Adanike

chapter nine

dedicated to onyijiofor

Surgery went as planned but
not without wasting time,as early as six I dressed Kachi and papa, dropped Kachi at school, the surgeon said the surgery would take about two and a half hour,

I'm seated patiently at a corner under a guava tree, looking about as people come and go,some on wheel chairs,others been lead by hand while some others moving on their own with a stick to help them,the ministry of Jesus comes to mind,how people came to him with faith that they would be relived of their burdens and  pain,how he looked on them with eyes of love and said
get up!,
be opened!
Come out!,
your faith has made you well!,

how his words of truth and restoration drew people to the light that opened their eyes to a world of faith and perfection,filled their hearts with peace and fulfilment.
I pray papa experiences something close to that,that maybe when he starts to see physically, clearly
,he would see the worry in our eyes and know that it's not just him who feels pain that we all do,alot of things changed, mama died four years ago,while on a government assignment,she taught in a government secondary school and she was so dedicated that she got a few honours,she always advocated for a better educational system where government owned schools are better, therefore showing the standard that other schools should follow, she decided to be a teacher because when she graduated from studying English she did her NYSC in that school and she never saw herself doing anything better than teaching,my father been an old teacher was more encouragement for her,and within a few years since she started she began to make impact,did her master's and was on the process of obtaining her Phd when my father had to retire  from the private school he was teaching,they always hoped for better,I saw it in their eyes,they where still happy,I would hear their laughter in the middle of the night when they would remember old times,they where the most lovely couple I have ever known,their age difference was not a hindrance to the love they shared,I had never seen them argue bitterly,if they had an argument they would settle it before the next day,when the Bible says husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church,that sacrificial love,I saw that in them,Mama loved papa even without him bringing money to the table,she would come back from work and they would sit on the porch drinking tea and laughing,I would always roll my eyes to their cheesiness, Mama had a plan to get a lecturing job so the savings we had was going to her education and ours,but then on that faithful day she had a seminar at Abuja with a few of her colleagues it was a two days seminar, she packed a few things,she left very early so papa,I and a sleepy Tobi where the only ones to see her off,the hope in her eyes keeps lingering in my heart,and I still feel her smile I don't think she ever taught she would leave this world that morning but God knows why he called her home,but I can't see those reasons,the priest at her wake keep kept telling us that God's wisdom is higher than ours like the heavens from the earth,I'm just hoping that things get better for us especially for papa.

I see papa coming  a lady helping him move the wheel chair he is seated on his eyes are closed,I move forward and squat beside him watching him closely he tries to get up but the nurse I guess,encourages him to seat as she gives me some instructions and when to visit the hospital to check the effect of the surgery I thank her and move him to the canopy,place him in another chair and return the wheelchair back to the nurse,

I call a taxi which carries us home, Papa can't even tell me how he feels,he sits quietly, moving only his fingers,as we arrive home I guide him to a room to rest but he objects and sits on the couch quietly as if it were not his house,I go on to call Aunty Caro to check up on my students,I hear they miss me,I miss them too,I prepare dinner of porridge yam,I am so exhausted that I loose track of time and sleep off on waking I realize that it's already past 3:00,oh my God! not again!

I go to his class,his teachers tell me Gabriel picked him up because he was the only one left and Kachi gladly followed him,o what that boy would do for ice cream,I'm directed to check him at the administration block,on entering I see Kachi seated on a couch full attention on an iPad,I knock gently on the door to note my presence, Gabriel looks up from his laptop and smiles,
"Late again?"he pushes the laptop aside as Kachi runs up to me,I lift him up and settle him on my hip,he starts whispering in my ear all what he's eaten,drank,the games he played,I feel so stupid, that in just a short period of time Kachi has found friendship with this man and I can't even have a normal conversation with him,I drop him down and immediately he runs back to continue his game I guess,
"Thank you again Gabriel, even though you would have left him with the teachers"

"Oh my God, nothing I expected,I expected Gabriel you're such a sweetheart,thank you for taking care of my brother I owe you alot"
I burst into laughter,he just sits there smiling
"But it's true you could  have left him with the teachers,he would be fine there"
"I came back from an assignment,and decided to branch at school and look somethings up when I came down from the car he saw me and I told the teachers to leave him with me since they were packing up and he was the only one left in his class"
"Thank you,am grateful",I tell him
"Dinner or lunch? you are paying"he says rising up,he shut his laptop and comes around the table,I open my mouth to say something but I'm short of words,he continues,
"So?"
"Dinner,cause I have to get Kachi home,but we won't stay out for long cause I have school work"

We arrive at his car,he puts Kachi at the back seat cause he carried him all along,though I  objected,he opens the passengers door and does a mock bow as I enter,on our way he inquires of Papa's health,and other things,he is beginning to grow on me,what am I even saying I barely know him or maybe it's because my social life with adults is almost absent and his presence is comforting,I turn to look at him and his full attention is fully on the road his right hand griping the steering wheel,his left hand under his chin,just see God's perfection,his eye brows,his eyes as bright and clear his nose perfectly shaped,his lips, God! How can somebody be so beautiful? Kachi taps me from behind"sister why are you looking at uncle like that?"
O Jesus what is wrong with this boy?
"So sister why are you looking at me like that?"Gabriel asks blushing,then he starts wriggling his eyebrows at me.

Another chapter on Adanike,writers block hasn't been the problem sincerely it's just laziness,but since this is a new year we hope to live a new life😁,and am grateful to all those who take time to read my book God bless you abundantly.Amen