Too Good to Be Real

chapter 32

"She just...she said they were just kidney stones but it's really worse." Asa continued, each hiccup shaking her body.

Oma didn't really know what to do. She wasn't someone who had the gift of making people feel better. In a way, she had just the opposite. She watched Asa cry and patted her lightly at the back even though she told herself that wasn't enough. What else could she possibly do? Cry? She didn't even know the woman.

"What is it?"Oma dared to ask, making her voice as soft as possible.

"Kidney disease. It has gotten so bad she's been hospitalized. Turns out she just said the kidney stones for me not to worry."

She remembered months ago on their matric when she'd wished to be Asa, with her perfect family, parents who loved her and had time for her. She'd admired her mum but it was her dad she'd wished for the most. He'd seemed so interested in Asa's life unlike hers who'd disappeared and never come back.

She seldom thought of him, where he was, the kind of person he turned out to be, whether he ever even remembered he had a daughter. If he was still alive.
She didn't think of him because she wanted him to come back. She'd actually trained herself to believe he was dead. But sometimes she just wished she knew what it was like to have a dad. A nice dad. Like Asa's dad.

Asa's hiccup brought her back to reality. She couldn't believe her mother had kidney failure.

"It'll be okay. I've heard of people who had this and got healed. It doesn't necessarily mean she'll die. Even if it does, these things take such a long time to completely destabilize the person. Look on the bright side." Oma said, wishing she could believe her own words. Her calming words however had the opposite effect.

"What bright side? She's already at the hospital in critical condition. The doctor said she's had it for three years now and she never told me. Can you believe it? She never told me! When was she ever going to tell me?"
She began to cry all over again.

"It's okay. It's okay."

Oma hated being in situations like this where one was helpless. She felt bad for Asa but she didn't know how long she could keep this up. She wanted to tell her a lot of things, like how she'd have her dad to fall back on if anything happened, unlike her.

She had to read. She had a test by seven or more the next day. She couldn't leave Asa all alone just to read for her tests. That would seem selfish.
She patted her back and continued muttering the words she didn't believe.
"It's going to be okay."

***

The test came and went and Oma regretted spending so much time revising. It was so easy, even someone who'd never attended classes would score excellently. The rest of the classes went by normally, there was only one extra surprise test.

The day was cool and normal, but two things bothered her. The first was Asa and her mum. She felt bad about the whole thing but she couldn't lie to herself. What she hated the most about it was having to be Asa's crying pillow. It was tiresome. She was thankful for Femi who had come along and somehow made Asa feel better than she could possibly make her feel.

Her second major problem was right in front of her. Or better still, three rolls after her. Obi was right there and once again, Nathi was beside him.
She tapped her pen frantically on her desk scowling and watching Nathi say something to him. Usually, Obi didn't seem interested, but today he did. He was hanging on her every word, watching her her while she spoke and replied her.

But did it disturb her so much?

She made up her mind. She had to talk to him to clear things up. They were being childish.