Chapter 3 –  An Upgrade For Tonight

(Lexi’s POV)

Luna made me more anxious as she followed me while I paced worriedly in the living room. I glanced at the time, wanting to scream at my twin sister. She promised me she would hurry back as soon as she got money from Aunt Becky, our mother’s sister and the only living relative we knew.

We were in our last year of high school when our father, an underground mining operator, died in an accident at work. Some of my father’s coworkers and friends encouraged our mother to sue the company, but she did not push through with it because, first off, she was pregnant, and second, she was in her ninth month of pregnancy. Instead, Mom accepted the little amount she got from the company and used it to start again.

Lexa was horrified by her decision, but she explained that she was only being practical, not wanting us to starve and not to stop studying. But Dad seemed sad in heaven without our mother, and just three months after his death, Mom died of hypothermia when a strong typhoon hit our area. Aliyah was barely three months old, and we had nothing left because the river near our house overflowed, taking everything, every memory of our parents and family.

After a week in the evacuation center, Aunt Becky came and took us home, but nothing came for free. Lexa and I had to work, study, and take care of Aliyah. At most times, Lexa would just want to give up studying, but whenever we talked about our parents’ dreams for us, that pushed us again to finish what we had started. When we reached the age of eighteen, we ran away from Aunt Becky after she attempted to sell me online to a foreigner, and when she failed, she tried to sell Aliyah to a tourist couple.

We struggled in life, but Lexa, older than me by five minutes, was good at almost everything. She would take care of Aliyah in the morning, go to school in the afternoon, and sing in the bar at night. I would attend school in the morning, work in a fast-food chain in the afternoon, and I would be the one to look after our baby sister.

Despite having different personalities, Lexa taught me to mirror her as she learned to be me. She said it was for emergency purposes, and it became beneficial for both of us when she got sick and had a sore throat she couldn’t sing for a week. Instead of taking care of Aliyah, I pretended to be her and sang at the bar at night.

It was easier for us to work and study when Aliyah started attending preschool, but she stopped attending classes when she complained about her eyes. She struggled with her eyesight, and one day, we found her crying because she couldn’t see anymore.

Lexa and I graduated from college, pursuing our parents’ dreams for us, and now, we have to work hard for Aliyah’s dream to see again. When the doctor told us about the possible expenses for her operation, my twin sister and I realized that even if we sold our souls now, it would still be impossible to get the amount in a short period.

Luna purred, jumping to the window. When the door opened, I almost cried, seeing Lexa rushing to me.

“How’s Aliyah?” she asked worriedly and walked to the bedroom not to check on her but to wrap her body with the blanket. “Let’s go. We’ll bring her to the hospital.”

The plan was to bring our seven-year-old sister to the hospital because of her raging fever, but we didn’t have enough money, so she told me she would go to Aunt Becky for help.

“Did you get money?” I asked, grabbing my bag and following her to the door. A taxi was waiting for us. “Lexa?” I called when she didn’t answer.

“Yes,” she answered impatiently. “Open the door. Aliyah’s not a baby anymore. God, she’s heavy.”

I opened the door for her, but before I closed it, I made sure Luna and Monalisa were inside. I didn’t want to look for them later if they got out. I plopped inside the taxi and listened to her as she directed the driver for direction.

The driver brought us to the nearest private hospital. It was small, but the fact that it was private meant we still needed to pay money. Yet I followed Lexa to the emergency room, and when they suggested Aliyah should be confined, she agreed immediately.

“Lexa, didn’t you hear what the nurse said? We have to pay for the down payment,” I reminded her, but she only nodded, eyeing our little sister looking pale and shivering on the bed. “Lexa?”

“We have a lot of money, Lexi,” she said, pushing me her purse.

When I opened it, I swallowed hard as I saw the cash inside. The big amount of money was screaming at me, and as I counted them, it was equivalent to a half year of my pay working in a fast food restaurant. Slowly, I turned my head to her.

“Lexa, where did you get the money?” I asked, now nervous because I was sure Aunt Becky would not give her that enormous amount.

She smiled sadly at me. “I sold my soul to the devil, Lexi.” Her attempt at cracking a joke didn’t make me laugh.

“Not funny, Lex. Where did you get the money?” I asked anxiously.

She stood up and hugged me. “From singing, Lexi.” She sniffled. “I couldn’t get money from Aunt Becky, so I had to beg Tony to give me a job tonight, and he brought me to this party to sing. I told him about Aliyah, and you know the guy liked me, right?”

I nodded, and now both of us were crying.  

“So, he paid me and gave me a bonus because the party was full of rich people, and I sang really well tonight.” She was crying as she explained.

I rubbed her back and pressed my lips to suppress the sob coming out of my mouth. I let myself cry in silence while I listened to my sister’s cry. I knew there was something more to her story, but I couldn't bring it up now.

When the nurse returned, she gave Lexa the form to sign, and they began to move Aliyah to her room. It was almost midnight, and while our sister was asleep, we stayed for a while in the lobby, just outside the wardroom.

She turned to me when my stomach betrayed me. “Aliyah’s asleep. Want to grab some food?”

I nodded. “I haven’t eaten lunch and dinner,” I told her as we stood up. “Lex,” I called her as we walked to the nearby cafeteria.

“Hmm?” she mumbled, rubbing her belly.

“Are you okay?” I asked her.

She looked at me and smiled. “Yeah! I met interesting people tonight at the party, and while singing, I couldn’t help but ask why they have so much while we struggle?”

I nodded, understanding her. “Do you remember Angela Mars?” She and her husband spoke in one of our seminars last year.

“Yeah. I saw her at the party, too. She asked me about you.”

“I applied as a sales clerk, and she sat on the panel interview. I told her I also do some music lessons, and she asked me if I could spare my weekend because she thinks her kids were interested to learn the piano.”

She smirked. “Why would she ask you when they can have great teachers in music school?” She leaned on my shoulder. “No offense, Lexi, but why?”

“I know, but she explained her children are smart but beginners in music. She wanted to know how serious they were before enrolling them in a music school,” I answered and smiled, remembering how different Angela Mars was from the other wealthy people I met.

“And…” Lexa raised her head and looked at me.

“I have to meet her tomorrow,” I shook my head and glanced at the time on the wall clock in the cafeteria. “In a few hours. I know you haven’t had a good sleep, but would it be okay if you stayed with Aliyah for a while? I would just meet her and then go back here immediately.”

“I have nothing to do here while Aliyah’s asleep, Lexi, so it’s okay. I’ll also catch up on some sleep because I promised Tony to sing tomorrow night at the bar.”

“Aren’t you going to look for a job?” I shook my head, realizing my point was not correct. “I mean, you could leave your job at the bar and maybe work during the daytime.”

She grinned at me. “You’re not the only one waiting for the chance, dear Lexi. I applied and just waiting for the owners to come back. I heard they’re on vacation and will call me when they get back. The last time I talked to Ms. Anya, she said they need a music teacher, so I’m crossing my fingers, Lexi, hoping to get the job.”

“Let’s celebrate,” I teased her.

Lexa chuckled. “Let’s have burgers and fries, then.”

“Can we upgrade them large?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes. “Of course. Tonight, we both deserved an upgrade. Even just for tonight,” she smiled, but there was sadness in her smile.

Lexa must have forgotten we were identical twins, and I could feel and read her emotions easily as if I was reading mine, and I knew that tonight something had happened to her.