Chapter 1 : Kindness

 Love Me? Like You Do.

Chapter 1

Brielle was panicking now. The elderly man was not waking up. He was lying on his back on the ground, his eyes closed and breathing deeply, his hands clutching his chest. Brielle sprinkled water over his face, but to no avail. Flustered, she pulled out her phone from her track pant pocket and dialled the number for an ambulance. 

Welcome. Please dial 1 for ... She obeyed the service operator for a while, but when she was put on hold for the third time, she lost her patience and kicked the leaves at her feet in frustration.

"At this rate his condition will deteriorate." she thought. 

Desperate, she looked at the man again, suddenly noticing a tiny card falling out of his breast pocket. She hesitantly picked it up and scrutinized it. In small neat handwriting four phone numbers were written, "Hospital - xxx909xx, Fire-xxx11xxx, Food- 00xxxx9xx, Car- 88xxxxx"

Brielle searched both sides for a relative's contact number, but there was none. 

"I may as well call on the number given." she thought. After all, the elderly man must have been carrying it for a reason.

The phone kept ringing, the looping music somewhat hypnotic, until the spell was finally broken.

"Please, I need an ambulance." she said quickly as soon as someone picked up. They had responded fast and Brielle was relieved.

"Your name Miss?" asked the cool, calm voice on the other side.

"Gabrielle Dane." said Brielle quickly. "Please hurry, the patient collapsed over five minutes ago."

"Your location Ms. Dane?" asked the serene female voice. Brielle nerves felt oddly soothed. 

"Northwood Central Park. Right beside the lake." She said.

"Our ambulance is on its way. Please stay with the patient until the paramedics arrive." said the woman.

"Of course, thank you so much."

"Our pleasure to help, Ms Dane."

***

Brielle paced back and forth tugging at her hair. She had yelled for help, but no one had heard. The lake was at a remote part of the park and very few people came there for their morning jog or walk. Except the old man and herself, of course. She sighed as she looked at his sleeping form, hoping the ambulance would hurry up and get there. 

"His family will be so worried." she thought. "I don't even know his name. But I see him every day. We both turn up to look at the swans around here. If only, I'd made an attempt to know him."

Her thoughts were cut short as two male medics rushed up to the clearing, carrying a fold-able bed. 

"Miss Dane?" asked the first man, as he held up a paper for her to sign.

"Yes." said Brielle, unconsciously signing the document. If only, she had stopped to read what was written on it. 

The elderly man was put on to the bed and carried to the ambulance nearby. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and followed the men. Brielle sat down beside the patient, as the paramedics closed the door of the vehicle. The engine started and they whizzed away, rapidly cutting through the city's empty roads. It was too early in the morning for traffic.

Brielle felt the cool morning air brush across her face. She was flushed and slightly red with the sudden tension. The breeze calmed her, as it snuck behind her neck and sent her shoulder-length hair flying all over her face. She struggled to hold them in place as the vehicle seemed to move at rocket speed.

They reached the hospital within ten minutes. Brielle frowned as she looked outside. "Heart Nation" read the words on the building. She hadn't realized she had called the most expensive hospital in town for help. 

The nurses opened the doors and pushed the bed through the hospital gate. Brielle ran after them, as fast as she could.

"I hope the man can afford the charges here." she thought guiltily, as she surveyed the posh lobby. She could never have paid for any treatment here. What with university and her two part-time jobs, she barely scraped through. The man was led through glass doors to the ICU. Brielle was denied entry so she waited at the lobby.

"Miss Dane?" called a beautiful woman at the reception. "We need you to pay this amount immediately."

"What?" asked Brielle, shocked. 

"You must pay prior to the services. You have signed the agreement right here." the woman lifted up the sheet of paper Brielle had neglected to read.

"How much do I have to pay?" Brielle asked, her throat turning dry.

"Ten thousand dollars only."

Brielle was stumped. That was the summation of her life's savings and her entire inheritance.  It was all supposed to be for university. 

"What if the patient cannot afford it, can you deny them treatment?" Brielle said quietly. Her voice was shaking. 

"We never deny treatment to any patient, Miss. We only require a certain prior amount to be paid. You agreed when you signed on the document."

Brielle nodded. She was still young, she could earn it all again, maybe take a semester off to earn some money. She couldn't let the elderly man suffer any longer. She dug into her bag for her purse. 

She found her debit card and handed it shakily to the receptionist. She swiped it and returned it to Brielle with a smile. Brielle received a receipt for her transaction. Her account balance was now twenty dollars.

"Thank you, Miss., I wish you a wonderful day."  Brielle felt hollow inside. She would have to buy the new dress next year. It was all for a good cause, right? 

"Don't be so selfish, Brielle." she scolded herself. "Do the right thing. Could you really buy the new dress without hurting your conscience?"

Brielle turned away to look for the elderly man's doctor. She needed to know if he was okay.

"Doctor?" she asked the first man in a white coat, with a stethoscope around his neck, to come out from the Intensive Care Unit. "Is the elderly man alright?"

"He is in a stable condition." said the doctor. Brielle sighed with relief. "He suffered a heart attack; I believe brought upon by too much stress. Don't worry, he will be alright. He needs a lot of rest and care though. Are you, his daughter?"

"Thank goodness he's alright. No, I'm not related to him. I'm just a fellow morning walker." she said. 

"Oh, it’s good to see people still care about other citizens." he said patting her shoulder and walking away. "Excuse me."

Brielle looked at her watch. It was seven thirty already. Her classes started in half an hour. She needed to leave. 

"Is my presence required?" she inquired at the reception. 

"Not really. We shall contact you if need be." said the lady. Brielle thanked her and ran to the outside.

"Taxi!" yelled Brielle, waving her hands frantically. The yellow cab swiftly drove by, completely ignoring her, as it was already carrying a passenger. Brielle cursed loudly, stomping her foot. She was forced to step back as a black Sedan rolled up by the pavement. She stared wide-eyed as a very handsome young man climbed out of the front seat. He was wearing a silky-smooth tuxedo and the shiniest of shoes. 

He walked on while pressing a button on his car keys making the doors lock themselves. Brielle jumped at the sudden sound the car made in confirmation. He cast her a sideways glance as though suspicious that she would steal the tyres as he walked briskly to the hospital. Brielle couldn't help but stare after him, even though she detested people like him. He's probably rude and selfish just like all of them.

Brielle wondered what she looked like. The wind had messed up her hair, and she was wearing track pants paired with the comfiest, not necessarily nicest T-shirt. She probably smelled terrible as well. A bath and a change of clothes would do her well. Her stomach grumbled as she realized she would have no time for breakfast. Again. 

"I'm going to fall sick at this rate. " She thought.

She waited for a few more minutes before finally getting a taxi to stop for her. Just as she was about to get in, a strong male voice called her name.

"Are you Gabrielle Dane?"

Click here to read : Chapter 2 : Surprise