Middle Child Syndrome - Chapter 157

Chapter 157: Ch 157: Overwhelmed
‘I need to get away before Mark comes after me. I don’t think I can handle his attention right now on top of everything else.’

With the addition of just two more people, the hospital felt suffocating, and Rika wanted to head back home.

But she also felt guilty asking to head back home once she saw Fey and the dorm lady’s worried expressions on their faces.

Rika’s throat clogged up, and her lips refused to move. Her legs collapsed, and Rika’s body fell on the empty chair that was placed beside Fey for her to use.

“How are you feeling now, Rika? I…feel much more stable after talking with the therapist about what happened. But I doubt I will feel the same once I foot the bill of this session.”

Fey tried to joke and inject some cheer into her voice, but it was useless, and her voice fell flat and lifeless.

There were dark circles under Fey’s eyes. Rika was sure she looked similarly bad.

“Don’t worry, Fey! I will foot this medical bill for you and Charon. I know you both are financially struggling right now.”

The dorm lady was a nice human and offered this.

It touched Fey’s heart, and tears filled her eyes as she tried her hardest to stop herself from crying out loud.

Nothing had been mentioned about Rika, but Rika still needed to clear the air and speak up.

“I can pay for my share of the bill. I can also fork out some extra money this month to chip into the bills. Tell me if you need anything else from me.”

Rika offered, but the dorm lady looked slightly offended and touched simultaneously.

The conflict on her face was apparent, and Rika insisted on trying even harder to get her point across to the dorm ladies.

“I have a lot of money. My family has it rather than me, but I would still like to use it to help my friends. You don’t have to pay me back either. I won’t ever ask for it back.”

Rika promised and waited for the dorm lady to accept her extended hand.

Anyone else would have jumped at the chance of free help money they would not have to return.

But the dorm lady looked conflicted before her eyes hardened, and she saw Rika with a sincere look.

“I am afraid I cannot take money from a tenant like you. You already pay me an introductory price for living in the dorm. Any more, and I will feel like a scammer trying to rob my tenant.”

The dorm lady sounded sincere, and seeing her struggling broke Rika’s heart.

“But I said that it is alright. I have more money than I know what to do in my account anyway. Please, don’t refuse my offer. If not for your sake, then do it for Charon. You want her to have the best medical care possible, right?”

Rika’s voice was persuasive.

She could see the dorm lady melting as she insisted more and more.

Ultimately, the hospital decided for them. A nurse approached them with forms filling her arms and a somewhat gloomy expression.

“Please fill out these forms and pay for the deposit now. We will discuss what further treatment to give to our patient based on what you pay for today and in the future.”

The nurse was doing her duty, so there was no point in getting mad at her.

The dorm lady did not like the attitude this nurse showed toward her.

Her careless words and insincere attitude rubbed her the wrong way, and she snapped at the nurse.

“What is wrong with you? Someone just tried to kill themselves, and all you care about is your money and forms? Would it have killed you to wait a few minutes to return and ask for money? Give us some time to catch ourselves.”

The dorm lady sounded off and angry at the same time.

Rika understood where her anger was coming from, but the nurse’s apathetic look was what made her store and stare.

Those cold eyes looked uninterested in the dorm lady’s pain, but the nurse did not speak rudely when she spoke back.

“I am sorry for your loss. But your friend is still alive and has a chase to fight for her life. Not a lot of people who come here can say that. Please fill out the forms and bring them to the front desk.”

The nurse was apathetic, which evoked negative emotions in Rika’s heart.

Another nurse who saw this exchange quickly approached their group and apologised.

“I am so sorry for her rude behaviour right now. Some of our workers have been on a shift for about 24+ hours and are exhausted. Please don’t take her words to heart.”

Rika objectively understood why the nurse sounded like she did not care.

For the nurse, seeing what happened was an everyday venture, and it had desensitised her for life. It was similar to how Rika had become immune to violence and even developed a tolerance for it.

“Aana, let’s head back to our seats for now. There is no point in standing around. They say we can take Charon home as soon as she wakes up. Her life is no longer in danger.”

Fey came after them, and she looked exhausted as well.

The dark circles underneath Fey’s eyes were prominent enough to make her look run down and sleep-deprived at the same time.

Those words made the dorm lady move, and she quickly sat down to wait for Charon to wake up. Finally, about half an hour after the forms were filled and the fees were paid, the old lady entered Charon’s room to help her.

Fey went in with her, but Rika remained outside to wait for them all. Too many people could be overwhelming for Charon in her current condition.

In hindsight, Rika should have entered Charon’s room with everyone. That would have prevented the awkward situation just minutes after Rika had been alone in the hallway.