All Too Late

Kathleen entered a restaurant and ordered herself a plate of vegan pasta.

After her meal, she soon left to visit Benjamin who was admitted to the nearby hospital.

Kathleen couldn’t help her rising concern as she observed the unconscious form of Benjamin through the window of his hospital room.

“My brother’s condition has been stable since early this morning,” Gemma uttered from behind Kathleen.

Kathleen turned to face Gemma, who was dressed in her nurse’s uniform and balancing a tray between her hands.

“When will your brother be regaining consciousness?” queried Kathleen cautiously.

Gemma’s expression darkened as she replied, “The doctor says that it’s still too early to tell.”

“Why not try consulting the opinions of other specialists?”

“It’s all right, Kathleen. There’s still time,” Gemma comforted. “By the way, how was your experience volunteering?”

“It was such an eye-opener! I learned so much from it,” Kathleen enthused.

Gemma smirked. “I watched your speech just now during my break. You were pretty amazing out there.”

“By the way, why the sudden interest in individuals with autism?”

“Well, my foster brother is autistic,” said Gemma grimly.

Now that is new.

“My foster parents come from pretty wealthy backgrounds. They adopted me as I had seemed pliant and obedient. Their hopes were that I would comply with their wishes to look after their son once they were gone. Their plan was for both of us to marry by offering me their inheritance as an incentive. They then threatened to disown me if I were to refuse,” said Gemma drily.

Kathleen was stunned speechless.

“I overheard all this when I was in high school. If I were to go against them, they swore never to pay for my tuition fees and daily expenses. Gaining admission into a university would have been a lost cause.”

“That’s preposterous!”

“Consider yourself lucky, Kathleen. Truly. I’ve gone through the worst of it all, and things barely faze me these days,” advised Kathleen with a wry smile.

Kathleen gripped Gemma’s hands anxiously. “What happened after? How did you make it out?”

“Thankfully, my brother was already a policeman back then. He located me and sponsored me all the way till graduation.” Gemma smiled fondly.

Kathleen, her eyes prickling with unshed tears

Kathleen. My brother will be fine,” Gemma

Kathleen pursed her lips.

Gemma was right.

indeed

treated her

“Duty calls. I will catch you

around!” Kathleen

final parting glance at Benjamin’s room, Kathleen

the hospital visitation, Kathleen met up with Federick to finalize the

Frederick!

understand.” Frederick offered a gracious smile

widened as she perused the terms. “You’re willing to pay this

earn from their work. Yours is good enough for a greenhorn starting

and fifty thousand has already far exceeded my expectations.” Kathleen beamed

to complete your work

enthusiastically while signing the

one-third of the sum will be first transferred to you. It should be reflected in your bank

me to treat you to lunch as a celebration of my

am afraid we’d have to rain check. I still need to get some work done.” Federick chuckled

right, Federick. Whenever you’re free. I

“Sure. Take care.”

with a faint smile plastered on her

that Kathleen’s smile was indeed as warm and therapeutic as basking in the spring sunlight

consumed by the thought of

getting paid for the first

it was a significant

suppress her

Old Mrs. Macari has everything she needs. Even so, a present won’t hurt. It’s merely a means of expressing care and

soon received slightly less than fifty thousand in her bank

that, she

with joy as she

items, Kathleen decided to

voice

slip a “Darling!”

she answered