Ride Her Shoes

32-Choice

Getting a hint of what was going on, Akudo left the bench and carried Nwabugwu off the floor where Nmachi had unconsciously placed him.

Nmachi pointed at Ukokwe's stomach and then at her face continuously until she couldn't anymore.

"Ukokwe!!" Nmachi shouted jumping up so high and throwing herself to the ground. She was wailing and rolling on the floor to the point that her clothes became sandy and her hair as well.

"Tell me this is a dream!" She screamed which pushed Nwabugwu to tears seeing his mother in such a state. Akudo couldn't help her, she wanted her to express herself as much as she could instead of piling up hatred in her heart over something she's ignorant about.

"Nmachi, please. This is far from what you think," Ukokwe pleaded amidst her tears as she placed one hand over her stomach.

Nmachi upon hearing her, got to her knees and stared at her,"Okay, tell me there's a pot in your stomach," Nmachi requested, tears rolling down her eyes.

She wanted it to all be a lie at least it wouldn't hurt so much but if it was the truth and she didn't find out now, it would hurt her more than anything she might have ever felt.

"No! It's not a ball." Ukokwe shouted,"I'm actually pregnant," she confirmed and Akudo being a nurse and noticing just how far gone she must be went over to where Ukokwe stood and held her hand so she could go back inside the hut and stay while Nmachi absorbs all she had been told.

This is far from what she expected, far from all the scenes that played in her head when she decided to come home. Her best friend? Pregnant and it's for her father, what is worse than this.

Breathing deeply, Nmachi got on her feet and dusted her body before going into the main hut which belonged to her father.

"Where are you!" She screamed,"Papa!!" She called out to him but after looking through the hut, she discovered that it was empty. So she turned around to leave.

Taking two steps out of the hut, she saw her mother, Nwabuko, standing right outside the compound at the entrance and their eyes met.

Nmachi's anger subsided and she saw how lean her mother had become. She watched her wipe her eyes numerous times just to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Nmachi just stood there with sorrow and pain filling her heart at the sight of her once agile and vibrant mother now looking so pale and emaciated.

"Are the gods playing tricks on me?" Nwabuko whispered while making slow and thoughtful steps into the compound. "Nmachi nwam, is that really you?" Her mother asked but Nmachi couldn't find it in her to respond.

Nmachi was weak, she was sad, she was anything but happy at this moment. How can two years turn her mother into such a shadow of herself, scales of something she'd never thought of.

"Nmachukwu!" Her mother cried, dropping the small bag she was with and spreading her arms. The old woman went on her knees which shocked Nmachi who rushed to her side to pull her up.

"I am really not dreaming," Her mother whispered, standing to her feet and cupping Nmachi's cheeks in both hands.

"Nne, you're not dreaming," Nmachi assured her before wrapping her hands around her waist. She looked behind and her mother's buttocks that used to move in sync were no longer as enormous as they used to be, breaking Nmachi's heart even more.

"Nma, I am sorry," her mother whispered into her ears which caused Nmachi to pull out if the hug in surprise as she had never heard her mother say those words to her,

"For everything, please don't run away again,"She pleaded and Nmachi nodded

"I don't think I can leave you alone anymore,"Nmachi replied,