty room. She wished that Joshua, her angel was here, talking flirty words to her. Being alone didn’t suit her at all. She remembered Tom, her boyfriend and scoffed. She was sure he knew she was in the hospital yet he didn’t see it as mandatory to check up on her health.

Grace extended her arms and picked up the ceramic plate. But her hands felt numb all of a sudden and she clumsily dropped the plate filled with fruits on the white tiled floor. The clear liquid produced from the fruits made slow trails on the tiled floor to the brown door.

“Oh no, what have I done?” Grace muttered, panic itching on her face.

Grace looked at the floor, she was about to try bending or crawling as an option when red heels entered into the room, majestically that could be spotted from a mile away. She raised her head steadily and met her mother’s piercing gaze. Her mother, Jane Waters looked stunning in a vintage white dress and and her elegant red purse brought out her smoky eye shadow. Everything about her appearance screamed solid.

Time froze for a long time as Grace narrowed her eyes at her mother who held a firm frown on her face. They both stared at each other intently, both unwilling the back out.

“Hello Mother,” Grace finally said as her hands grabbed a fistful of the bed sheets. The last time she saw her mother, the atmosphere was tense and thick. Grace had no interest in working in her late father’s company and she also had a burning passion to be an althete. Her mother wanted her to be a CEO just like her father. It had been nine months since they both talked or conversed, most of their conversations began and ended with arguments.

Her mother scanned the room with her eyes and let out a bitter chuckle, pretending not to have heard Grace.

“I can’t believe you actually remember your first child exists. How are you doing?” Grace continued, trying hard to keep her face at ease. She knew her mother wasn’t here to be the comforting mother she never was.

“I can’t believe I gave birth to a useless child.” Her mother finally responded as she eyed Grace on the bed, her manicured fingers curved around her expensive purse.

“I haven’t seen or heard from you in months and that’s the first word you say to your daughter? You really are the mother of the year,” Grace snarled as she placed her right hand under her chin.

“I am not in the mood for your silly sarcastic replies, I just came here because your sister, Sarah kept bugging me.” Her mother retorted angrily, her voice slightly raised.

“Then you should have chosen to stay at home!” Grace spat venomously, her body trembling in rage.

“Did you end up in the hospital because of your stupid dreams and aspirations?” Her mother enquired with a sneer, brushing her hair over her shoulder.

“It’s not stupid, you know how much I love running and that’s why I decided to be an athlete. You don’t approve of anything I do or decide on my own but you would be happy and delighted if I do something you want!” Grace yelled with all the strength in her aching body. Each statement that fell out of her mother’s lips infuriated her.

“That’s because I want the best for you, Grace,” She said, but Grace knew that was a lie. All her mother ever wanted was what she will benefit her and bring her up in the public.

“You being an althete won’t last long, You are liable to injuries and once you clock thirty five, your body becomes weak and it’s hard for you to perform on the tracks. But if you worked at your father’s company, it would be so easy for you. Your life would be stable and balanced as a woman. Quit that childish dream and grow up,” Her mother replied as she rambled on and on, gesticulating and emphasizing each word with her outstretched arm.

“No, you simply want the best for yourself, Mom. You want to flaunt it in front of your crazy rich friends and show that you are a great mother which to be honest you are definitely not. If you really cared for me, you would have approved of me being an althete and supported me,” Grace snapped, her eyes soaked with tears.

“Look at your current situation Grace, you can’t walk and it’s not certain you are ever going to walk. Shouldn’t this convince you that it’s not the right path for you. Do you think you are ever going to be an Olympic champion? You are just a cripple, just admit that you were wrong for not listening to your loving mother!” Her mother roared, fumbling with her purse.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Grace watched her mother who pulled out a cigarette and a lighter from her purse. Her mother still had that old habit of smoking ever since her father passed away. She squeezed her lips and wondered why her mother couldn’t just trust her wishes. Hot salty tears rolled down her cheeks as she inhaled the sharp smell of smoke that wafted round the room.

“Smoking isn’t allowed in the hospital,” Grace mumbled.

“You are the reason why I smoke. Your stubbornness makes my blood pressure go dreadfully high. Don’t you think it would be better to just change your mindset?” Her mother insisted with a quick drag of the cigarette that settled between two slender fingers. She closed her eyes and gave a sigh of relief as she puffed it out, the odour filling the room and finding it’s way to Grace nostrils.

“Mom, just stop it!” Grace yelled, shutting her eyes.

“Stop addressing me as your mother because as long as you don’t listen or oblige to my demands, you aren’t my daughter anymore.” Her mother stressed with a eye roll.

“Most mothers come to the hospital to comfort and crack jokes with their daughter, make them feel better. But you came here with nothing but insults and pain. I know I am never going to walk but you are supposed to give me a pinch of hope!” Grace screamed, holding the sides of her abdomen.

“Most daughters listen to their mothers. You are only a disgrace, you are a wretched child.” Her mother fumed as her eyes turned red with rage.

“You disgust me, Grace. You disgust me!” Her mother repeated, her glowering eyes filled with pure hatred.

Each syllable pierced Grace’s heart. Her mother thought of her as disgusting. The atmosphere was frigid. Something angry and bitter trickled down her eyes.

Her mother opened her lips once more but halted on seeing the shadow of a doctor, leaning against the door with a blank expression. Grace bent her head in embarrassment on sighting Joshua who walked up to her mother with a bone chilling look imprinted on his face.

“First of all, smoking isn’t allowed in the hospital especially with patients around. Smoking isn’t good for your age either, as an old woman you are liable to die soon.” Joshua began, a devilish smile growing on his face.

“Excuse me?” Her mother asked with a gasp, Grace mouth fell open with shock at the words from Joshua’s lips.

Joshua ignored her question and went on. “Secondly, you are causing my patient so much distress, she just woke up yesterday. You are making her recovery slower. You don’t have to yell at her, keep your voice low and calm, she’s even crying.” Joshua pointed at a perplexed Grace.

“And lastly, Get out!” Joshua screamed.

Grace’s eyes widened in awe, her mouth gaped open in shock. He was truly an angel!