Early the next morning, before the sky had even fully brightened, Wendy Lynch grabbed her luggage and jewelry box, rushing hurriedly toward the subway station.
Aboard the intercity express to Donnerton, she spent the entire ride going over her excuses. Her eyes stayed glued to the scenery blurring past the window as a single thought echoed in her mind. "Hurry, I need to get home faster."
Once the train arrived at the station, Wendy hailed a ride-share. Ten minutes later, the car pulled up downstairs at her uncle’s apartment complex. She pushed the door open, unable to wait a second longer.
sweet-smelling trees in the complex gave off a faint, sweet fragrance, mingling with the scent of warm milk wafting from the breakfast shop next door. It was a familiar and comforting scene, but she was in no mood to take it in. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she sprinted into Uncle Hugh’s building.
"Grandma! I’m back!" Wendy called out the moment she pushed open the unlatched security door.
Hearing her voice, her grandmother, who had been watching TV, immediately looked toward the entrance. "Oh, my sweet girl! Why are you here so early?
"Didn’t you usually get home around noon before?"
Wendy hurried to her grandmother’s side, unable to stop her eyes from scanning the elderly woman’s face. Her grandmother seemed to be in good spirits, but perhaps because of the email’s warning, Wendy couldn’t shake the feeling that the left side of her grandmother’s mouth was drooping, sitting asymmetrically compared to the right.
She instantly recalled the information she had looked up yesterday regarding the early warning signs of a stroke. To identify stroke risks, there was a universally recognized acronym: BE FAST. It stood for:
B: Balance issues.
E: Eyesight abnormalities.
F: Facial asymmetry.
A: Arm weakness.
S: Speech difficulties.
T: Time to seek immediate medical attention.
Among these, facial asymmetry was a critical early indicator. A normal smile curved upwards, but for someone exhibiting pre-stroke symptoms, one side of their mouth would droop uncontrollably when they tried to smile.
While Wendy was intently observing her grandmother’s condition, Uncle Hugh walked out of the study. "Oh, Wendy’s back?
"How’s work going?"
Wendy quickly greeted him. "Work is great! I just became a full-time employee a couple of days ago!"
After exchanging pleasantries for a bit, Hugh spoke up. "It’s rare for you to visit. Stay for lunch today. I’ll call your mom and dad and tell them to come over too."
Wendy opened her mouth to refuse, but swallowed the words before they could slip out. The drooping at the corner of her grandmother’s mouth was enough to conclude that she was already showing pre-stroke symptoms. Once the hospital’s medical report came out later, the elders of the family would need to make decisions together. Having her parents come over now would actually make things easier.
So, Wendy smiled and nodded. "I’ll leave it to you then, Uncle Hugh!"
With that, she turned to look at her grandmother. "Grandma, why don’t I take you to the hospital for a checkup?"
The moment the words left her mouth, her grandmother frowned. "What checkup? My body is perfectly fine. I was just dancing in the park with Auntie Campbell yesterday. Why waste perfectly good money on something like that?"
Uncle Hugh chimed in to persuade her as well. "Your grandmother has always been healthy, and the free annual checkups at the community center never show any issues. There’s no need to go out of your way to spend money at a hospital.
"Besides, I’ve heard that a lot of those hospital machines give off radiation. Going too often isn’t a good thing anyway."
Wendy had fully anticipated this mindset from the older generation. They hated spending money and loved believing all sorts of nonsensical rumors. She had already rehearsed her lines countless times in her head, so she felt zero guilt as she spun her lie.
She took her grandmother’s hand, pressing her palm against the elderly woman’s rough skin, and spoke in a slightly wheedling tone. "Grandma, I’m not the one paying for it. It’s a company perk!
"Since I just got converted to a full-time employee, the company gave out health checkup vouchers to outstanding staff.
"We can bring an elder from our family for a comprehensive physical, and the company fully reimburses the cost."
She deliberately paused before adding, "Plus, the voucher has a strict time limit. It’s only valid for three days. If we don’t use it today or tomorrow, it expires and becomes completely useless.
"Think about it. It’s a free benefit, so wouldn’t it be a shame to waste it?
"Besides, it’s so rare for me to come back and visit. I really want to know how your health is so I can have peace of mind while working in the city."
The moment her grandmother heard the words "free" and "expires," her expression clearly wavered. As someone who had lived through harsh times, she naturally couldn’t bear to see things go to waste, let alone a benefit from her granddaughter’s company.
She mulled it over for a moment, then looked at Wendy’s expectant gaze and finally relented. "It really doesn’t cost money?
"Then... alright, fine. We shouldn’t let your company’s goodwill go to waste."
Wendy instantly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded eagerly. "It really doesn’t cost a dime!
"I see it’s only nine o’clock right now. Why don’t we go today?"
Hearing her grandmother finally yield, half the heavy weight on Wendy’s chest lifted. She quickly helped the elderly woman to her feet. "Let’s head out right now. The sooner we get the checkup done, the sooner we can have peace of mind."
As she grabbed her grandmother’s coat, she called out to Hugh. "Uncle Hugh, I’m taking Grandma to the hospital. Just wait for my update at home."
Hugh watched the hurried retreating figures of the grandmother and granddaughter, chuckling as he shook his head. Assuming it was just the young girl showing her filial piety, he thought nothing more of it and turned back to his study to deal with his work.
Wendy helped her grandmother out of the residential complex and hailed a taxi, heading straight for Donnerton General Hospital.
Along the way, her grandmother kept muttering. "There really is no need to be in such a rush. I know my own body, and I’m positive there aren’t any major issues."
Wendy held her grandmother’s hand. Even as the warmth of the older woman’s palm seeped into her fingertips, her heart remained tightly strung. "Grandma, getting checked out will just give us more peace of mind. It’s free anyway, so just treat it as coming out to get some fresh air with me."
Upon arriving at the hospital, Wendy consulted the nurses at the information desk and successfully registered for an appointment. Looking at the long line of people queued outside the consultation room, she felt a surge of anxiety. She kept glancing up at the queue-number screen before turning back to observe her grandmother’s condition.
The hospital was a sea of people on the weekend. They waited for a full forty minutes before her grandmother’s number was finally called. Wendy supported her as they walked into the consultation room.
The doctor was very professional. After asking about her grandmother’s physical condition in detail, he conducted a basic physical examination. The moment he finished, his expression turned noticeably stern.
He didn’t speak directly to the elderly woman. In his experience, it was always the family members who called the shots.
The doctor looked at Wendy, choosing his words carefully. "Some of the elderly patient’s physical examination results aren’t looking too good. Based on my experience, it would be best to do a CT scan and a routine blood test.
"If your family’s financial situation allows it, I would also recommend doing an MRI to thoroughly check the condition of her head."
Wendy nodded repeatedly and quickly shot the doctor a pointed look. "Do it!
"Do the most comprehensive tests you have!
"My company has amazing benefits! Immediate family members of employees are entitled to one free physical examination every year!"
Hearing Wendy’s words, her grandmother’s face instantly lit up with pride. "That’s right, Doctor. My granddaughter is a top student from Corvallis University. She got into a massive corporate firm right after graduating!"