CHAPTER 27

Oh my goodness. Her pain was literally becoming my pain. I wiped a tear away so my siblings wouldn't see it. I went back to my desk, all the while they were looking between me and Jasmine. 'Ummm, Evan," Emily began, 'What's going on here?" 'What do you mean?" I asked her. 'You're hot for your assistant," EJ answered. 'What? I'm not hot for Jasmine. Her mom....." 'Oh, you call her by her first name. That's so cute," Emily said again with a jest voice, cutting me off. I narrowed my eyes furiously at her. 'What's wrong with her mother though? That sounded serious," EJ questioned. 'I haven't a vivid clue of what's happening. All she told me was that her mom's in the hospital and she's not well," I answered. 'Okay but that statement she made earlier, she said she'll have to sign some forms to give permission to the hospital in order to pull...something." 'Exactly. Pull the plug. Is her mom dying?" Emily asked now. I raked my fingers through my hair and stared at the other two concern faces that were staring right back at me. 'Evan! You have to do something. You have to find out exactly what's wrong with her mom!" Emily cried. 'I can't bare the thought of losing our mom so I can't imagine what your assistant must be actually going through," EJ said. 'I'll call in," I said pulling the office phone closer to me and searching through the directory's list for surrounding hospitals. The first one I came across, Saint Street Medical Hospital. It was about two miles away from my company. 'Thank you for calling Saint Street Medical. How can I help you?" A receptionist answered. 'Good afternoon. I'm Evan Hollen," I said. I heard a small gasp from her. 'Yes Mr. Evan Hollen. How can I help you?" she asked with enthusiasm this time. 'I'm actually calling to find out some information about a patient in your care." 'What's the name of the patient?" 'I don't have her first name. I do know her surname is ‘Blackman' and she has two daughters. One by the name of Jasmine Blackman'. I'm certain that she visits all the time." 'One moment Mr. Hollen." She said before putting me on hold. 'What is she saying?" Emily asked impatiently. 'She got me on hold, but I think she'll give me the information." 'So they're just going to pass out private information to someone over the phone?" EJ asked. 'Not ′someone' as you so rudely put it. But they will do it to one of most handsome, most successful, most richest young man in the world. Our brother," A triumphant look spread across Emily's face. 'Mr. Hollen? Are you still there?" the voice came through the phone again. 'Yes I'm here," I answered. 'Susan Blackman is the patient's name. Age forty eight. Her condition is End Stage Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD for short. She's desperately in need of a transplant or she's going to die. I can see on my computer screen, her remaining life span is that of two more weeks or could be sooner." My blood ran cold. ′Poor Jasmine' I thought. 'Can anything be done to save her from dying?" I asked. 'Yes, lungs transplant." 'So why hasn't that been done?" 'There's a fee of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00.) And additional fees for surgeries and a waiting list fee in order to move her name to the very top of the list. Everything would amount to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00). I don't believe her daughters have that large sum of money to conduct these procedures." 'Thank you for the information," I said. 'You're welcome." I ended the call. 'WELL?" Emily asked. 'Her mother's definitely dying. COPD end stage. She needs lungs transplant," I summarized. 'Oh my gosh Evan!" Emily began to cry. EJ wrapped his arms around her. Emily was always an emotional wreck. Warning, don't call Emily to your house if you're emotional but wants to get over it, Emily would only let you cry even more. 'Are you going to do something Evan?" EJ asked me, still holding our sister. I nodded my head yes, 'I'll wire the money today." ‘I'm not about to let my soon-to-be mother-in-law die,' my inner self said. 'Come on guys, let's get out of here," I said, getting up from my chair and straightening my suit. 'You're not staying to finish up your job?" Emily asked through tears. 'Advantages of being the boss. Fix your face and let's go. I'll handle everything," I said to her. She got up and disappeared to my washroom in a running motion. ″Women,″ EJ joked. Jasmine's POV I signed the permission papers with shivering hands. I couldn't even hold the pen steady enough to sign my name properly. I handed the documents back to Dr. Shannon after reading it carefully and signing my name on the dotted line. I raked my fingers through my hair and covered my face with the palm of my hands as I sobbed quietly into them.