Chapter 2
Early the next morning, a nurse yanked me out of the tiny bed in the supply closet.
"Go clean all the rooms on the third floor. Chop-chop," she said.
I nodded, grabbed a broom, and dashed out without a second thought.
Even though I was still feeling a little shaky, inside I was buzzing with excitement.
I felt supercharged, like I could take on anything.
I cleaned up every nook and cranny until the place was spotless.
An older lady saw me and smiled, praising me for being so diligent.
When she was leaving the hospital, she wouldn't take no for an answer and pressed a bouquet of carnations into my hands.
"Here, sweetheart. These are for you. Your smile is as beautiful as a flower," she said.
I was frozen in place, too shy to accept them.
The flowers smelled amazing and looked so pretty.
But I didn't think I deserved them.
Ever since I was a kid, all the pretty dresses, dolls, delicate pastries and cakes, anything lovely, always belonged to my sister.
I never thought I deserved any of it.
I wanted to refuse, but the nurse held my hand in place.
"Take these flowers. You deserve it," the nurse said softly.
And that was how I got the first bouquet of my life.
At noon, I was munching on a bun in the supply closet when the door suddenly burst open.
A few junior nurses burst in, laughing.
"Hey Charlotte, what are you doing hiding in here? Hurry up, we're all waiting for you," one of them called out.
Before I could protest, they grabbed me and whisked me off to the cafeteria.
There were several lunch boxes laid out on the table.
The one in the middle was stacked with glossy, braised pork ribs.
"Come on, dig in. We got this just for you. Eat up, you need the meat to keep your strength up for work," one of them said.
I just stared at the meat in my bowl, my throat tightening.
We weren't exactly rich back home, and at mealtimes, I'd just sit off to the side and wait.
Once my sister was done eating, I'd get whatever was left, her leftovers.
Sometimes, if there wasn't enough food, Mom would just stir some leftover gravy into my bowl.
I honestly couldn't remember the last time I'd had meat.
When I spaced out, everyone just laughed and egged me on to dig in.
I gingerly picked up a rib and took a hesitant bite.
The taste exploded in my mouth, and I had to fight back tears.
That afternoon, I powered through my work, feeling like nothing could stop me.
While I was scrubbing out the disinfectant bins, a nurse walked by and chucked me a pair of rubber gloves.
"Don't use your bare hands with that stuff. Your hands'll be a mess in no time," she said.
Warmth flooded through me.
Work here was grimy and tough, but for once, I actually felt at ease.
For once, I felt like I was finally living like a real human being.
That evening, as I walked past the corridor of the fancy ward, a familiar figure made me stop in my tracks.
It was my Dad, Richard Lane.
He was grinning at the doctor, trying way too hard to please him.
Inside the room, Mom sat by the bed, her hands gentle as she brushed Luna's hair.
The setting sun streamed through the window, bathing them in a warm, golden light.
They looked like the scene straight out of a heartwarming family moment.
That was so nice.
Guess they were all fine.
I felt relieved.
Honestly, I was just too happy for my own good.
My eyes stung, and I couldn't stop the tears from coming.
Embarrassed, I just squatted down and hid my face in my knees.
In my head, I kept repeating to myself.
It was okay, Charlotte. Really, it was okay.
Her surgery was our family's only hope.
They had so much on their plate; it was understandable if they overlooked me.
I needed to be more understanding.