Time moves constantly at the same speed without slowing down for everyone, whether they are trying to find a way to escape deadlines or schedules, or if they are stuck in a situation that they want to get out of immediately.
And yet, Hubert feels it differently. He felt like the time on the clock had not moved at all. It would be like everything remains in a standstill. He wished that everything would be over as soon as possible, and yet it feels like time has been stretched to infinity, and he is not like that.
When Hubert thought that the time barely moved at all, the door on his side opened, and a doctor who had just removed his face mask exited the doorway, looking tired and somewhat pissed for some unknown reason. Hubert quickly stood up from his seat and looked at the Doctor with an expectant look.
"Are you Diane's father?" the Doctor asked with his face looking irritated.
"Yes, Doctor. How is she? Is she alright?"
"I will be honest here. Her condition is awful, and we can only help her alleviate her pain, but not take it away from her. If we don't undergo chemotherapy with her, sooner or later, her body will have a hard time functioning properly, and she will break."
Hubert is prepared for the worst, but he still couldn't fully resist it, and tears started falling down his face.
"Is there nothing else that we can do about her condition? Nothing at all?"
The Doctor shook his head. "Only chemotherapy can save her now. Otherwise..."
After that, the Doctor excused himself, leaving Hubert stunned and crying where he was standing.
"Is there nothing else I can do for my daughter?!" Hubert weakly fell on his knees, not knowing what action he should take.
Then, he turned to look at the door and stood back up as he headed inside the room. Inside is a young pale girl, wearing a hospital gown. Her body is connected to various machines and apparatus that are keeping her alive. She is Hubert's one and only daughter, Miranda, a 13-year-old girl, suffering from a disease.
She is currently diagnosed with Leukemia. Thankfully, it was the kind of leukemia that can be cured with Chemotherapy, but because her body is getting weaker, the symptoms have gotten worse.
Hubert didn't know this at first since Miranda did not exhibit any kind of symptoms back then. They only learned she had Leukemia after she suddenly collapsed at school and was sent to the hospital.
This alone is already heartbreaking, but what is worse is that her body continues to deteriorate, and the doctors have already stated that due to how her leukemia has been passive, the sickness accumulated too much in her body. Her days are numbered, and she is going to die soon if nothing is done or if the chemotherapy is not carried out soon.
Hubert is currently at a loss on what to do. His budget of money is enough to keep the apparatus on her body intact, but the payment for the chemotherapy is a different story.
He could loan money again, but he is not sure if he can get that loan approved when he still has a pending loan he has yet to pay. He also got fired from his current job due to his constant leaving from the job or consecutive days absent, which is not in his control when his daughter needed him.
Hubert's wife has passed away after giving birth to their only daughter and has been raising her alone.
Now, the only way to keep her alive is much more expensive than ever before.
Hubert approached her sleeping daughter, breathing through the oxygen mask. He lightly held her hand and silently cried while vowing to her.
"I promise, Daddy will find a way to keep you healthy. Soon, you will be able to do whatever you will be able to do whatever you can do after this operation."
Hubert is determined. Even if he doesn't have money, he will find a way to earn it, even if it means he will have to enter a shady business just to get the money he needs. As long as he can get the money needed for his daughter, he will do everything.
...
...
...
Since he worked in many different jobs, like construction work, delivery man, and even errand work, he first looked for a job offering that pays a lot for one single job. The first place he checked was the job listing in some recruitment agencies and job agencies that offer full-time and part-time jobs. Hubert wanted to see whether there are any legal jobs that can fulfill his needs for the time being, before he goes for the desperate measures.
There are plenty of job that offers a decent amount in exchange for some work. Hubert can take them, but he needs the money urgently, and there is no way for him to pay for the chemotherapy with just the wages he will receive from those jobs. Not satisfied, he decided to check with the help desk and ask the woman managing there.
"Hello there, can I ask if there are more job listings aside from the one posted here? Something that pays a lot. I don't mind what kind of job it is, as I can do any kind of job that is required, as long as there are no heavy requirements like a college degree or something like that." Hubert is hoping for something that can solve his money problem as soon as he can. His daughter's time is running out.
"Please wait for a few moments, alright? I will check inside and see if there are still new job listings available. Please wait for a moment, alright?"
Hubert nodded, and the lady headed inside the room, perhaps to check the unposted job listings. A few moments later, the door opened and Hubert quickly stood there, and waited for the lady at the booth. However, the lady who welcomed him is a different person.
"Are you the one looking for a high-paying job?" the lady asked.
"Yes, that's right," Hubert nodded lightly,
"My partner found this job for you. She is still looking for an additional job offer you can choose from aside from this, but you can check and see if you like this job."
"Really? As long as it pays a lot, I will do it. I can do many things, like being a handyman, errand boy, delivery man, helper, mechanic, or even construction work. I can do them if needed!"
The woman looked at Hubert for a few seconds with a meaningful glance and pulled out a paper that had a listed job offer.
"If that is the case, this job is perfect for you. They needed someone who could do the job and help them with their tasks. It seems that they are looking for a handyman and an errand boy to help out. Depending on the job, they can offer around 50,000 dollars to 500,000 dollars, depending on the contract. Of course, if you want further information from them, just visit their company. It is displayed on the flyer, and they are still looking for employees right now."
"Is this job legal?" Hubert asked, trying to make sure he wasn't falling for a scam. 50,000 to 500,000 dollars is a lot of money, and he still hadn't heard of any kind of legal job that is able to pay that much money in one go.
"Don't worry, it is a legitimate job offer. We already approved their search for employees. Are you going to accept the offer?"
"Can I visit their office first?" Hubert asked while remaining skeptical.
"Yes. Their building is big, so it cannot be missed."
Hearing that, Hubert agreed and sought out the company hiring for employees. He is just hoping the job offer still stands. The money he can earn from their job is very high, and it can save his daughter's predicament. He thanked the lady who gave her the flyer and left in a hurry.
Then, the door to the office opens again, this time, the lady that Hubert was talking with earlier, ready to tell Hubert about the bad news of not finding any high-paying jobs...only to find that Hubert is no longer there.
"I'm sorry, Mister. I did not find any- Huh? Where did he go?" the lady frowned as she realized the man asking for a high-paying job offer had left already. Realizing that she had been ditched by the man, she angrily mumbled to herself about how he had just wasted her time searching for something, only for him to leave without a reason.
Of course, Hubert will not know that he is deceived at that time, but that was another part of the story. For now, Hubert is rushing to get to the directions that the building's current location. For the first time, Hubert seems to have found some hope in this bleak situation. But he has yet to know that for now.