Delayed Diagnosis {Book 1 of the Rex Obasi Trilogy}

Chapter 32

The day was spent with a lot of laughter actually.

My dad was in a splendid mood. My mum was also happy although I could tell Fome was still foremost on her mind.

She held her peace though, and by 2 in the afternoon when they were both rested. She busied herself in the kitchen with the bitter leaf soup just as she had promised me she would bring.

My dad, Andy and I stayed in the parlour.
A very large TV, so large I didn't bother to contemplate the inches took one side of the wall and we watched cable on it. A comedy episode and my dad burst out laughing every now and then.

A bottle of ammunition was on the table before him and he offered it generously but I declined. I needed my head to be as clear as possible. Andy however obliged him and they drank and laughed together.

I was restless and not even focusing on the movie so I wandered over to my mother who was busy finishing up the soup. It smelt like heaven.

"Rex, what of Fome? Have you people broken up?" She asked as I entered the kitchen.

Mama Fome is dead! Blown to bits! And it was all my fault!

"Fomé....well, mama...Fomé travelled...she went to Ibadan but she should be back by next week." I stammered.

She poured the hot water from the kettle to a big bowl and added garri into it. "I don't have strength for pounded yam. If your father can not eat EBA then he should drink garri"

I laughed, all my years growing up she had never taken a stand like this before. No matter how tired she was from the shop she always pounded the yam which was like every night but recently I had been noticing some changes, it seemed my dad was starting to appreciate her more. I was really glad.

The discussion was far from over however.

"Ehen...as you laughed now, just laugh the truth out." She said and looked me dead in the eye with the same expression that had always worked on me and made it almost impossible to keep secrets from her. And it almost worked. I almost said Fomé had left me for another man, it was better to have my mum on my side and that would end the matter immediately. However to lie against the dead was something even my cowardice couldn't allow. (Even though Fome had told me she was leaving me for another man, I had come to find out it wasn't so and I couldn't use it against her. God rest her soul)

I tried to buy some time as my brain raced for alternate lies. "Which truth Mama?"

"If you think I can believe that then maybe I raised a fool after all," she sounded pissed.

I sat down on the kitchen stool. "Mama, Fome and I….we broke up." I finally said

She said nothing. Just continued turning the garri in the bowl.

I stumbled on..."we were not working out...I felt it better to stop so that we wouldn't bring children into a loveless marriage." The moment the words were out I felt like cutting my tongue.

My mother at first seemed not to mind."I can understand that, sometimes I feel that's what I should have done. Then where will you be now?"

She turned away and I knew she was hurt. I had pierced an old wound unknowingly. The truth would have just been easier to say.

I spent some seconds hugging her. "Mama its alright, its alright. I didn't mean it like that. I love you for the sacrifice you made for us...please mama"

She wasn't one to let emotions ride for too long and soon enough she was dishing the food while I assisted and blabbed about anything I could think of, trying to make amends.