FED UP [Xx]

(...continued)

  “My God!” Cynthia suddenly shouted.

  “What is it?” Mabel asked.

Mama Risi stopped the massage she was doing.

  “My back is on fire,” Cynthia said.

  “That is how it should be na,” Mama Risi reassured her.

  “Ok oo.”

                Mama Risi massaged for some minutes and stopped. She was sweating profusely.

  “Are you tired?” Mabel asked her.

  “No oo,” she replied. “But you know I have not had lunch.”

  “That means you are tired.”

  “Let me do a little more, then it should be okay,” she said and continued.

                After massaging for a little longer, she stopped.

  “How are you feeling now?” she asked Cynthia.

  “On fire,” Cynthia replied.

  “That means it is working. After a while, the peppery pain will stop.”

  “Thank you aunty,” Mabel said to her.

  “What about the pain reliever?” Cynthia asked.

  “You will take it. Let the massage work small.”

  “No oo. I want to take it now so they will work together.”

  “Ok.”

                Mabel gave her the tablet and the cup of water she remained before. Cynthia managed and sat up. She took the tablet and lay back down on the floor.

  “Do you want to stay on the bed?” Mabel asked her.

  “No. I am okay on the floor for now.”

  “Remember we have to go and see Dr Obinna soon.”

  “I know. Let me rest a little.”

  “Ok.”

                Mama Risi took her leave.

  “Let me go,” she said. “There is no one in my house.”

  “Ok.” Mabel said to her. “You have tried a lot.”

  “My pleasure dear. Take care of her o.”

                Mama Risi held Risi’s hand as they turned to leave.

  “Ehe Mama Risi o,” Mabel called. “How much did the pain reliever and balm cost?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Mama Risi answered.

  “Are you sure ma?”

  “It didn’t cost much so don’t worry yourself.”

  “Ok. Thank you.”

                Mama Risi left with Risi.

  “Do you want to take anything?” Mabel asked Cynthia.

  “Errrhm,” Cynthia said thinking. “Maybe yoghurt and cake.”

  “See you. You want to use this opportunity to eat everything you have not eaten before.”

  “Yes na. It will reduce the pain.”

                They laughed.

  “It is ten minutes to the time Dr Obinna asked us to come,” Mabel reminded Cynthia. “That means you have to manage and dress up.”

   “Let me lie for few minutes.”

  “Ok. See how I am sweating. Let me take a quick bath before we leave.”

  “Before you do, send Dr Obinna an SMS telling him that we are on our way.”

                Mabel sent the message and went to take a quick shower. While she was bathing, she had a phone call.

  “Mabel your phone is ringing.” Cynthia told her.

  “Can you reach it?” Mabel asked.

  “No. It is far from me.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I will return the call when I come out.”

                The phone rang three more times and stopped. Then Cynthia’s phone began to ring. It was in her bag close to where Mabel kept her own phone.

  “Who is calling na?” Cynthia asked.

  “Are you sure it is not Dr Obinna?” Mabel said.

  “Let it not be that he is going out o.”

                Mabel dried herself and came out to check who was calling, just as Cynthia’s phone rang a second time. It was their mother.

(...to be continued...)

Nedu Isaas