The following day, the winter awarded the occupant of a shiny red car leverage to walk in their disguise without much ado. The car slid to a halt in the hospital parking lot, the passengers of the car remained sitted even though they had an appointment for eight’ o clock in the morning and the time says 7:49AM. They needed to go in fast, doctors would never wait for an appointment, the doctor would move straight on to the next patient without any hesitation. Getting this doctor had come with great stress, she had to contact Tracy for help, and she had received the help from Tracy with the reminder that Tracy was only a Manager and not her personal life manager, though she was sure her friend was just having a hard time, Tracy had recently broken up with her boyfriend who absconded with some money from her savings so Taylor could understand her being stressed.

Presently, they were sitted in the car dressed in their hoodie; Elminna was dressed in a baby pink hoodie which was practically covering her face, Taylor was putting on a hoodie and was also wearing sunglasses as well, her dressing may be odd but Taylor would do anything for her daughter.

“Elmi”

“Yes” Elminna answered in her tiny voice

“We are going to see the doctor baby; you have to stay close to mummy okay? I don’t want you getting lost”

“Yes mummy”

Taylor caressed her daughter’s head in despair; her daughter has to be able to see, she just have to. They were able to enter Houston Teaching Hospital unnoticed, the pediatric optometric department was by the entrance, it will be quite easy to enter she thought.

Taylor took her daughter’s gloved hands and led her out of the car, finding the doctor’s office wasn’t that hard. People were not curious about them as she thought they might. It was a hospital after all, and people have various life challenges to occupy them. Nurses and doctors walked past her in a hurry, no one even bothered looking at the tall and short mistresses walking face down as if they were in a horror movie

Mrs Emily Kim, the elderly woman was all comely and friendly. When Elminna’s hoodie fell off her face, Mrs Emily Kim only nodded in understanding, she showed no expression of surprise. She performed her duty; took the girl to the examination room, guiding her carefully around the machine after some time, they both came out.

“Miss Taylor, I already checked the file you sent to me, her previous checkup are all nice, and I can see, she was treated earlier for it. It will aid a good recovery so we can arrange the date for the surgery, whenever you want”

“you mean, she is okay to have the surgery done?” Taylor asked hopefully, fully tempted to remove her sunglasses and grabbed the hands of the doctor.

“Congenital cataract and ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity) is one of the many visual impairity that affect children during their early years, it can be treated as well as prevented. We should have the cataract surgery performed as soon as possible; I must say it is quite urgent. Delay could be dangerous, so I hope you make your decisions soon” the doctor advised

“ alright” Taylor answered she was aware of all the terms and condition that aligned Eminna’s condition. She had studied a lot about it, soon after she gave birth and discovered one of her children had it, she took her baby’s hand in hers and gave it a loving squeeze.

“Judging by her looks” she said pointing at Elminna “I guess I understand the reason why you want her identity hidden and it is none of my business as well, but I will like to know your relationship with the patient” the woman said skeptically wanting to satisfy her curiosity

Taylor was aghast “I believe that is absolutely none of your business”

“if I want to perform surgery on your daughter, you need to trust me this much. I have no business in celebrities’ life, so do not fret. There is nothing to hide with me Taylor Bay, by making me sign those papers, I assure you your secrets are safe with me, I only want to know if you are the famous Taylor Bay, since little Elminna here is her carbon copy and you have her frame as well."

Taylor regarded the woman coolly from underneath her glasses, she does look like those religious women that value their word far above their lives, what was she to fear? Emily Kim already signed the contract; a breach could cost her, her career as a surgeon, she is an experienced surgeon who has years of service to her career and she wouldn't jeopardize that for no reason.

“Fine, Mrs Kim you talked me into it” Taylor slowly lifted her hands to her face to remove her sunglasses; she raised her head, letting her hoodie fall back “Satisfied?”

“Satisfied. Now shall we set the date for the surgery, this little girl deserves all the happiness in the world. She needs to know just how much her mother is willing to sacrifice for her health.” Mrs Emily said, gazing tenderly at Elminna who had busied herself with her walking stick, twirling it around her dainty fingers

“How about the 23rd of January?” Taylor suggested

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, in that same hospital on the left wing of the gigantic hospital building, in the cancer department was a patient undergoing chemotherapy, after the treatment, the doctor sat her down

“Am sorry, to inform you but there is no improvement, Evelyn”

Evelyn looked up a little bit pale in the face, but she looked up with feigned confidence” How long do I have left?”

