Time waits for no one
Her six year old son. Could not hold still. With excitement of a new friend in school.
The call distracted her from the very intense 5 o'clock sun.And the migraine pounding Her head. As she walked home. She had exciting news.
A Quick mental calculation. On task's ahead. While still juggling the call,Sun,news and the migraine.
Cook first...then clean...some laundry not forgetting...The most important...homework.
Increasing her pase after realizing she could still sqeeze some time for a quick check up.
You know. A touch and go. kind of a thing.
walk in. Get some tablets... perhaps an injection... Then leave. She told herself as she hurriedly walked in
Tired of laying in the uncomfortable small bed. And only Seeing the world
Through one ugly dirty window. With network's of drips and pipes. Attached to her left side and arm. Like external veins. With the monitor beeping every other second. It drove her soo mad she wanted pull the tubes out.switch off the bloody machine.And go home. To the safety and comfort she misses And had not seen in amonth.
I walk in. And Watched in silence as
She Slowly and meticulously moved her right free hand. A cross her face several time repeatedly. As if to be sure that only the right eye followed the hand. Her left eye was transfixed straight on giving a hollow look.
"this eye does not see" covering her left eye with her palm.
"Since when?" I asked surprised.
"when you guys left yesterday"she replied.
"How... yesterday"?... I wondered out loud.
The day before. We were goofing around with the cook.To steal chicken from the other patients plates and top her's. Since the bill expected was going to be astronomical huge.
"why not exploit it to the fullest"
She joked while lovingly mocking her disapproving husband.
We all know she loved meat. Sad she could not hold food down anymore.But she perfectly played along. Maybe masking her fears
"Mzee"(old man. Am I dying
she asked?. Using my nickname.
Looking at my face as if searching for answer.
I opened my mouth. But nothing came out.
She caught me by surprise.
I clenched my fist as Angers,pain and hopelessness rushed through me at the same time.
In whispering tone.while looking away.
"I have started working out like you"
Ehh...I replied.
She went on.
"I walk every day from work."
It was plea. To whoever is in charge with our wellbeing.That clearly she was doing something regarding her health.
Every word cutting like knife To my heart.
I know she was scared.
I was too.
I turned pretending to look outside through the window. To hide the welling up.
what if I went to the hospital immediately it started" she asked?.
And then quickly added. Maybe we should get "sa" (her daughter) checked too.
And then a sudden a flush of fear. Showed on her face.For her two year old daughter.
" Surely who's cooking for my kids and what about their homework"?
voicing her worries.
A mother will always be a mother.
Although shadow of the once bubbly 26 year old Straight shooter.
She always had my back. I remember We once stormed a house broke down a door. And senselessly beat a guy. That had given my Son a black eye. We had planned to have a small civil talk with him.
She changed.upon reaching his place saying.
"To much talk hurts the mouth. Let your action speak instead"
As we mercylesly descended on him. At the very time she was very pregnant with "sa"
And Now this
happening supposedly on my Watch.
"I have not seen the kids since I came here"
She said disrupting my thought.
"They are not even saying what the problem is"
And with a sigh she added.
"mzee"(old man)
When you see rats on deck the boat is not rocking.she said looking me softly in the eyes.
drifted to sleep.
