Loss of a Reason

Nala

***PRESENT DAY 10:12 am
" The car is ready ma'am" the chauffeur uttered

Standing by the window side of my living room with both my hands crossed behind my back, staring at little kids playing in the compound next to mine reminds me of my childhood, I was born into a polygamous home in Port harcourt city, it was tough being the only child of my mother. She had been diagnosed with type two diabetes so she got sick a lot which made me forget about the good times we use to have together, my favorite was always Saturdays when we will go to Rumuokoro market to buy foodstuffs and we'd prepare the meal together, she took care of me until tables turned and I had to take care of her all by myself because dad was unresponsive, he had to choose between his business and mum's health, coupled with the fact that he had three other wives and seven other children to attend to, we was never a priority to him and that was how I became a caregiver at very young age, I had to make sure she took her pills, prepare her meals that doesn't spike up her sugar level and make sure she doesn't miss a doctor's appointment.

"Ma'am" he uttered again

Getting admission into a universty is always a big deal in Nigeria, despite all I had to do at home I still tried as much as possible to pass my JAMB which landed me admission into universty of port harcourt, I had chosen it as my first choice because I do not want to be far away from home, mainly because do not want to be far away from my mum. I was studying microbiology and at the same time making sure mum stays as healthy as she can. I never had time to make friends or have a boyfriend or even have fun as a teenager. I couldn't afford to loose focus at any point so I kept my head straight.

"Ahem" he cleared his throat

"Sorry" I uttered as I drift away from the window

"What time is it?"

"10:15am Ma'am"

"can you tell Aluna to get my bag please"

"Right away ma'am" he replied as he walked away

I sat on the couch in the middle of the room while waiting for my bag, my eyes caught the picture of my mum hung on the wall just above the television. I had taken that picture of her on her birthday, I remember how much she never never wanted to take that picture but I forced her to take it. I still recall the smile on her face when I showed it to her and the prayer she said for me with tears in her eyes "You will always find happiness my daughter".

On 21st July 1999,on a sunny Wednesday afternoon I was in the middle of a lecture when my dad's call came in, it wasn't my birthday so I was surprised because dad never calls me and at the same time I was scared, I ran out of the class to answer the phone call and dad told me my mum was rushed to the hospital. I can recall vividly just like yesterday. I immediately ran off forgetting to carry my bag, got outside the school gate and immediately stopped a bike which took me directly to the hospital, I jumped off the bike without paying, it's not like i had any cash on me, I head straight inside and saw my dad, step mum and my step sister. I didn't like the look on their faces

"Where is mum" I asked

There was no response, all dad did was shake his head, I immediately knew what that was

"No!!!" I screamed out loud as I burst into tears

"Calm down" my step sister uttered

"I want to see her" I yelled

They tried to hold me but they couldn't, I walked inside the the room and there is mum laying down still, I remember pacing slowly into the room because I was so sure she was asleep and I didn't want to wake her up. I sat beside her and held her hands as i kept on praying continuously. Few minutes later my dad and a Nurse came in