Kassia had no money to go to the hospital, so she decided to go to work, hoping to borrow crutches. Walking was difficult, and to make matters worse, Chicago was crying heavily as they made their way through the streets. People stared at Kassia, perhaps because she looked like a homeless person.
As she struggled forward, a kind woman from the walkway approached her after noticing her condition.
"My dear, you are bleeding badly. You need to go to the hospital. If you don't get medical attention, you might faint due to blood loss. Your ankle is also swollen—it looks dislocated," the woman said with concern.
Kassia looked up at her and responded politely, "Good evening, ma'am. I don't have money to go to the hospital right now. I'm on my way to work, and I plan to ask my colleague for some money to treat my injuries."
The woman gave her a sympathetic look. "My car is parked not too far from here. Lean on me if you don't mind, and I'll take you to the hospital."
Surprised by the offer, Kassia hesitated for a moment. "Really, madam? You'll take me to the hospital?"
"Yes, my dear. It's not a problem, and besides, you don't look well. Please, let me help you," the woman insisted.
Grateful, Kassia nodded. "Thank you, ma. May God bless you."
She followed the woman, who took her to the hospital. There, the doctor examined Kassia's injuries and questioned her about what had happened.
"Doctor, I was bathing, and I slipped. I hit my head on the shower stand," she explained.
The doctor looked at her with a hint of doubt. "Are you sure, my dear? You don't have to be scared. If someone is hurting you, you can tell me. I assure you that nothing will happen to you if you speak up."
Turning to the woman who had brought Kassia in, the doctor asked, "Ma'am, is she your daughter?"
The woman shook her head. "No, doctor. I saw her on the walkway and decided to help. I even forgot to ask her name." She turned to Kassia with a gentle smile. "What is your name, my dear?"
"My name is Kassia, ma," she replied.
The doctor nodded. "Alright, Kassia. You need to fill out this form. Also, you should take it easy for a couple of days because of your ankle. You'll need to use crutches for a while, and here are some prescriptions for your injuries."
"Thank you, doctor," Kassia said gratefully.
The doctor then noticed the quiet little girl standing beside Kassia. "And who is this child with you? Who is she to you?"
"She's my sister. Her name is Chicago," Kassia answered.
The doctor turned to Chicago and offered a warm smile. "Hi, Chicago. You've been so quiet. Are you okay, my dear?"
Chicago remained silent, giving no response.
The doctor glanced at Kassia with concern. "Are you sure she's okay?"
"Yes, ma'am. She's just tired and stressed out," Kassia assured.
After tending to her injuries, the doctor put a cast on Kassia's leg and provided her with crutches to help her walk. He also gave her medication before discharging her.
Chicago stayed close to Kassia's side, seemingly overwhelmed by the experience, as she had never been to a hospital before.
The nice lady dropped Kassia off at Christy's house. Kassia thanked her, and the lady drove off. Kassia then decided to call her manager at work to explain her incident and was given a couple of days off to rest before coming back to work again.
Kassia rang the doorbell, and Christy came out. The moment she saw her, her eyes widened with fury.
"Girl, what the hell happened to you? Did you get hit by a truck?" Christy exclaimed.
Kassia sighed. "Christy, my mom happened to me," she responded.
Without another word, Christy led her inside, and they went to her room upstairs. Fortunately, her parents were not home; otherwise, they would have marched straight to Kassia's house to confront her mother.
As they settled in, Kassia recounted everything that had happened.
Christy listened in disbelief. "Your mom is wicked! How the hell can she beat you because there was no food in the house? She knows very well that it's her responsibility to provide for the family, not yours. And yet, she doesn't even contribute anything toward buying food! Sometimes, I feel like she should just get arrested—maybe prison will help reset her brain!"
Kassia shook her head. "I can't get her arrested. She's my mom. And despite everything she does, I still love her. Chicago needs her mother," she said softly.
Christy sighed, shaking her head in frustration. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she asked, "Anyway, what did you cook? I'm famished."
...
Author note
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Chapter 4: is complete! please keep reading - it gets better, I promise!
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XOXO, CC