Not every depressed person wears their depression on their face. Yes, they may smile, laugh but deep down it's eating them up.
I heard there were stages of depression. I don't know what stage mine is, but it should be the worst. What made me depressed? You may ask. Maybe loneliness… I mean, I have no friends, no parents, relatives who refuse to acknowledge me, so… Oh! And also money.
Currently, I'm living on the street. I had been kicked out of my flat by my landlord who I owed three months' worth of rent. To pay off the rent and other bills, I had tried looking for a job –any job– but I was rejected in all of them. It was either I was not physically fit for the job or I lacked the academic requirements and level of experience. From applying for the job of a receptionist, to a bar tender, a maid, even a stripper! I was told that I was too lean and disgusting for the job… ouch.
I looked at the river beneath the bridge where I stood. I had no regrets about the jump I was about to take. It was a good thing I didn't know how to swim.
"Well, Havana," I said to my own hearing, "It's time to meet your bastard-of-an-uncle in hell,"
With an uncle like Uncle Mark, enemies were absolutely unnecessary. Uncle Mark was my mother's brother. He claimed to be my legal guardian, and based on the will of his sister, my mother, took custody of a 9 year old Havana Damien, me. Turns out that wasn't even my real name, but we'll come to that. He took care of me for 10 good years. Okay, not so good years. But on my 19th birthday, he threw a grand party for me and invited all my former classmates and his friends. It was a blast, and he even hired cleaners to do the work.
It didn't take long until the truth of the money was out. Apparently, Uncle Mark had borrowed a huge sum of money from a casino manager. When I confronted him about it, he claimed he spent it on my education! One week to the day the thugs would visit the house (for the third time this month) to collect their boss's money, Uncle Mark poisoned himself and died.
I was not surprised, not surprised at all. Did I cry when I met him dead? Absolutely not! And whatever tears that came out from my eyes was for the future doom that waited for me. Sometime later (in the fucking farewell letter he left for me) I got to know that the actual amount he owed was $998,000 interest involved. "I love you Uncle" I spoke into the air, hoping his ghost had lingered around to hear the rain of curses that'll follow next. Like, why the heck would someone borrow him such an amount? And what the fuck did he do with such money.
I paid off $8,000 from the initial amount with the money my caring neighbours contributed for me alongside my life savings. My neighbours were so nice, hoping to help my situation. Sadly, even if I were used for a ritual, I wouldn't be able to make $990,000 in 7 days.
Death was the only viable option. Heck I took it. It was better than torture.
I gave myself a countdown. 3…2…1…
And just when I was about to jump, a hand grabbed mine. "What the –" I turned to see a young man, maybe in his mid-thirties, in a white lab coat. I assumed he was a doctor.
"Excuse me miss, but what are you doing at the edge of this bridge? It's very dangerous you know, and you could fall in,"
"Thanks for your concern stranger," I tried to form a sweet, thankful voice "But I'd be fine"
Typical nosy citizens who'd never lend you a helping hand and are only interested in gossip. He let go of my hand, scrunched up his eyebrows and asked "You're not planning to jump off this bridge, are you?"
I was fed up with the questions by now. Can't this guy just let me die in peace? Pouring my anger into my words, I sharply responded "And if I say yes?"
"Please don't do that," He looked worried "There are many people out there who'd love to have the healthy life you're enjoying,"
"They can come, I'd be more than happy to swap lives," I murmured to myself.
I looked at this guy standing before me. He was a doctor, earning a decent salary, not owing some thugs a huge amount. Life was perfect for him, unfortunately it wasn't the same for me. I get that he wanted to help, I mean –that's what doctors think they're doing, but unless he had a million dollars to give me, then there was nothing he could do.
"If I asked for a million dollars, would you give me?" I blurted out what was in my mind. He looked a bit shocked at what I said yet he still responded. "Well no, but I know someone who would. He's a friend of mine, and he'd readily give you a house to live in, clothes and everything if you'd need, just do a tiny little work for him,"
"What's the job, I'll do anything" Of course I was desperate. This kind of opportunity comes once in a lifetime and mine was about to end. I was just a bit worried about the job. I may be a beggar but I had standards.
Fuck standards, it never gave me any money neither did it relieve me of my current predicament.
"You're more than 18 right?"
"I just turned 19"
"You're still a kid, but you'll do"
I'll do for what? Why was he asking of my age? I hope this is not for social working job?
"My friend has a unique view about women and has decided to remain a virgin for life. He needs a child to inherit his business and would like to do get one without having, you know…"
"So he's going to go for artificial insemination?"
He nodded.
That was music to my ears. I wasn't just some cheap slut that'll give away her body for money. "We should find a place to talk," I said. I didn't want some unknown accident that'll happen and instantly push me into the water. Enemies of progress exists for a reason.
"I have a car," He pointed to an SUV parked on the other side of the bridge. I walked with him to the car. On the way I reasoned 'What if this man wanted to kidnap or traffic me?' at the end I just shrugged it off 'There was nothing to lose'
[Stranger's P.O.V.]
"You're alright Mr D'oro," I looked at the results once again "Totally healthy". I am the family doctor for the D`oro's, and gladly, he only had a son. I didn't really have much work to do anytime I came here.
"That's great. My grandfather keeps disturbing me about an heir. He says he wants to see his grandchild before he dies," Nathaniel, Mr D`oro's son spoke.
Childbirth, at this young age? I wondered. Nathaniel didn't look like he was even up to 30 and his grandfather was already bugging him for a child. The guy wasn't married at all.
"You know how rash his decisions are when he's angry. And he's very impatient. I don't want to marry anyone, neither do I want to sleep with any female. You're a doctor, you should know ways I could get an heir without having sex,"
And you're an educated CEO, you should know that a family doctor is not a gynaecologist
Anyways, I knew ways. I mean, I didn't go to med school just to learn how to diagnose a family only.
"You could go for adoption. Or maybe artificial insemination if you want the child to have your blood–"
"Artificial insemination," He snapped his fingers, repeating what I said. "That works,"
"I'll just need a bit of your sperm and a healthy female, you hope to be the child's mother"
"You see doctor, I'm a very busy man…" Yeah and I just sit around looking at the clouds, waiting for your grandfather to call me for his regular check-up "I would love for you to arrange everything and send me whatever important info there is when you're done. I'll pay you, separate from my grandfather's payment,"
I found myself nodding. Nodding my way into sleepless nights for the next one month.