Page 142 - Till the Last Breath . . .

she was still a little girl scared to death. Either the disease would kill her or

the treatment—she preferred the latter.
Her sobbing mom excused herself for a bit and her dad sat near her.
‘Do you think we should do this, beta?’

‘Dad, it’s our only option. And Dr Arman is a brilliant doctor. He is
putting himself on the line to try this out. I am sure he has something in

mind,’ she assured him.
‘But what if—’

‘Don’t worry. I am in good hands,’ she said and her dad snickered like a
child.

‘What?’
‘You know what I think about sometimes?’ her dad said. She looked at
him and encouraged him to continue. ‘Every time that Arman comes in to

check on you, I think what if you two were to be together. As in, be
married. You know. I know it’s stupid but I can’t help it. All the jewellery

your mother bought for you … and her … her … dreams …’ His voice
trailed off.

‘Aw. That’s sweet, Dad. But isn’t he a little too old for me? And you
forget—he is trying to kill me with his scientific experiment. You wouldn’t

want your daughter in the hands of a guy who uses girls as his guinea pigs.’
‘That’s funny,’ he said. ‘By the way, I have something planned for you. I
really hope you like it.’

‘For me? A birthday gift? I am not dying in fifteen days, Dad,’ she said
and wondered if it was a possibility. Her birthday was in thirteen days and

she wondered if she would see another one after this. She had never really
been a birthday person, but every year her parents put together a family-

only birthday party with a butterscotch cake, trick candles, heart-shaped
balloons and birthday hats to top it off! Oh well, maybe she had always

been a birthday person because she loved these parties, and pitied other
friends who spent theirs in clubs, decked up in newly bought shiny dresses
and claiming to have brought the house down.

‘I know you’re not going anywhere,’ her dad responded. The smile had
vanished for a bit but now it returned. ‘It’s just something I wanted to do for