Marriage of Convenience and nothing more

*Nelly's POV*

"Are you going to do it?" Emily asked.

"Do I have a choice?" I responded as if it didn't matter to me. But deep down, I understood my internal state. I twitched inside every time the thought crossed my mind.

I'm going to sleep with men for money just to pay for my grandma's hospital bills and raise funds for her surgery.

Doctors diagnosed my grandma with cancer two months ago. It has been a month and three weeks since I lost my grandpa in an accident.

As if the universe were playing a cruel trick on me, I'm left to foot my grandmother's bills with nobody to help. No uncle, no aunt, nobody at all. Why must life be this challenging and unjust?

"To what end?" Emily's question jolted me back to reality.

I looked at her and saw her eyes brimming with tears.

"I wish there was something I could do to help you, Nelly. I don't want you going down that path. You're not exposed to these things. How are you going to cope?"

Her words moved me.

Emily was my best friend. We've been inseparable for as long as I can remember, always supporting each other. She has been the one taking care of my grandma in the hospital since I started my job as a waitress.

She never complained and never left my side.

"I'm doing this for Grandma. If everything were as it used to be, I wouldn't even consider this, trust me."

My waitress job pays me less, and I'd have to save for a decade to gather such a large amount for the surgery. I winced at the thought of the cost-$70,000.

"I lack qualifications for alternative employment. I'm just a college dropout," I said, tears forming in my eyes.

I dropped out of college after everything started.

Emily moved closer and enveloped me in a hug.

"Everything will be okay," she said.

That was enough to make me burst into tears.

The tears I had been holding back since the day I rushed my grandma to the hospital after learning she had cancer-and even when I received the news of my grandpa's death-all seemed to pour out. I could hear my wails and even Emily's sobs.

I had never experienced such devastation. I didn't sense this brokenness, even when they bullied me in school for being an orphan. I had never cried to this extent-nor when I found out my boyfriend was cheating on me.

"When are you starting?" Emily pulled back, staring at me.

"This night. I'm attending with a coworker. She works there too."

"Once you get there, send me the location. I want nothing happening to you."

"Thank you," I choked out.

My grandparents and Emily are the only ones who have ever cared.

I disengaged from the hug and moved towards the picture frame of my grandparents and me.

"Grandma, I'm going to do everything I can to get you healthy again. You're the only one I have left, and you're not going to leave me," I said, moving my fingers over her picture while shedding tears.

"It's going to be okay," I reassured myself once again.

It's been a week since I started going to the brothel, getting paired with wealthy men while earning decent money.

Decent money-in just one week, I've made $5,000. I used it to pay my grandma's hospital bills until I could gather the full amount for her surgery.

I didn't want to get accustomed to this lifestyle, so I promised myself that once I had all the money I needed, I'd stop and take good care of my grandma.

Getting turned in all positions by these men-fat, slim, tall, short, pot-bellied-ugh, every type of man you could think of is not something I want to do for the rest of my life.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts of those disturbing images before stepping into the hospital.

I want to go see my grandma; it's been days since my last visit.

As I walked down the corridor towards her ward, I ran into our next-door neighbor.

"Good day, ma," I greeted her.

"Oh, Nelly, my dear! How have you been coping?" she replied. "I just finished seeing your grandma; she told me she needs a large amount for her surgery."

"I've been pushing through..." I started, but she interrupted.

"Oh, I wish I were in a better position to help, but you know how it is right now," she continued, not giving me a chance to respond. I rolled my eyes and looked away.

"I know how you're feeling right now, dear. It's tough. I felt even worse when I lost my husband to AIDS. It was as if the whole world was against me," she said, continuing to talk.

At this point, I didn't bother responding; this was just our talkative neighbor.

"Your grandpa-oh, his soul rest in peace-was a very kind man. He helped a lot back then," she added.

I nodded, staring at the tiles and forcing back my tears.

"Your parents were the talk of the town back in the day. It's such a shame about their business. You wouldn't have to suffer this much or even drop out of college," she said.

Surprised at her mentioning my deceased parents, I looked up. Then my gaze drifted to the wall clock.

"Aunty, I have to go see my grandma now, and after that, I need to head to the restaurant," I said, waving at her as I turned toward the passage to my grandma's ward.

"Your parents were the talk of the town back in the day. Such a shame about their business." Those words continued to ring in my head, leaving me wondering.

What exactly happened to their business-and to them? I guessed I wouldn't be getting an answer anytime soon.