FED UP [LII]

(continued...)




                Cynthia carried Mabel’s stuff and entered the house. Their mother held Mabel’s hands as they entered together. As soon as they were in the parlour, Mabel collapsed into the cushion.
  “Cynthia get water,” their mother said, faning Mabel with the edge of her wrapper.
                Cynthia got drinking water.
  “Mabel get up and drink water,” her mother said.
  “Am coming,” she said.
Their mother poured some of the water on her palm and wiped Mabel’s face with it.
  “Mummy you will clean her makeup,” Cynthia said.
  “Who cares about makeup when they are not feeling fine?” their mother asked, still wiping Mabel’s face. “Get up get up.”
Their mother practically dragged Mabel to sit up. Mabel sat up, drank the water and lay back down on the cushion.
  “What is wrong with you?” Cynthia asked her.
  “I was in my house this afternoon and suddenly started feeling dizzy.”
  “Just like that?” her mother asked her inquisitively. “Nothing happened before that?”
  “I will tell you later. I am having headache and feeling dizzy now. I just need to lie down and rest.”
  “Let me get something for you to take for the headache.”
                Her mother went into her room and came out with two tablets of analgesics and gave her to drink.
  “You know I hate drugs,” Mabel lamented.
  “You need this to stop the headache,” their mother said. “Then I will get something that will stop the dizziness.”
  “Are you bringing more drugs?”
  “No. Just something to cancel out stress in your system and replenish you quickly.”
  “I just need to sleep. That’s all.”
  “You will but not yet. If you sleep now without canceling the stress in your system, you will not sleep well and you will wake up feeling worse.”
  “Ok.”
  “Meanwhile take this drug.”
                Mabel sat up reluctantly, took the drugs and sunk back into the seat.
  “Lie down well na,” Cynthia told her.
                Mabel shifted herself and lay well on the long couch. Cynthia helped her lift her legs and keep on the couch. When their mother saw that Mabel had taken the drugs and had lain down, she went into the room and came out with some money.
  “Where are you going?” Cynthia asked her.
   “Let me buy malt and milk for Mabel,” she said
  “Give me the money let me go and buy it for her.”
  “No, stay with her. Remember you are also on drugs.”
  “Tell Chuka to buy it,” Mabel teased Cynthia and smiled.
  “It is true sef,” their mother said.
  “You people are not serious,” Cynthia said.
                Their mother shifted the curtain and made to shout Chuka’s name.
  “Mummy stop it na,” Cynthia begged her.
  “What is wrong with him getting it na?” their mother asked.
  “I don’t want him to get close.”
                Their mother laughed and left to buy the items herself.
  “How are you feeling?” Mabel asked Cynthia.
  “Better than yesterday,” Cynthia replied. “The drugs are working.”
  “Good to know.”
  “What did you say happened before you started feeling dizzy?”
  “I don’t want to remember it now.”
  “Does it have to do with Segun?”
                Mabel nodded.
  “Segun again?” Cynthia said. “Did he touch you?”
  “Never,” Mabel said.
  “So what happened?”
  “Wait till mummy gets the malt and milk. I should feel better after taking it. Then I will tell you.”
                Cynthia looked through the window to know if her mother was coming back. She saw Chuka outside. As he turned his sight towards her, she hurriedly closed the curtain.
  “I think this guy is stalking me,” she said.
  “Who?” Mabel asked her.
  “Chuka.”
  “I know he likes you. But whether he is stalking you, I don’t think so.”
                The door opened.
  “Please don’t tell mummy anything,” Mabel told Cynthia in a hushed tone.
                Cynthia nodded.
                Their mother quickly mixed the malt and milk in a cup and brought to Mabel.
  “This thing is too much na,” Mabel complained when she sat up and took the cup.
  “You need to finish it,” her mother said.
  “If you take up to half and you are tired, I can help you finish it,” Cynthia said.
  “You will like it.”
                Mabel gulped the mixture malt and milk.
  “Why not take it small small,” Cynthia said.
  “I don’t want to get tired of it soon,” Mabel replied.
                When Mabel drank a little more than half the cup, she handed the cup over to Cynthia.
  “Take more,” her mother said.
  “No. If I do, I will throw up. I am feeling like throwing up.”
Their mother looked at Mabel without blinking her eye till Mabel became uncomfortable.
  “Mummy what is it?”
                Her mother kept quiet.
  “Mummy what’s the matter? Cynthia asked her, still holding the cup.
  “My mind is telling me something but I hope it is not true,” their mother finally said.
  “What?” Mabel asked.

                She lowered her voice and asked Mabel, “Are you pregnant?”


(...to be continued)

Nedu Isaac

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