Ethan Sterling had given us the next two weeks before we move out. The next week was one of the hardest weeks for me. I tried to figure out what to do next what steps I should take from here.
We were able to call on an impromptu meeting with the parents and guardians of the children explaining to them that the school property now belonged to someone else now and we have to move to somewhere else. I didn't present the possibility of us shutting down for good because the looks on the faces of these people were heartbreaking.
When the meeting was over, I went back to my office because my head was a mess. Ellen, my assistant and friend came in after me.
"What was that Leia? Why didn't you tell them the truth?" she questioned me with her hands on her waist.
"I-I don't know." I stammered. "I guess I'm hopeful that we'll find a place before then."
She pinched the bridge of her nose with her eyes closed. "It's not wrong to have hope Leia, but it is wrong to deceive people and give them false hope." She told me.
I sighed frustratedly. She was right. But I wasn't going to give up. This couldn't be the end.
"We'll find a way out of this. I promise. I just need to figure this out."
"How do you intend to do that?" she asked me.
"Well, with the little funds we have, I'll just need to find a place we can rent for a while, pending when we find a permanent place. How much do we have again?" I asked her, unsure of the amount we had kept away.
Ellen gave me a deadpan look. "Less that what is needed to rent a small studio apartment for two weeks. And you know we need more space than that."
My face scrunched up in confusion. How comes our funds are so little? We used to have a little over a few hundred. But then I remembered how we had used the money and I sighed in defeat.
"I'll get help from somewhere. I just know it." I said trying to sound like I was convicted when I was just as unsure as she was.
"Speaking of getting help," Ellen began looking a bit guilty. "You dad reached out recently."
My mood changed instantly at the mention of my father.
"What did he want?" I snapped.
Ellen flinched. "Calm down girl, don't yell at me"
I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath and then apologized.
"What did he want?" I asked again.
"He said he heard about our predicament and he wants to help. But he needs you to come ho-"
"Forget about it." I cut her off, standing abruptly. If he wanted to help me, then let him help, but as for me coming home, it was never going to happen.
"Leia!" Ellen whined. "Stop being so stubborn. He sounded so sincere when he called. You should at least give him the benefit of doubt." she walked towards me and grabbed my adamant shoulders.
"Which I have been giving him and that flying monster ever since I was born. I know those people more than you do, Ellen. They're my parents." I took her hands off my shoulders. Stepping away from her and towards the window, I watched the little children play ball through the the clear glass.
A time would come when they would no longer play here anymore. My vision began to blur and I tried to blink back my tears.
I had been crying a lot these days. Couldn't I just go back to the time when things were much simpler?
I left Ellen in the school and took a walk to the nearest flower shop. After buying a bouquet of pink peonies, I strolled my way to the Memorial Hospital.
In front of the hospital premises, there were people being wheeled in and people walking out, some doctors out in the fresh air enjoying a cup of coffee.
I met the check in staff.
"I'm here for Mrs Emily Miller."
"Your name?" The clerk asked me.
"Leia Sanders."
"Are you a family member or a friend?"
"A friend."I said. The clerk nodded and gave me the room number. I thanked her and went on my way.
At the ward, I knocked before pushing the door open and going in. Mrs Miller was watching a musical on TV. She smiled brightly when she saw me, revealing deep age lines on her face. Her illness had made her look like she was ten years older than she actually was.
"Hi." I said in a sing-song voice.
"Leia. I thought you've forgotten all about me." she waved for me to come in.
"I would never, Mrs Miller." I told her handing her the bouquet. "For a pretty flower like yourself."
"Thank you, Leia." She said, touching the petals of the flowers adoringly. Then she patted the bed space beside her. "Come sit. What's been going on in the outside world lately? How's the school?"
I couldn't tell her that the property had been bought by someone else. It would ruin her mood and she already looked so happy.
"Nothing much. We're just rehearsing for the play recital next week. The children are super excited."
"Oh, wow. What play would you be doing?" She asked.
"The little red riding hood." I told her. We spoke more about the preparations and she offered her own wonderful ideas that even I or Ellen hadn't thought of. She seemed so animated while talking.
"What about you, Mrs Miller? Have you been hearing from your family." I asked her.
The light in her eyes became brighter. "Oh yes. My daughter came to see me two days ago with her twins. Those two kids were a bundle of energy. Running around and making a hell of noise in the ward."
"I can imagine." I told her.
"Also, I heard from my son, the one studying in Europe? He's done with his studies. He promised to visit me as soon as he touches down."
Mrs Miller had two children. The eldest daughter who was married to a politician also and the younger son who was studying to be an engineer oversees. She never hid the fact that her son was her favorite child and always spoke about him and his achievements whenever she got the chance.
And now, after six years of being in Europe, he was going to come back to the country. I was so happy for Mrs Miller.
After a few more hours of conversation and some episodes of the musical, she fell asleep and it was time for me to leave. I bid her a good night and left the ward.
In the cold air of the night, I walked home, trying not to think about the problems in my life and focus on the fact that I was living, because the greatest gift was life and as long as there was life, there was hope.