Timothy arrived at the office at around 4.15pm.He found Mercy filing a stack of documents that were on his desk.

'Wow, you're quick,' he said as he placed his jacket on his chair.

'Thank you,' she smiled. 'Your meeting took longer than you said it would.'

'It did... These impromptu things that just keep on popping up are not helping at all.'

'I will try to be of as much help as I possibly can.' Mercy took two steps to her left and noticed that she was feeling dizzy. She quickly grabbed one of the visitor chairs nearby for support.

'Hey, are you alright?' Timothy asked, panicking

'Yes...eeerm...it must be from all that standing...I'm feeling a little...lighthe...'Mercy fell to the floor and started convulsing. Timothy was by her side,trying to get her to wake up.He realized that she wasn't responding and he called for help.The nearby cleaners helped him carry her to his car.He drove her to the hospital and after two hours of resuscitating her and multiple tests, one of the doctors finally came to speak to him in the waiting room. He greeted him and then led him to his office.

'Sir, before I give you any news I want to know your relationship to this woman?'

'Is she going to be alright?'

'Yes, she is...we managed to resuscitate her...but my question still stands?'

'She's my research assistant...Gosh! She has a sister! I didn't contact her. Can I get in touch with her first? She's the one who needs to be hearing this from you.'

'That is true.'

Maya was at home, thinking of which relation to contact following Mercy's recent decisions when she heard a car approaching outside.

'Aunt Aisha? Now is not the time,' she thought out loud. She walked outside and noticed that it was Timothy, Mercy's boss coming out of the car.

'Oh no! Is my sister okay?' She said with her hands on her mouth.

'She will be, I need you to come with me right now. She's at the hospital. She collapsed in my...'

'Collapsed!'

'She is conscious now. Maya, please come with me.'

Maya rushed back in to collect her bag and locked the doors, before jumping into the car with him.Forty minutes later,they were at the hospital,and Timothy asked for the doctor he had spoken to earlier on.He was with them after fifteen minutes.

'Your sister had an abortion that almost took her life.'

'What? How could I have missed this?' Maya felt weak at her knees.

The doctor spent the next fifteen minutes explaining to Maya the kind of treatment Mercy will require and how much it would cost. She later on joined Timothy, who was waiting for heroutside.

'Would you like something to eat?'He asked her.

'Not right now, but thank you. Thank you so much for bringing her here. If you had been a minute late...'she broke down in tears.

'I'm grateful to God that she will be alright.'

'I try, I really do. I don't know where to go from here.' There was a moment of silence before Timothy spoke

'From my experience, that is the best place to be...One too many times, we get too carried away doing life and getting things done. You're caught up in the pressure, and the success, you forget that you don't have it all figured out. God does.'

'What do you do in such situations?'

'I surrender. I wish I could live a life of surrender every day. It's not easy, but when God gives you an opportunity to surrender, embrace it.'

'I will try...thank you for the encouragement...and for everything.'

'You're welcome...may I pray for you before I leave?'

Timothy left the hospital five minutes later. Maya saw him off and then went to be by Mercy's side. She held her hand, as she thought about the way forward for both of them.

'Things will get better,' she whispered. 'Things will get better.'

She was woken up the next day by one of the nurses. She went to freshen up and then asked to see Mercy's doctor.

'Good morning Miss, how may I be of help today?'

'Hello Doctor. I have a concern.'

'A concern? Please share.'

'I wanted to know how much the bill has totaled to. I don't have any medical insurance, and a place like this one...it's a very good hospital, with excellent medical treatment...but I can't afford to keep my sister here another day...I just...'

'Mr. Timothy already took care of that.'

'He did what?'

'He asked that all costs be forwarded to him.'

'He did?'

'Yes, he did. We are going to have to observe your sister for a few more days. You might need to prepare for that, make arrangements at work or find a relative to help you take care of her.'

'I will do that doctor...thank you for everything you've done.'

Maya went back to her sister's room and found her awake, and in tears. She sat down beside her and handed her some tissues.

'Why did he let me live?'

'Why did God let you live?Mercy,how could you say this?'

'There is nothing!I have nothing Maya!Nothing to live for!'

'Why do you keep on hurting me with your words Mercy...you have me!'

Mercy locked eyes with her sister for a moment and then turned her body around and placed her head on the pillow.

'Mercy, everything will be alright. Trust please.'

'Please leave me alone Maya, just leave me alone!'

Timothy was back in the office the next day and he found the Operations Manager seated at his desk.

'What now?' He thought to himself as he walked in

'Timothy!' He chuckled as he swerved to and fro on Timothy's chair.

'You really are a rookie! You need to go back and ask daddy how it's done. You thought you could hire one of your prostitutes to work here? This is not a charity organisation. We have structures.' He got up from the chair and stood before him. He whispered in his ear.

'You need to join me some time. So I could show you the real deal.' He patted him on the shoulder and walked out.

'This is certainly not my week, 'he mumbled as he settled down in the office.