Cherophobia

36

The beep of the monitor awoke my senses immediately I opened my eyes. My whole body felt sore and I could feel my palms burning.

The IV stuck in my arm was not even helping and where was everyone anyway? I sorefully slipped out of the bed and walked out to the hallway. I needed to find Darien. I had to know if he was okay.

I bump into a nurse falling down in the process and groaned. The pain was beyond reasoning.

"Miss, you're not supposed to be out here." But I wasn't budging. I had to know what was going on with Darien.

"Miss-"

"I'm looking for my boyfriend. Darien Walls. Is he in here?"

"Ma'am you-"

"Which room is he in? Please, I need to know."

"He's still in the operating room, let's get you back in your room and when anything comes up, I'll let you know. How about that?"

My mouth released a deflated sigh after scrutinizing the nurse. She helped me back into my room and bed, and started fixing the I.V back in my arm again.

"When do you think he will be out of the op- wait, what are you doing? Hey!"

She gives me a pitiful smile before I felt my eyes droop. Did she just put sleeping pills in my system?

Just wait till I wake up.

The pills wore off after God knows how long bringing me back to finding Darien. I easily strap off the needle in my arm and walked out of my room.

I searched my whole floor for him but he was not in any of the rooms so, I picked the elevator down to start from the first floor.

My luck was in play that day because immediately I walked out of the elevator, I saw my mom and sisters speaking with a nurse.

"Mama!"

She and my sisters turned but my sisters beat her to it. They had their grip on me first, choking me with their tiny little hands.

"We missed you K, You're all over the news. I went to pick Kiesha from her class and then I saw you running to Darien's house. I..Is he okay?"

My mouth quivered looking at their wet cheeks. "I'm yet to find out, hey it's okay. I'm right here see, nothing is wrong with me."

"But your hands are not." Keisha said busting into tears. My heart ached thinking about the what ifs.

What if I didn't make it out of the house on time? That would have been a disaster but I was thankful that I was here breathing and alive. But what about Darien? Was he still in the operating room? I really needed to know.

Two arms engulfed me in a warm embrace bringing my attention back to my mom. She was shaking in my arms making me realize that she was also crying.

"Don't ever do that again." I nodded and smiled somewhat happy and still embracing this new side of my mom.

"Have you heard anything about Darien? No one here wants to tell me anything." I asked when we broke off the hug.

"Yes, I met his father here not too long ago before you came here. Come on, let's go see how he's doing?"

"Wait! You know Mr. Walls?" My mom ignored my question pushing me into the elevator.

"Of course I know him, he's your boyfriend's dad." I almost choked no-I did choke on my saliva at her outburst.

"I was going to tell you mama I promise. It just wasn't the right time." I anxiously tried to justify myself infront of her and sisters who seemed to be gobsmacked after hearing what my mom said.

"I already knew the boy had feelings for you K. it was evident. Everyone knew, you were just oblivious or you pretended to be." What does she mean I pretended to be? I scoffed looking at my mother.

Why would I pretend to be oblivious when I had started developing something from him?

"You are my daughter, I've raised you for twenty-three years. I remember the day I gave birth to you like it was yesterday. You were sneaky but had this innocent brown eyes making everyone think you had no fault. But you cried a lot. Infact all the time."

"Mama." My sisters and I laughed at her revelation.

"Really, I didn't know until three weeks ago." I explained myself again.

"So why were you avoiding him when he told you?" I was tongue tied from her next question. How did she know?

Darien! Of course it's him. That snitch. God I miss him.

"And you told him you wanted to take things slow, really K?"

"I..I just wanted to-"

"It's okay. But what happened yesterday, should let you know that life is short.

Embrace what-"

"Yesterday? You mean it's the next day?"

"Yes. You were worn out and the doze they gave you yesterday seemed to have knocked you out. Darien, he was in a bad shape yesterday. He was in the operating room for over ten hours, he had to get a plastic surgery for his thighs and fortunately, he's responding to treatments. His father says he'll be awake soon."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go to him! Sorry. I mean let's hurry to his room" I mumbled the last part apologetically but my mom smiled shaking her head.

The elevator pinged and I realized we were on the last floor. My sisters ran out of the elevator heading towards the last room on the corridor where Rosa was sitting. I doubled up my steps to reach them but my mom stopped me.

"As I said, life is too short to be hiding things. You love him don't you?" I nodded eager to go see him.

"Then make it count. Don't waste time thinking of what others will say. You are a media personality, people talk about you every day when you come on the screens, you should be used to it by now and if you thought I wouldn't be happy for you and him then you are wrong.

That boy has been a son to me ever since I saw him infront of our house some years ago. So you both have my blessings. Now, go see him while I speak with his mother."