74: Dead?

CHRISTY:

My phone rang again and without making Mom wait, answered it. “What’s going on?” I asked. “Was that a prank, Mom? Or is this some kind of joke?” My voice trembled in the end as I held my phone close to my ear.

My throat went dry as I waited for my mother's reply.

“A prank? Is that the result of watching nonsense videos? You think your Dad's life is some sort of joke?” Mom snapped on the other side of the line.

Fuck.

Oh, gahd.

My heart hammered against my chest. Dad and I had no great relationship, but…he was still my parent. I…I did not want anything bad to happen to him.

“Didn’t you read my text? I brought your dad to the hospital. You give me money for his hospital bill. You pay the hospital bills,” she reiterated.

“Why?” I asked, trying to contain my fear. Outside, my husband had been trying to talk to me, but I no longer had the time to focus on him. Right now, my dad was more important. “Is this serious, Mom, or you are only using Dad to ask for money from me?”

I