Chapter 2

Once the chores were done, I had some free time.

I browsed through my contacts and ended up calling my brother, Alex Turner. "Alex, do you have some cash to spare right now?

"Could you lend me some money? It's kind of urgent. I need to take Yuri to the hospital for a check-up."

Once I said it, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

Alex was quiet for a few seconds. "Ryan's getting married next year, and we're trying to buy a house. We've been asking around for loans ourselves.

"I know things are tough for you guys, so I didn't want to bother you for money."

"It's fine," I said. "I was asking, no big deal."

After I hung up, I stood in the kitchen.

To be honest, I already knew what the answer would be before I even made the call.

Over the years, David had managed to alienate everyone around me.

My mom, my dad, my brother, my sister, relatives, and friends, not a single person hadn't fought with him.

One year during New Year's, he came to our house, pointed at my dad, and shouted, "You poor guys, don't try to get close to us."

After that, nobody ever showed up at our place again. Holiday calls were about as much as we could manage.

I looked through my contacts, thinking about who I could call. There wasn't anyone I could actually reach out to.

*****

On the weekend, I woke up at five.

I tiptoed out of bed and headed to the kitchen.

I grabbed the clay pot, tossed in the dried scallops and shrimp I'd soaked overnight, and let them simmer on low heat.

The seafood oatmeal needed a good hour and a half, so I started cooking at seven and turned off the stove at eight-thirty.

It was enough for David and Ethan to share.

I turned off the stove and let the oatmeal steam with the lid on.

At eight forty, I heard the neighbors' door open.

I stepped out of the kitchen and stood in the entryway, blocking the way. "Yuri, are you working overtime again today?"

Yuri gave me a look that was familiar impatience all over her face. "Didn't I tell you already?" she said, bending down to put on her shoes. "I'm doing part-time work on weekends."

"I was thinking," I said, taking a step closer, "if you ever get a break, maybe I could take you to the hospital for a check-up.

"You've been working so hard lately, I'm really worried about your health."

She straightened up and turned to look at me. "Did you make breakfast for me today?"

I hesitated for a moment. I looked away and pointed toward the kitchen.

The clay pot was still covered, sitting on the stove.

"I made seafood oatmeal," I said. "Ethan likes it thick, so it takes time to cook it right for him."

"Can you wait a bit?" I blurted out. "Just half an hour..."

I caught a faint, sarcastic chuckle, then the dull thud of the front door closing echoed in my ears, heavy and final.

Back in the kitchen, I lifted the lid off the clay pot.

The oatmeal, dried scallops, and shrimp had simmered together until they were thick and aromatic. It was enough for three plates.

At nine sharp, I knocked on Ethan's door. "Ethan, time to get up."

Ethan was in ninth grade, about to apply to high school this year.

Even though David was up to his neck in debt, he still signed Ethan up for the priciest tutoring classes.

I ladled the seafood oatmeal into plates and set them on the table.

Ethan shuffled out, rubbing his eyes, and sat down to dig in without a word.

"Careful, it's hot," I said.

Ethan didn't look at me. He blew on the oatmeal and took big spoonfuls, gulping it down.

I scooped up some oatmeal, blowing on it to cool it down, Yuri's closing the door still echoing in my mind.

Out of nowhere, that post from last night popped into my head again.

This morning, I scrolled through it once more.

The post had vanished, and the account was gone, too.

Ever since David's investments failed, he had been completely overwhelmed. There was no way he had the energy to support a family anymore.

He used to give me 1,500 dollars a month for household expenses, but then 1,000 dollars would often be late. Sometimes he was two weeks behind.

So, it couldn't have been Yuri. At that thought, I let out a sigh of relief.

*****

That evening, while I was in the kitchen making soup for Ethan, my phone rang.

I wiped my hands and pulled my phone out of my apron pocket.

The caller asked, "Are you a family of Yuri?

"This is Saintmari Hospital. Yuri fainted at work and is now in the emergency room. Would you be able to come to the hospital?"

"She fainted? What's wrong with her?" I asked.

"The doctor needs to diagnose her. Please come to the hospital."

After hanging up, I stood there at the stove for a long time, watching the soup come to a boil. Only then did I reach out and turn off the heat.

Ethan was bent over the dining table, working on his homework.

"Yuri fainted at work, and she's at the hospital now. I'm going to pick her up. Order some takeout for yourself tonight," I said.

He looked up, his pen stopped in his hand. "Is Yuri okay?"

"I don't know. I'm going to check on her."

"Can I come with you?"

I thought about it for a moment. The hospital was full of sick people, flu, pneumonia, you name it.

Ethan's high school application was a few months away. He really couldn't afford to get sick at a time like this.

"Stay home and work on your homework. Don't worry, it's nothing serious."

He nodded obediently, picked up his pen, and went back to his homework.

When I got downstairs, there was a long line of people at the bus stop. It was rush hour.

I squeezed onto the bus and managed to stand by the window.

The overpass was packed, nothing but a sea of red brake lights, not a single car moving.

I leaned against the window, my mind a mess.

I told myself that Yuri would be okay.

She was totally fine when she left for work this morning.

I begged, "Don't let it be her."

I leaned against the window, watching the unmoving sea of cars outside.

There was a voice in my head whispering, "Go slower, a bit slower."

Maybe if I had gotten to the hospital late, everything would have sorted itself out.

Maybe she had already woken up and gone home by herself.

Maybe it was nothing serious after all.