Her physician shook his head sadly

“You have no right to hide this away from me, I have a right to know” She looked pleadily at her childhood friend of many years, he had been the one who introduced her to Justin as a friend during a house party. Only he did not know Justin would take interest in her. The way he acts at times makes her think he might be jealous at the fact. but he would remain her good friend no matter what. They had come a long way together.

“Judging by your symptoms of late, it is hard to predict and with leukemia one can’t know for sure, you can only tell by the symptoms. Your breath is all ragged already, I don’t think you would last long" He said with tears in his eyes, he grabbed her hands using them to clean his eyes, for he wept because he was about to lose a childhood friend to the cold hands of death.

“What a big boy you are crying like that, your patients wouldn’t want to see these tears will they Dr Spencer? Cheer up will you? A miracle can happen” she cooed, tears also slipping out of her eyes.

More tears only dropped on her hands "Evelyn it is not funny, Justin deserves to know”.

Hearing Justin’s name, her heart sank she sprang up from the chair, grabbing her hands from Spencer’s. “I should be on my way now excuse me, I did not inform Justin of my where about and my phone has been switched off” she said. She would do whatever she could to ensure, the smile and happiness he finally found with her will last him forever, she would unearth Taylor’s secret be it on her death bed. Taylor had most definitely been hiding something that day in the hospital, she was sure of it, she needed to leave him in the hands of someone who loves him as much as she does. Taylor still did, she just might not want to acknowledge it. But she would by the time Evelyn was done working on her, she thought.

“Your phone was switched off, you shouldn’t do that no one knows when you might have a relapse, your phone should be with you, so you can at least dial 911” Spencer scolded her.

“Oh! Do not lecture me, I turned it off because of Justin, he would keep on calling and I hate to lie to him, I will be taking my leave now.”

“Where are you going? You need to take your medications before you leave, I do not trust you to take them on your own, are you listening to me?” he asked when she only turned her fast decreasing weightless body away from him

“Fine, I will take it, gosh you nag like an old woman” she collected the drug from him walking up to the water dispenser in the office, she filled a disposable cup with water and took them, she immediately got her handbag and was ready to leave

“Evelyn don’t do anything Stupid, I will come with you to tell Justin if possible” Spencer said getting up to stand behind her, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder

“I am not doing anything stupid, stop looking at me like that, I want to go commit a crime, and I would tell Justin myself, I just want to perform my dying wish”

“And that is?

“To leave Justin with the happiness I managed to give him overtime?” Evelyn replied

"And what about me?" Spencer muttered to himself

"Did you say something?"

“No, but how will you do that, you do know he is quite attached to you ever since Taylor….” Spencer asked confused “He is going to be pretty devastated to hear this, what am I even saying there is nothing pretty about this situation” he mumbled to himself

“Just watch me” as she said that the phone in her buzzed, the receiver on the other end said a quiet “hello, Evelyn”

“Hello ” Evelyn answered coolly.

“You do know who is talking right?” the voice on the other end said

“How would I know? If you are calling me for an interview, I am sorry, that would not be possible: I have told you guys I would not be granting any interview with anyone...”

“No, no no… I am not a reporter, this is Mandy from Riverdale High, class 14’, I got added to the class sophisticated group chat today, so I decided to give you a call, I was told your number is highly valued though and I shouldn’t give it out to...”

“Get to the point, woman” Evelyn said cutting her off

“Why are you talking to me like that? If you happen to know what I want to tell you , you would listen to me with all alacrity, it is a juicy secret about Taylor Bay; The popular singer, your boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, I thought you would be interested. I need cash for this though, it is not going to be for free, Do we have a deal? and trust me it would be worth your time and money” the other end went quiet, Mandy feeling triumphant she had managed to hook her, waited patiently for her to speak again.

After what felt like hours to Mandy, Evelyn knowing people like Mandy would only go look for another substitute should she not agree, and besides if whatever information she was going to give her would be juicy as she claimed, it might help Evelyn with Justin. Evelyn decided to give her reply, answering in her small voice "Am all ears Mandy, and you do have a deal” A big fat opportunity had just landed on her palm and she would use it diligently. She thought grinning into the phone in her hand.