He Fumbled a Lifetime

Two months of grinding—gone in two days.

And the bills weren't done yet.

So Philip called Winnie.

She showed up with one of those hospital gift bags. He pointed at Margaret, out cold on the bed.

"Winnie, you see this. I need money. Now. Can you lend me some?"

Winnie hesitated. "I don't have anything left."

Philip's face dropped. "You made two grand in two months. You live at home, eat for free. Where'd it go?"

"I... I used it yesterday. Bought a new phone."

He snapped. Grabbed her shoulders hard enough to make her cry out. "You're my girlfriend. My mom's fighting for her life, and you're out buying a phone? Do you even care about me? About her?"

Winnie flinched, shoved him off, took a step back. "You're hurting me! My old phone was ancient, so I replaced it. And I already gave you all my savings. What else do you want?"

"My mom needs money now. Five grand isn't enough! You're my girlfriend—you should back me, no questions."

He clocked the fear on her face and dialed it down. "Hey... it's fine. Just go sell the phone and bring me the cash."

Winnie pressed her lips together, tears spilling. "I know you're stressed about your mom. I am too. But we're just dating—you don't get to control my money. Maybe... try something else? Borrow from family? Or... ask Stella. Didn't you say she has money?"

The second she said Stella, he lost it.

"How dare you bring her up? Do you know how much she did for me? How much she gave me? She was never this selfish."

Winnie hugged her phone tighter.

Yeah. That set him off all over again.

'This is the "true love" I threw my future away for? My mom's on the line and she won't even give up a phone?'

That did it. He lunged.

He had to get that phone.

"Winnie, if you just stand there and something happens to my mom, that's on you!"

They struggled—her crying, yelling—total chaos.

And he didn't notice he'd knocked the oxygen tube right out of his mom's nose...