"How can you be so heartless?"
The mother's voice rang out loud and clear, drawing everyone's attention. Valeria froze, completely thrown. All she'd done was suggest taking the child to the hospital. How did that make her the villain?
The woman and her daughter had just climbed out of a minivan, packed with others who looked like they had traveled in from the countryside. Most of them didn't know each other, and now anyone who wasn't hurt was just watching, curious about the commotion.
"What's wrong with you two? Don't bully her. She's already going through so much. She came to the city looking for her husband." Someone in the crowd spoke up.
And what does that have to do with us? Valeria thought, catching Claire's equally confused glance.
"Her husband found another woman and started a new life here. He won't send her any money, and he's mad at her for giving birth to a girl," another person added.
People started joining in, talking over each other. It sounded like the woman had told her life story to everyone in the van.
"She's got it rough. Her daughter isn't all there, apparently. That's why her family's always looked down on her."
“She came here hoping to get her daughter treated, but she can't afford it. No wonder she doesn't want to go to the hospital."
"Exactly, you should just help her out. You two have been patching everyone up so skillfully. Can't you do something for them?"
Valeria's mouth opened in surprise. She hadn't realized things were so bad for this mother. "I'm sorry, but we're not doctors. There's glass stuck in her face. She really needs surgery, which means a hospital. If money is the problem.....”
She almost offered to lend them some cash for the hospital, thinking maybe the accident would get them some compensation later.
"If money's the issue, then maybe everyone here can chip in. She can pay everyone back once she gets her settlement,” Claire said quickly, cutting Valeria off.
Suddenly, the minivan passengers looked troubled. They'd wanted the girls to help, but using their own money was another story.
"I don't have any money!" The older lady who'd first spoken up hugged her purse tightly.
A middle-aged man chimed in. "Only you city girls have cash. We're all from the countryside, working our hands raw for every cent. We can't afford to lend anything."
"Yeah, we don't have the money!" others echoed.
As soon as lending money came up, everyone's sympathy dried up. A few people started defending Claire and Valeria.
"That kid's really hurt. She needs a hospital. How can these two girls handle something like that?"
"If anything goes wrong, who's going to take responsibility?"
"Exactly. I never liked the idea of her asking them to pull glass out of a child's face. That's a doctor's job."
While everyone argued, the mother realized her plan wasn't working. Her eyes landed on the hemostatic spray in Valeria's hand. She'd seen how it worked Just one spritz and the bleeding stopped had to be expensive.
A greedy look flashed in her eyes, and Claire caught it right away.
“Then just give me that spray,” the woman demanded. “My daughter's face is still bleeding. She needs it."
She wasn't stupid. If she asked for it for her child, people would be less likely to say
no.
Valeria hesitated. The spray wasn't
even hers to give. It belonged to
Claire, and there was only about half
a bottle left. They still needed it for
the others who were hurt. The
couldn't just hand it over.
But the little girl's injury was bad. What if one spray didn't do the trick? Would they
have to use more?
"Please, I'm begging you," the woman said, her tone turning desperate. "I have no other option Hospital medicine is so expensive, and who knows how long before a doctor even sees my daughter."