“Ma…..ma” Mercy called softly, opening her eyes.
” Mercy!” Ada cried, holding her hand.” Thank God you are awake!”
“Ma……ma…..water” She said weakly.
“Water? Let me quickly fetch some for you at the reception. There is a water dispenser there.” She hurried out of the room. She ran into the reception room, picked up a disposable cup and poured some water into it. She stood up and made to go back in the direction she came from. She was so happy that her daughter was alive, she didn’t watch where she was going. She bumped into someone and the water upturned on the person.
” I am so sorry ma,” Ada said, ” I didn’t watch where I was going”.
The elegantly dressed woman looked at her from head to toe, seething with anger.” Are you blind? Does poverty mean that you shouldn’t have sense?” She said angrily, advancing on her.”
I am sorry ma. Please forgive….” She trailed of as the other woman landed her a thunderous slap which left her dazed.
“You are stupid woman! do you know how much this blouse is worth? the price will feed you and your entire family for a year!”
Michael, a young doctor who had witnessed the whole thing walked up to them.” Ma’am, she didn’t intentionally pour the water on you. You shouldn’t have hit her.” he said.
“What is your name? I will see to it that you lose your job since you have clearly forgotten your job description. Here you are, acting like superman to the rescue when you should be busy with patients! Please don’t forget to prescribe the use of glasses for her since she’s obviously myopic.” She said, before cat-walking away.
The young doctor turned to Ada.” Are you alright ma?”
” Yes thank you” She said, retrieving the cup from the floor.” You shouldn’t have interfered. She looks like an important person, I would hate for you to lose your job.”
He shrugged. “You are the woman in ward 5 right? ”
“Yes. My daughter is awake now and she wanted some water. I will get her another one. Thank you ”
*
When the young doctor signed out of duty he remembered to go see the woman in ward five. The young girl was asleep but the mother was still awake, watching her child like a mother hawk. He was sure she hadn’t had a wink of sleep herself. He was sure she hadn’t eaten all day too and he cursed himself for being so thoughtless. He could have grabbed some lunch for her when he went for his. His eyes darted to his wrist watch, the time was 11 pm.
“Good evening, Doctor”
“Good evening, Ma. How is your daughter now?”
” She’s getting better. She was able to take some pap earlier” She replied.
” How about you Ma?, you need to rest”
” Thank you. I am fine”
” You should sleep, you look so tired. You can sleep for few hours, I will sit by your child”
” No thank you, you are very kind sir.”
” I insist Ma” he said.
Ada got up wearily and headed to the vacant bed in the room. No sooner had her body touched it, she had drifted off to sleep. Michael, took the chair she had vacated and watched over the sleeping child and mother.
Ada stepped down from the car, she watched as Michael lifted Mercy into his arms. If she lived to be a hundred years old she would be forever grateful to this benevolent young man. He was like a God sent to them. He had settled the hospital bills since she had lost all her savings and belongings in the fire. He brought sumptuous meals for them, during their stay at the hospital. He has had Ada treated and he insisted she took some tetanus injections. When they were discharged, she was sad and uncertain where they would go next. Michael had known without being told that they had nowhere to go, without a second thought he had begged a colleague to cover for him and he drove them to his house.
Ada followed him to the room at the back of the house. He apologized profusely for how small the room was but she assured him it was fine. Ada was so touched by his kindness and she went on her knees to show her appreciation. He looked embarrassed and asked her to stand up.
“It is nothing really.” He said, placing Mercy on the bed.
” Thank you. This place is okay for us.” She said gratefully. She accepted the key from him. The room had a bed big enough to sleep two people, there was a little table and an old stove in the corner of the room. There was also some dusty pots and plates.
” Those things belonged to my former house boy. He got a better offer somewhere and he left them behind. He opened a tiny door to reveal a bathroom and a toilet.” This is the bathroom, I have to go now. See you in the evening”.
“Thank you, ” She said. ”
He walked out of the room and she sank on the bed beside her daughter. Mercy had been so quiet since she woke up, reverting back to her old self. She accepted her meals and closed her eyes afterwards.
“Mercy” She said softly, ” the doctor is such a nice person”, wishing she had the ability to read mind. She wished she could read what was going through her daughter’s mind.
“Yes he is” She replied quietly.
“You have always had your own room and privacy and this might not be conducive for now. But it is the best we have so we have to make the most of it. What matters most is having a roof over our head”
” Alright Mama”
” I also need to get you a new chair, so you won’t be confined to one spot” She said, grimacing, as spittle flew out of her mouth as result of the gap in her upper gum.
“Mama….did you see Peter that night?” Mercy asked suddenly, interrupting Ada’ s thoughts. She was certain it was all her fault. If she hadn’t been acting like a baby, her Mama wouldn’t have gone in search of peter and the fire wouldn’t have happened. It was all because of her that they had lost their only home, their belongings and her mother’s savings. The worse part of it was that Peter hadn’t even cared enough to come see her at the hospital.
Ada took a minute or two before replying. She didn’t know if it was a good idea to tell the girl her darling Peter had only lied to her or if she should lie that she didn’t see him. It still hurt her that her little girl had the misfortune to fall for such a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“Yes. I saw him. He refused to come with me”
“I am sorry Mama. You were right,” She said surprising her mother. She wouldn’t cry, no she wouldn’t cry in front of her mother. She did not want her to worry or fret unnecessarily over her. She would work towards becoming the independent woman her mother had always wanted her to be. She would study hard and make her exams. Then, she realized with a start that she had foolishly given the money meant for the exam to Peter.
.
.
To be continued
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