Young Writers Society

Levi runs to his room and comes back with his charger and a surge protector. "Sorry," he says. "I can't even imagine how you feel. This is so annoying." "No, no. Don't do that. You are the one helping me in the middle of the freaking night. Morning, actually." Levi nods, plugging in his charger as his phone slowly starts to reboot and everything. "How did you know the police would help? I mean, the first aid was completely brushed off and sent to my sister." I remark while yawning.

"I'll explain later," he says, immediately calling the policeman back. "Bonjour, c'est encore moi. Hello, it is me again." Thank God, the policeman recognises his voice and immediately picks up where they left off. This time, without wasting any more time, he says Mia's name. As soon as he said it, the policeman doesn't hesitate anymore and says he'll send an ambulance right away.

If only I had known that from the beginning, Mia would be fine now. Who would have thought that the police knew Mia. She really is the best nurse in France. My mind wants to say was, but I force it to say no. She is not dead, I know it.

After about an hour and a half of waiting, we got a call back on Levi's phone. The same policeman who had spoken to Levi was now talking to him. "Hello, sir. Can you hear me?" This time he asked Levi in English rather than French. Levi nudges me to listen as he puts the phone on speaker again. "Yes, I can hear you." "I have someone who wants to talk to you about Mrs Walters." the police officer says while clearing his throat. Levi looks at me in a "who could that be" and I curl my lips into a "I don't know". "Dope..." he says very slowly.

"Cheers, Gustin," I hear faintly before a heavy British accent takes over. "Hey, this is Sergeant Mark Walters from..." "Mark!" I shout through the phone, Levi hands me his phone, signalling that he is going to make himself some coffee. "Palma," he asks, a bit confused. "Yes, is Mia all right?" Mark sighs and says, "I don't know. They just took her to the hospital and said I can't go in. She has something in her blood and is completely unconscious. She was having a seizure when the ambulance arrived."

"Oh God, do you have any idea what could have happened to her? It's not like Mia to pass out like that." I say, rubbing my eyes. "I know. I told Gustin that too." "Who is Gustin?" I ask curiously. Mark says, "The policeman that the American had on the phone. He is a good friend of mine and Mia." "Was she sick?" I ask Mark. "No. She wasn't sick. Thank God that the American called the police. The doctor said it could have been worse, but she had been like this for a long time, they think. When I went out to go to the store she seemed fine. Who is that American anyway?" "The eldest son of my new exchange family." I explain.

"What are you not going to study at Oxford?" Mark asks, puzzled. "No, Dad said it could be a new opportunity." I sigh. Now that I know Mia is safe in the hospital, being looked after, my tiredness takes over. Mark has a word with Levi and thanks him for his help. As Levi puts the phone down he says, "You guys really are all "cheers, mate." British and all." "I take that as a personal insult." I say as I finish a glass of water. "No, no. That's not what I mean. It's just that I went to an international elementary school with a lot of British folks. I have some friends there too, but none of them like Mark. He just goes Cheers like every other second." "I know what you mean." I chuckle.

"Palma, you need to get some sleep. Your school starts tomorrow." I know that Levi is right, but I am not sure if I can let it go that easily. I really want to know the cause of what happened to Mia. I want to wait for the doctor to give me some kind of confirmation that Mia is going to be okay.

I lie in bed for the second time with my heart on high alert. Hoping Mark will text me to say she is fine. I finally manage to fall asleep.

The next morning, the first thing I do when I wake up is text Mark about Mia. He just texts me back, "call me when you are ready to talk." I have no idea what that means, but I decide to take a shower and then call him back. As I get out of the shower and change into a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. If I go into the kitchen now, I will probably be talking to the Winters. So I decide to call Mark first.

"Hey Mark. How are you doing?" I ask with a bit of excitement in my voice wishing everything is alright with Mia. "I am trying." He says a little abruptly, "Listen, I need to tell you something first…" "How is Mia holding up," I ask, cutting him off. Mark clears his throat and says, "You see, Palma. Half an hour after you went to bed. The doctor told me she was suffering from..." "A stroke," I say quickly. "Yes, how did you know?" Mark asks rather confusedly. "Mia told me, so I tried to contact the first aid as quickly as possible." I answer.

"Well, the doctor said that there was a blood clot in one of her veins, which made it impossible for the heart to pump blood to her brain, and because she fell out of bed, she hit her head pretty hard on the bedside table, which made it even more life-threatening. If she had only got to the hospital half an hour earlier, she could have been saved. What I'm trying to say is…" Mark explains. "No, no, no. Mark please." I plead, I know what he's going to say. I just don't want to believe it.

"I am sorry, Palma, but Mia is dead." Mark sniffs.

~ 6 years later ~

"That is why my sister, Mia Walters, has been dead now for six years, three months and two weeks. If only she had arrived half an hour earlier, she could have been saved. You see, my sister was a field nurse. She knew what was happening to her, she knew she was having a stroke. She knew she was going to die if she did not get help soon. The entire reason she told me to get first aid immediately.

When my sister died because of it, I decided that she would be the last one to die. This is why I believe that Mrs. Hinder is guilty of not sending an ambulance to save Mia when she was a first-aid attorney. My sister had to die in order for justice to be served. I hope that I have made a clear statement.

The judge looks at the dispatcher, whose name is Mrs. Hinder, and without a second thought, she lifts her hammer and bangs it down twice. Mark looks at the judge, sweat dripping from his brow, while I hold my breath for the moment of truth. "Mrs. Hinder, you are guilty and will serve your sentence in prison."

Mark comes up to me and hugs me, "Palma, thank you so much." He sighs with relief. I return the hug and say, "Stay strong, Mark. Be there for Shawn." I take my papers and my bag and walk out of the courthouse.

I walk up to my husband's car, "That smile on your face tells me all I need to know. Once again, sorry I could not be there. You won!" he says. I smile as I give him a kiss on the cheek. "I had to do something for Mia." "Of course you do. When I saw the look in your eyes that morning while you were on the phone, I knew you would never let it go until you found justice for what happened. That's just what makes you you." My smile fades as I think of Mia. She doesn't even know that I got married to Levi, and that my exchange family is now my in-law family and that her son is now a teenager riding around on a skateboard.

"Do you want to grab something on the way home?" he asks. I nod. "Dope, let's go to Dushi Donuts." As we drive through the city, looking around and still can't believe I've actually settled here, in New York. Now Mia can finally rest in peace, and I can move on with my life. I have dedicated the last six years of my life to this.

Who would have thought my life would take such a turn, me going to the US to study as an exchange student, on the same night that my sister dies of a stroke in France. After quitting both marketing and algebra to get justice for what happened with the first aid dispatcher, I ended up becoming a lawyer. After that, I later married my now best friend, the eldest son of my exchange family, Levi. Six years later, I finally got justice for Mia.

Well, certainly not me.

The End!

~~~

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