A Mother's Pride

Chapter 44

Mmampho's POV

I came with Naledi to work so that we can just take a taxi to the hospital from here and not waste time by going back home to fetch her. Lesedi was serious about not coming with us, I really thought that he would have changed his mind in the morning. I really wish he could just drop this grudge that he has on his father.

I knock off in fifteen minutes, I just have to finish ironing these clothes then I am off to the hospital.

Naledi is watching T.V and waiting for me to finish, she is really worried about her dad. At least Thabo doesn't have both his children hating on him.

...

We walk into the quiet, sad and full-of-tense building. The smell of medicine welcomes me as I go through the wooden doors of the entrance.

And just like every hospital, everybody's face is full of curiosity, impatience, hope, disappoitment, but mostly, anxiety.

Curiosity towards what the nurses might have for them, impatience that the service here is way too slow, and the hope that they receive good news, disappointment for those who just received bad news and well, I think everyone here is anxious. Unless you're about to bring new life to this earth, a hospital is not a good place to be at.

The nurses are walking around, passing the halls. They are either speed-walking or rushing to the wards. All of them have serious faces, except those who are delivering good news to the people in the waiting room.

And that one with the blonde hair has a smile of encouragement, like she is telling the woman sitting down that the patient is not getting any better but they should not stop hoping.

And some are just passing by, looking a bit anxious but trying to hide it, you know, not to scare people or anything like that. They have to show positivity, even when the situation is awful. I cannot imagine myself working in a hospital, ever.

I walk to the reception, greet the receptionist and tell her who I am and that I was called. She tells me that visiting hours will start in less than ten minutes and that I should wait in the waiting room.

And as I approach it, I spot the people I least expected.

A nurse then approaches me.

"You must be Mmampho, the wife. So--." what are they doing here? I look at them, with a lot of questions in mind. Did they move this side too?

"'Miss." The nurse calls on me and I snap out of my thoughts. I cannot stop wondering what these women are here for.

"Oh, sorry. Uh... No I am not the wife, I am his ex." I say and the woman looks confused. She asks me if Naledi is Thabo's daughter and I nod. She says that she cannot say whatever she wants to say in front of the kid so we should talk in private and I agreed.

"So Thabo has not said a word, it's still really... bad, he hasn't opened his eyes." I think it's in her tone; she is delivering these news like she is worried that I might panic or overreact or that it might really get to me. Or that once I hear what she says, I might faint or something like that.

She is being too sincere and considerate of how she says these words. I don't know how to react and I think she might be weirded out if I acted in a totally chilled way. I should probably show a bit of remorse or empathy. But seriously, who still cares about the health of their ex boyfriend? Especially one who messed up their life? What is the right way to act?

"Are you guys sure that he is breathing? This sounds too bad."

"Uh...yes ma'am. I really cannot predict when he will open his eyes but, is it okay if I asked you guys to come back later? At about five p.m."