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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