EPISODE 16:

Saturday morning woke me up to see my mother desperately gasping for breath. She gripped my right hand tightly as she fought between life and death. The doctors seemed confused and slow, the nurses running helter-skelter looking for what only God knew. The doctor’s call for oxygen was bounced as there was no oxygen available in the hospital.

Aunty Sola cried down heaven blasting in tongues. I still tried comprehending everything that was happening in the atmosphere of pandemonium, only for a power failure to occur in the twinkle of an eye, shutting down all running equipment. Just when the pressure from mom’s hand stopped, I felt that her spirit had left the body. Restoration of power in the hospital only confirmed this reality. Slowly, a white garment drifted from her legs to her face that covered that smile of peace. This is reality!

I left the ward staggering like a drunkard heading to see Brittany, where my last hope laid.

Moments after seeing her lifeless, she said to me “Naughty Ayo, the one who knows how to provoke the anger in me and calm me with those little acts of bribery (she chuckled). My life in a year has made more meaning. Achieving everything on my bucket list except the graduation was prizeless. Finish the best you can.. will always love you even at eternity. Smile for me, dear (gives up the ghost with a smile)”. My smiles that were made out of hers triggered the waterfall of unending tears coupled with a thunderous shout of pain. In one day, in a space of 15 minutes, I lost two treasures that were dear at heart. Final year papers on Tuesday… (to be continued next week Wednesday)