Chapter 9

• Nathan sat on his own after the doctors came to check on him. He did a lot of research about the alleged son of Ulmer and yes, he did fit everything, if he didn’t know his dad, he would have even believed he was Ulmer’s son, the alleged son was born in the same year as him and was more of a one-night stand result, Nathan knew he couldn’t be the real son because his mom had been married to his dad when he was born, they were two years into their marriage when they had him. He closed his phone and got out of bed after about thirty minutes and decided to go see his sisters as they may already be wondering where he was. “The things money can do,”
• He thought out loud while walking down the hallway that lead to where Nelly was kept, he looked around, this looked more like a hotel than a hospital, he knew this was a VIP area but still, he would never have considered using a hospital like this ever, not when they didn’t have insurance, surely, he would never have been able to pay the fees even if he worked every hour for the next hundred years. not anymore though, now he had money.
• “Nora,”
• He called when he walked into the room his sisters were in, this was much bigger than the room he had been in, and aside from the oxygen mask and heart monitor near Nelly, you would never guess this was a hospital room. Nora was seated in the corner with a book in hand which reminded him that she ought to be in school and not babysitting.
• “Nat? Are you okay now?”
• she asked seating up and dropping her book.
• “Yes, I am good now, I am sorry you couldn’t go to school today either,”
• He said.
• “It is okay, I can always find out what happened in school from my friends, all that matter is that you both are doing fine,”
• She said pointing from Nathan to Nelly.
• “Naty,”
• Nelly called from her bed. Nathan turned his attention to his baby sister.
• “Nelly, I am so glad you are okay now baby,”
• Nathan said as she managed a weak but bright smile.
• “I know right, I thought I was going to die,”
• she said and he glared at her.
• “Why didn’t you tell me you were not feeling good, you should have told me instead of hiding it,”
• Nathan scolded. he knew he should not be scolding her right now but she had it coming for keeping her illness away from him.
• “I am sorry Nat, I was scared, I didn’t want you to worry because I know you don’t have money, and you were already working so hard to feed cloth and send us to school, I didn’t want to add to that, it would be too much for you,”
• Nelly said in a tiny voice, Nathan walked up to where she lay and sat close to her.
• “Not anymore Nel, now when you are sick you have to let me know, I have the money to treat you and you don’t have to worry about that now,”
• he informed.
• “Really?”
• she asked her pale face lighting up in excitement.
• “Yes, really,”
• He responded.
• “How so?”
• She asked and he thought of a simple answer to give her.
• “Let’s just say I got a job that pays me loads of money,”
• He revealed.
• “Nat, does this mean you don’t have to do those hard jobs that pay so little, again? Does this mean we don’t have to be hungry anymore or cold during the winter?”
• Nelly asked in excitement and Nathan nodded.
• “Yes baby, we don’t have to, all you need to do now is focus on healing and school after you are finally okay to go back to school.
• He told her robbing her hair gently, she looked so much better already even though it has been a couple of hours since she got operated on, money really does make the world go around, if he hadn’t met Gianni who had helped, he didn’t know what would have happened to her, and he honestly didn’t want to think about it either, he was just happy that nothing bad happened and that she was safe and getting better.
• “I have more great news for you guys,”
• Nathan informed, looking from Nelly to Nora.
• “What?”
• Nora asked, she didn’t look excited. Well, she was on her period and she was always moody during her period.
• “We have somewhere to stay when Nelly gets discharged.
• “Yeah!”
• Nelly said in excitement before letting out a yawn, the anesthetics must have not worn out completely.
• “Get some rest, Nelly,”
• He said and kissed her softly on the cheek, she closed her eyes and he turned to Nora who was looking at him weirdly, he could tell she had a lot of questions.
• “Follow me, Nora, let’s not wake Nelly up while we talk,”
• He said and Nora got up, dropped the book she was holding, and followed him, they walked to the balcony close to Nel’s room.
• “Okay, what’s on your mind, young lady? Spill,”
• He said when they were alone.
• “Who is that woman that paid for our bills and what does she want from us?”
• Nora asked sounding like an adult, Nathan sometimes forgets she is almost an adult.
• “Her name is Gianni Ulmer, you know the Ulmers right?
• he asked and she nodded.
• “Wait, she looks prettier in person and younger too, why did I not figure out that was her?”
• Nora asked.
• “She doesn’t look different to me, maybe your eyes were playing tricks on you due to the cramps,”
• Nathan said and she glared at him, she didn’t like when he talks about her woman time.
• “Sorry, anyway, she doesn’t look different to me,”
• Nathan added.
• “Right but what does she want from us? Why did she decide to take up the bill I know you are getting money from her too, I won’t be surprised if this new place you found is also from her, so what is the catch here?”
• Nora asked folding her hands across her chest.
• “Why do you think there is a catch?”
• he asked. Amused but also glad she was concerned enough to ask.
• “That’s because there is always a catch, Nathan, people help people with other motives in mind,”
• She said as a matter of fact.
• ‘Nora, not everyone has ulterior motives for helping people, Gianni is just helping,”
• Nathan said but his sister didn’t look convinced at all.
• “Yeah right, why will a rich woman suddenly want to help us when she doesn’t know us? I am not a kid Nathan, you seem to be forgetting that fact, I am seventeen, and I know nothing in this life is given for free,”
• Nora pointed out, his sister was too smart to be fooled and he felt proud of that fact.
• “No one said it was free Nora,”
• Nathan informed, heck once the news hits she would find out so he might as well tell her.
• “See, I knew it, what is she asking for in return? Please don’t tell me she wants you to be her fuckboy,”
• She let out with a disgusted look.
• “Nora,”
• He yelled at her, of course, he didn’t assume she knew anything about sex, she was a teenager after all but she was jumping to a conclusion and the wrong one, like he did too when Gianni had first approached him, well they were siblings after all.
• “What? Am I wrong?”
• She asked not even looking remorseful.
• “Yeah, you are wrong, but I will cut you some slack because that’s what I thought too but that’s not it Nora, I am just helping her with shits, and in return, we get to live big and you don’t have to worry about anything aside from school and boys,”
• Nathan said and she glared at him.
• “I have no interest in boys Nat, the only man I can stand is you, that’s because you are my brother, anyone else makes me want to puke,”
• She responded and he started laughing.
• “Why are you laughing? I am not trying to be funny,”
• she let out.
• “Don’t worry Nora, I will let you know when everything is finalized, just know she is not making me do anything bad,”
• He informed. And she finally nodded.
• “So, does that mean we are moving to a bigger house once Nel is discharged?”
• she asked and he nodded.
• “Yes, baby, now don’t overthink things and just relax, big brother got things covered,”
• he said and pulled his sister in for a hug, she hugged him back and he let out a satisfied grin.
• “Thank you, Nathan, for not leaving us on our own,”
• She said and he broke the hug to stare at her.