Reincarnated, or that’s what Lara thought initially.
Then, she realised how different the world was from her original world.
This world’s working reminded her of some third-rate translated novels that she read when she was still a trainee.
She just couldn’t pin point which one it was.
“Was it: ‘My Sister’s Crippled Husband Loves Me’?
Or was it: ‘Fell For the Crippled Married CEO, Need To Level Up to Win His Heart’?”
the one-year-old toddler would sit and ponder into the fading memories.
Though Lara woke up to the slums, it wasn’t really bad.
The neighbourhood aunties took turns to raise her.
They dotted on her and loved her like their own daughter.
To repay the debt of raising her, she studied hard.
Every single day.
She consecutively won awards in her middle school.
As she entered high school, her deep-down passion for music ignited again, and she started working on her music composition skills.
Though her neighbourhood aunties advised against it, she still went for it.
And now, as a busking artist and also a part-time bar singer, she was striving for her passion.
Lara walked happily, knowing that people enjoyed her song.
She was skipping and gleefully went to her next spot.
She didn’t notice that a tall man was intensely staring at her back.
*****
Around 7 pm, she got a call from the Central Hospital.
“Are you Miss Collins?” A female voice spoke through the phone.
“What?” Lara yelled to the phone.
She was in the bar, post-singing and relaxing with the bartender, who was cracking terrible jokes.
“Are you Miss Collins?
I am calling from the Central Hospital.
You are listed as the emergency contact for Mrs Covan.” The nurse explained with a slow, quiet, and low voice.
Lara, who plugged one ear and was listening intently, froze in track.
Mrs Covan was her grandma who raised her primarily and whose house she lived in.
“What happened to Grandma Bella?” She asked carefully.
“She has got a concussion in her head.
We request you to come to the hospital immediately,” the nurse said.
“Yes, yes.
I’ll arrive at once.
If she needs any kind of surgery, please go through it.
I’ll pay or claim from the insurance.
Just make sure she is alive,” Lara said as she left the bar counter and walked briskly towards the changing room of the bar.
She quickly wore a decent shirt over her black, lacy tube top and ran to catch a taxi.
“To Central Hospital.
Fast.” Lara implored the taxi driver.
Taking pity on Lara’s frighted face, the taxi driver sped through the city roads, nearly jumping signals.
Lara paid the taxi driver extra, not bothering to take the change, and ran to the reception.
“I am here for Mrs Covan.” She told the reception nurse.
“Name and ID,” the nurse asked.
“Lara Collins.
I received a phone call from a nurse.” Lara gave her actual, registered ID.
“Yes.
It’s logged here.
The preliminary tests are done.
She has been wheeled to the surgery.
You have to wait for her in front of the 4th operation theatre room, first floor.
Go from the left wing.”
The nurse handed her a visitor badge and gave the directions.
“Ok, thanks.” Lara said as she ran for the lift.
When she reached the location, she saw Mrs Nina talking to the doctor and Mrs Tina pacing with a phone.
She was probably talking to the insurance company.
Lara had set up medical and life insurance for Grandma Bella and herself with the money that her new birth mother left for her as education funds.
Back then, Grandma Bella scolded her harshly.
But thank god she had done it.
“Mrs Nina.” Lara approached them.
“Oh thank god, you are here.
Doctor, talk to her.
This old woman can’t understand clearly what you want to say.
Talk to Grandma Bella’s granddaughter,”
Mrs Nina said as she handed over the conversation to Lara.
Mrs Nina looked at the good-looking doctor and calculated.
‘Our Lara is a really pretty-looking woman.
She gets scouted to be a model or pop star trainee even at this age.
And our doctor looks like the guy that our Lara had a crush on during her high school times.’
Mrs Nina smiled knowingly at the newly paired couple she made in her mind.
“Doctor, what happened to my grandmother?
How is she now?” Lara asked, fear creeping into every part of her soul.
“We just finished with your grandmother’s surgery.
She is in a stable position now.
She had a small concussion on the left posterior side of the head from falling in the bathroom.
Luckily, she was brought to the hospital on time so we could do the surgery without much complications,” the doctor said.
“Oh thank god.” Lara’s limbs gave way, and the doctor held her.
“Thank you so much.
You have no idea how fast I came here after the call.
I was so scared.” Lara breathed out with relief.
In her last life, she was raised by her grandmother too.
Back then, she was so busy in training and in her upcoming music career, she didn’t pay attention to her grandmother’s health.
On the day she debuted, she had received the call – her grandmother died on heart attack.
It was her biggest regret in life.
In this life, she made sure to not make the same mistakes of her previous life.
The doctor held her hand and helped her to sit on the bench.
“I’m sorry,” Lara said.
“Don’t worry.
It happens.
Don’t worry about the bills.
The insurance will cover the surgery.
The surgery comes under the insurance claim,” the doctor said.
“Also, Lara.
Don’t say sorry.
You are really handling this maturely.
I have seen people breaking and losing hope.
I have seen them brawling their eyes out and being a true mess.
But you are going strong…” the doctor said and let her hand go.
Lara looked up and saw the doctor’s face clearly for the first time.
“You…” Lara tried to recognise the man.
“Excuse me, are you by any chance A positive?” Suddenly a young nurse interrupted the moment.
“Uh, yes.
I am,” Lara said.
“Are you…
um, could you…ah, are you willing to donate blood?
We are urgently in need of blood for transfusion.
Please, could you donate some blood?” The young nurse asked.
“Am I getting paid for this?” Lara asked, teasingly.
“Umm.
Umm.
Yes.
I think so,” the young nurse said.
“Lead the way then,” Lara said, while looking at the doctor’s face, searching for answers.
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