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661words
["What time do you call this? Why haven't you started dinner? Are you trying to starve your brother?"]
["Can't even manage to cook without me nagging you? No wonder your husband kicked you out!"]
Patricia's mother's voice was loud and shrill, sounding far healthier and more energetic than Patricia claimed they were.
Patricia hurriedly responded to the phone. ["Mom, I know, I'm on my way back."]
Hanging up, she gave me an embarrassed look. ["Sorry, Vanessa, I..."] Her voice trailed off.
I nodded understandingly. She got up and rushed out.
Wow.What a raw deal. Even a paid housekeeper gets wages. She was not only working for free, but probably paying her way, and getting zero appreciation.
But, it was her choice. A willing victim and a willing executioner. None of my business.
Denver's altitude hit me hard. I spent days in bed sucking oxygen, feeling nauseous with no appetite.
I even considered quitting, thinking the world had other jobs.
Just as I was about to text my boss my resignation, I got a message from Patricia: ["Vanessa, are you home? I'm in the hospital."]
["My parents are busy with Kevin and can't look after me. Can you come take care of me?"]
I didn't reply. She called immediately.
On the video call, Patricia looked terrible. Her cheeks were sunken, lips chalky, and she'd lost even more weight. She was gaunt.
Her left arm had an IV, her right held the phone. She gave me a weak, pathetic smile.
I didn't look much better. Three days of vomiting and diarrhea, massive dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep, I looked like death warmed over.
["Vanessa! What's wrong? Why are you in the hospital too?"] Patricia gasped when she saw me on the call.
I gave her an even more pathetic smile. ["Patty, Patty, it's not that I won't come help you. I can barely help myself right now."]
["What happened?"]
I sighed dramatically. ["Long story. You take care of yourself, I'll take care of myself, and we'll catch up later, okay?"]
I went to hang up but heard a woman yelling furiously in the background on Patricia's end: ["You useless idiot! All you did was donate a damn kidney to your brother, and you ended up with diabetes?"]
["No way are we wasting money on your hospital bills! Forget it!"]
["Once you're out of here, don't come back to Kevin's place. You're nothing but bad luck!"]
On my fifth day in the hospital, my body finally started adjusting. I was discharged and began working remotely.
My boss felt terrible for me. Not only did he not dock my pay for the sick days, he gave me the high-altitude hardship bonus early.
After a week working in Denver, Patricia texted me: she and Mark had finalized their divorce.
["Mark has no conscience. I literally got down on my knees and begged him not to go through with it, and he just dragged me into the courthouse anyway."]
I didn't know what to say. Shewas the one who secretly terminated the pregnancy. She stole thirty thousand dollars from Mark. Yet she blamed himfor everything.
When I didn't reply, Patricia called. ["Vanessa, where areyou? I was knocking on your door forever. Your neighbors said you moved months ago? Where did you go?"]
I cleared my throat awkwardly. ["Um, Patty, Patty, it's been so crazy, I haven't had a chance to tell you. I got transferred to Denver for work. I'm already here."]
Patricia gasped loudly when she heard "Denver." ["What?! Vanessa! I just showed up at your door with my suitcase! If you're gone, what am I supposed to do?"]
["Mark and I divorced! I can't stay with him! My parents kicked me out of Kevin's place! They told me to find my own apartment, I have nowhere to go!"]
["Vanessa, can you help me rent a place? I'm homeless!"]
