𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚃𝚎𝚗
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NNENNA'S POV

“I'll take you there myself, let me get a few things” she turned her back, “Anita! Anita!!”

“Yes! You called for me, ma?” Anita ran into the living room.

“Yes, don't forget to lock up the house and switch off all electrical appliances before leaving for the shop. Remember to take our food with you, you know I've not had breakfast,” Mama Tunde instructed.

“Okay ma,”

“Take care, we're leaving so be careful!” she called out as we walked out the door.

My legs itched to get to the hospital as fast as possible though my heart might not take the news quite well. However, I resolved to be strong while I prayed that the matter was not as terrible as I thought.

I hated the feeling of helplessness which seemed to be associated with hospitals. Every patient or family member to the patients always depended and looked up to the nurses and doctors as their saviour. It was like they were helpless in this case, now they've brought the case to their doorstep pleading that the nurses and doctors help them out. It felt like once a doctor intervened the patient would be better again, which is why they were ready to pay the costs and make the sacrifices.
I could not believe that today was my turn to experience this feeling. I went into the medical field because I wanted to help others and also rid this feeling of helplessness and I promised myself again today, that I was going to make a difference.

After Mama Tunde finished talking with a nurse at the reception, she came back to where I stood.

“Let's go now, dear” she placed a hand on my shoulder and led the way to the ward I believed my mother was in.

When we arrived at Ward 2 Rm 7, she gave me a face mask and hairnet to put on before we went in. Being a medical student, I understood that it was simply a precautionary measure and advisable to every visitor but I dreaded the reason why I had to put them on to see my mom.

I saw mom laid facing upwards, on a narrow hospital bed and her eyes were closed. For a second I feared that she was dead until I saw the slow rising and falling of her chest. I took slow steps towards the bed.

“Be careful, child” Mama Tunde whispered.

I held my mother's hand and squeezed tightly. She looked pale and lifeless asides from the chest motion. Not once in my life had I imagined to see my mom in this state. Yes, she has been feeling sick the past few days after my return but I felt it was one of her usual illness which always cured itself after days of self medication.

“What happened to her, aunt?” I said to Mama Tunde.

“She's terribly sick, the doctor should be here at any moment to tell us if her condition has improved,” she answered.

The silence resumed and remained for another two minutes before a shadow fell across the room, hovering at the door. The man standing at the door dressed just as a doctor should and carried a file in his left hand, a stethoscope hung over his neck.

“Good morning,” he said through the surgical face mask he was wearing.

“Good morning doctor,”

“Good morning sir,”
Mama Tunde and I greeted the man simultaneously.

He stepped into the room and it suddenly felt like the room was too small to occupy the four of us as he was quite huge.
“How are you?” he said to me.

“I'm fine, thank you” I answered meanwhile the opposite was the case.

I was hardly fine. I hovered around the bed.

“Do you think you can move back a little so I can check her vitals?” he requested.

I obliged and stayed closer to Mama Tunde while he checked her body, glancing at the file in his hand as he did so.

“Doc, is her condition improving?” Mama Tunde asked.

The doctor closed his file, took off his stethoscope before turning to us, “I can't say for sure because she needs to get medications as soon as possible, we just managed to give her something to subside the chills and chest pain. Nevertheless, it won't last long, if she's going to survive she needs to take her drugs...”

“What drugs?” I cut into his statement.

“Please come over to the reception and get a list of the drugs you need to buy,” he replied.

“Good morning, doc” a lady nurse who walked into the room greeted.

“Mhmm, Ngozi how are you?” he said to her.

“Fine sir,” she responded.

“Please take them to the reception, I wrote down some prescriptions yesterday and instructed Favour to give them,” he said.

“Sure sir. Please come with me,” the nurse indicated that we follow her.

“But my mom...” I started.

“Leave her for a while, she's not going anywhere. The important thing right now is her medication” the doctor advised.

“Come on dear, let's go” Mama Tunde said as she placed her hands on my shoulders.
Everyone left the room, we followed the nurse to the reception area where she gave us the list.

I stared at the list, rooted to the spot because I had no idea where I would get the money to purchase the medicines which was prescribed.
“It's okay, dear. I'll take care of the bill," Mama Tunde offered.

She withdrew the list from my palms, offering a gentle smile before she walked off.

I went back to the room as soon as she left. Mother was still unconscious so I made myself comfortable on the chair beside her bed. I took out my phone and googled about symptoms that were similar to what my mother was suffering from. They were a lot and at a point I did not know what to believe anymore, I turned off the phone's data and closed my eyes for a bit. Everything was moving too fast and I needed a moment of peace no matter how short it lasted.

