My Anchor

2) How can this be?

Maya’s POV

“I can’t believe he did that to me” I was shouting to Lizzie down the phone. “He left me for his stupid spoilt brat of a son!” I was absolutely fuming and wanting to throw something. Lizzie was trying to calm me down but it wasn’t working. I just remembered how I was sitting there, alone. Left drinking. I finished both of our drinks and he still wasn’t back. So I left.

Before that child was even thought about, Striker and I had our fun almost every night. I was his little showgirl who he’d take everywhere with him. We went to the park, the movies... everywhere. Then suddenly, we stopped and I just didn’t see him or hear from him. Little did I know, he had a son. He had a stupid little son, with some stupid hoe.  I didn’t know how to react.

“Listen, meet me in 10 minutes and we will talk it out.” Lizzie said to me, in a comforting way. “Okay.” I agreed. I felt really bad because she had warned me that Striker would probably be held up by the child. She was talking about how he would probably change completely. She wasn’t wrong. His place was spotless, absolutely spotless. From top to bottom, there was no mess in any corner of the room. He will completely change if he isn’t careful.

I jumped in the shower and then it hit me. I remembered the night before. I rocked up to Strikers, we were kissing and stuff and then we jumped into it... Which means... Shit.... Which means, we didn’t use a condom. Oh God, no. I’m not ready for a baby yet. I thought to myself, I literally poured my soul out in the shower. I couldn’t cope with all these emotions in one morning. I got out of the shower, lit up a fag and calmed myself down. That didn’t work. I needed a spliff.

ME: YO, CAN U DROP ME A DRAW ASAP!

DYER: YEYE I’M ROUND ENDS NOW. COME PARK AND PICK IT UP.

ME: I’M ON IT.

I needed a draw so bad, I just needed to calm myself down just a little bit. I dressed up and walked to the park. Luckily the park wasn’t that far away from my house. Dyer was there already. It was a quick swap. I paid him, gave him a little kiss and then left him. You see, around these ends if you’re a girl and you want a draw then you have to pay with half the money and a kiss, the full money or a fuck. I knew the deal around here and there have been many times when Striker has got me out of fucking someone for a draw. He would beat them up or pay for me and they wouldn’t ask again. He used to protect me because I was his girl.

I got my draw and sat in the corner of the park and smoked it all. It was heaven but I felt so sick afterwards, I could feel my heart pounding at an irregular beat, the world was spinning faster than it usually does and I was so alone. I couldn’t think, I couldn’t hear and before you knew it... I was sick everywhere. I sat there for a little to try and pull myself together. I was thinking about Striker, Strikers son, the night before, drinking, weed, dying and pregnancy. My head was all over the place and then Lizzie decided to ring me. My tears fell like bombshells down my face, they were unstoppable. I couldn’t speak.

“Helloooo.... Maya? Maya? Are you alright babe? I’m in ends doll. Maya, you blanking me? Maya? Hello? Don’t tell me you’ve done something stupid? Maya? I’m calling Striker.”

And that was it. She hung up. All that time I was trying to speak. I had to get myself together but the more I tried the harder my heart beat pounded and the dizzier I got and the more I thought and the more I cried. I was stressed out, I just lay in a ball on the floor. Helpless, In the woods of a park. I wanted to go home. To just sleep, but I couldn’t even crawl... I wish I never smoked that draw... I just closed my eyes for two seconds and...

I WOKE UP... I woke up and I didn’t know where the hell I was. I couldn’t remember anything. I thought I was dead and in heaven. I was in a little white room. A beep indicated that I was awake and a nurse came running in and Lizzie stood up. Her eyes were so red, as if she hadn’t slept for a month. The nurse sat down at the side of my bed.

“Miss Dukes? Do you know where you are?” She asked. I didn’t know how to answer, I didn’t want to be wrong and look like an idiot. I just stared at her blankly. I didn’t know what to do or what to say. I started wondering if heaven had hospital beds for people to wake up in and then go and spend the rest of their eternity living.

“Miss Dukes, do you know what the date is today?” She asked. “Well, it’s Saturday ain’t it? Because I saw Striker last night” I didn’t know why she was asking me this stuff. She looked at me with a disturbing look as if I got something wrong or as if I had failed. She started. “Maya, you were found in a park on Saturday the 3rd June, alone and collapsed. You were brought into hospital and you slipped into a coma. We found all sorts of drugs and alcohol in your system, you slipped into a coma. Maya, today’s date is the 24th June. You have been in this coma for three weeks.” I didn’t know what to do. All I remembered was smoking weed.

I couldn’t think of anything to say. A tear fell down Lizzie’s cheek. The silence filled the hospital room. “You’re lying!” I couldn’t think of nothing else. How could it be 3 weeks? I couldn’t believe it. “Maya,” the nurse breathed “We have noted down the activity of everything during the last three weeks so you could see, it is not unusual for someone to wake up confused. However, we do have more news for you.” She whispered. She looked worried as if she couldn’t tell me, I studied her face. Her skin colour was golden brown, she had the most kindest eyes. She wouldn’t lie. But, I was scared to find out the news. Just in case I was dying or something.

Silence crept through every crack in the room and it was overwhelming. My mind was ticking and my heart was pounding. I breathed slowly, preparing for the brick that was about to be thrown. “Maybe your friend should go out the room for this confidential piece of information.” The nurse advised. “No,” I replied “she can stay. Whatever you tell me, I will tell her anyway.” I explained. The nurse rambled on about how she can provide me with counselling and support though this time. My mind completely blanked out and I heard nothing, tears just fell down my face and all I could think about was the fact I was going to die... At least I thought I was anyway. I couldn’t cope. My eyes swelled up and I started bawling again.

“Think of it in a positive way, you’re going to have a baby.” The nurse cried. I sobbed. Lizzie bawled. I wasn’t... How could we be? He didn’t... What? I’m not pregnant!