I heard shuffling noises which made me open my eyes. Mother was now conscious and trying to get up.

“Ma,” I ran to her side, “I'm right here”

“Hey baby girl, how are you?” she said.

“Ma, you're the one we're all worried about. Mother what happened to you? Please try to get better, Tochi and Stephanie will start asking for you soon,” I whined trying to control the tears.

“You got them ready for school today?” she inquired.

“Yes,” I answered.

“That's good of you, it's your responsibility to make sure they do not lack care and attention whenever I'm not around.” she said.

“But mom they were asking for you and I'm sure they'll ask again after I pick them up from school,”

She held my wrist, “You have to be strong now dear, you know that you and your siblings are all that I have and the three of you only have each other. Therefore, it is up to you now to ensure that the family stays in harmony at least until my return,” she admonished but I noticed that her voice was low and her breathing shallow.

In my heart I prayed and continued interceding fervently for her. I could not bear seeing my mother in this state, I have always known and seen the strong side of her. This situation was terribly scaring me.

I blinked multiple times when I felt the tears coming.
Mother shook me out of my trance when she began coughing. Gently at first until the cough fits intensified.

“Ma, ma! Should I...should I get water?” I tried leaving her side but she held me back. I waited until she stopped coughing.

“I'm fine my dear, it's just that this cold has gotten worse but I'll be better with time,” she said.

“I got the medicines...Oh! I see you're awake now,” Mama Tunde remarked when she walked into the room.

“How are you feeling?” she asked Mom.

Mother nodded affirming that she was better.

“Thank you, ma” I felt indebted to Mama Tunde who was not family but has been doing a lot for us during these trying times.

“You're welcome dear,” she smiled.

“Nne, have you eaten something?” mom asked and continued without waiting for my reply, “Take my ATM card from my bag on that cupboard, find any POS stand around and withdraw some money”

“Okay, I think I should take my leave now. The prescription on how to take the medicines are written down, Anita is alone at the shop and I've been gone for a long time”

“Eiyaa! Thank you for everything my sister. Just wait let her get some money so I can repay you for the medicines,” mother said.

She declined though and insisted she did not want the money back, she wished mom a speedy recovery before she left.

With the money I withdrew, I bought some food items from the market under mother's instruction. I also deposited part of the money for the hospital bills, at least that part was settled. Mother's results were released later in the evening after I came back from the house.
Mama Tunde offered to take care of Tochi and Stephanie tonight since it was a Friday, and tomorrow would be the weekend. I stayed at the hospital with mother.

Mom was asleep most of the time but whenever she awoke she did her best to engage in a meaningful conversation with me. She persuaded me to talk about life in the hostel and my academic life in general, even though she fell asleep in-between conversations she tried to catch up on topics she missed.
We were having a good time that for a short while I believed she was getting better.

The coughing fits started again after she drank water which passed in through the wrong path. The loud sounds were bothering me but I could do nothing to help her out. She clutched a hand over her chest and wheezed uncontrollably.

“Mum calm down, nurse! Nurse!!” I shouted.

I skittered outside and down the hall screaming like a mad woman. Any help was something.

“What is it?” an elderly nurse asked.

“My mom... she's coughing uncontrollably,”

“Take me to her ward,” she instructed.

Soon the room was occupied by nurses and they were talking and making a fuss about the whole thing. I heard the eldest nurse passing out instructions for the other nurses to follow. I watched the scene playing before me and wished that this was all a nightmare, tears rolled down my eyes while I stood at the spot helplessly, watching everything that was happening.

Suddenly the movements stopped, I looked around.

“What's the time?” the eldest nurse said to one of her partners.

“12:17, ma'am” the other nurse responded.

I caught sight of one of the nurses shaking her head before the eldest nurse blocked my view and insisted that I come with her. I tried to resist but she convinced me to come.

Later that morning, I discovered that I had lost my mother. The cold hands of death has struck again and this time has taken the only courage and strength I had. I wept and wailed bitterly for the loss of my mother, I wished that it was all a lie and that she would come back and tell me that they were just joking with me.

How on Earth was I to survive without her? What will I tell my siblings when they ask of her? How will life treat us now that she was no longer here?

All these questions I feared to give an answer to. How will I be the strong woman that my mother used to be?

★★★★

THANKS FOR READING, PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENT.

NOW THAT HER MOM IS OUT OF THE PICTURE, HOW DO YOU IMAGINE LIFE WOULD BE FOR HER AND HER SIBLINGS?
I CAN'T WAIT TO WRITE THE OTHER CHAPTERS.

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH, DARLINGS 🥰
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