Maraa - Season 1 - Episode 15

5 years ago

Maraa - Season 1 - Episode 15

☆☆

The whole house looked forsaken and abandoned!

The kitchen had plates that flies perched on because of their filth!

My room had different clothes littered on the floor.

I felt nauseous immediately!
Just for the one month that I was away!
…and everything had already changed this much.
My children looked unkempt- all of them!

“They are still kids o…so, you can’t expect them to keep the house the way you would have done” my doctor said as if she could read my mind

I couldn’t feign laughter
I was mad!

“But this isn’t nice at all” I said as I surveyed the children

“Taiwo and Kehinde, you couldn’t even take care of your young ones? You couldn’t bath them? See how diseased you all look!” I almost wept

“There was no soap. The detergent we were using finished” Taiwo said

“Detergent?” the doctor asked, quite surprised.
“It is also good on the body o. it’s just like medicated soap” I tried to cover up our pauper lifestyles

“I don’t like that at all. These detergents are not good on the skin o. They sometimes eat into our skin. You couldn’t have asked me for soap when you visited the hospital” the doctor said and I looked down in shame.

I had to save the situation again.
“Kehinde, come here” I called at my daughter who looked so weird and withdrawn
She staggered as if she was drunk and fell to the ground before me.

I jumped back as the doctor rush to bring her up
“What is wrong with you?” I asked but there was no response from the girl

“Talk to me….somebody talk to me. When did Kehinde become paralysed? Kehinde!” I exclaimed as I turned back to be sure a cushion was behind me.

I sunk into one and looked on.
“Taiwo, Tola…somebody talk to me..” I pleaded, very weakly

“Mummy, Sister Kehinde yaf pregnant” James said and there was silence
…as if everyone in the house except me knew about this except me!

I blinked as if my life depended on it.

“Kehinde, pregnant…how? Doctor, you know about it? Please talk to me somebody. Someone should tell me it’s not true.” I was almost crying

My heart couldn’t just accept the bad news.
None of my children I ever have such thought towards in my entire life

Teenage pregnancy?… ah ah!
“Take it easy Mrs. Olowo” I heard the doctor say and I looked at her, so lost in thoughts
“You know about it?” I asked in a very loud voice

The doctor looked at me and smiled lightly
“I couldn’t tell you anything because of your health condition but thank God you are hale and hearty now” she spoke on and I couldn’t but watch on in silence.

My heart was racing so fast.

As she explained to me the ordeals of my daughter’s pregnancy, the abortion and the brutal method used, the bond that existed between one Haruna and my daughter, I couldn’t believe my ears.

I pinched myself, slapped myself, and slapped my tongue against the roof of my mouth severally so I would be startled back to reality
… But it was the truth!

The bitter cola!

I slid from the chair on which I had sat to the cemented floor and wept like a virgin widow who had lost her husband to ‘Magun’ before he could even touch her.

My girl was just fifteen years old for God’s sake!
What did she know about sex?

What did she know about abortion?
Abortion with hanger … Chai!
Iron hanger for that matter!

My body flinched severally that I couldn’t control it.

“Who did I offend in my past life? Exactly who did I offend that is afflicting me like this? Afflicting my children too? Ahhhh…Jesu oooo!” I wailed on, slapping my laps as my hands gathered momentum.

I looked at the Kehinde under my teary eyes and she was so pitiable.

Her collarbone was visible and she looked hungry- weak and uncared for.
“Kehinde” I called out to her. The doctor still held her lovingly as she sat on the floor with her. Her hands on her shoulders

I didn’t know if I should be harsh, or calm according to the Doctor’s prescription or angry, or wounded or disappointed.

I didn’t just know how to act at all.
“Ma” she answered faintly, her head shaking on top of her neck as if it was so light like paper.
“What happened?” I asked, fixing my eyes on my daughter- my filthy daughter!

“I ron’t doh” I heard her say, her eyes half shut.

I sat straight and looked at the doctor.

“Doctor, what’s wrong with her? Her tongue is tied? Please check for me” I was so scared.
When did she start pronouncing don’t as ron’t and know as ‘doh’.

I stood up immediately and went close to her side.

Her eyes were contracting and her tongue was tied.

The doctor stood up to the situation and la!d her down on the floor.

“Get me a pillow please” she said and Taiwo rushed inside for one.

The doctor used it support her head.
“Kehinde…Omokehinde” I called out as I pulled at her hand.

The doctor pulled out her stethoscope as my girl started making croaky voice from her throat.
I was scared..

“Don’t die please. Kenny, please don’t di…” I was still saying when she dropped her hand suddenly and her tongue wagged out to the side of her mouth.

“Mummy…to…lli” she seemed to say what I decoded as ‘sorry’ and she closed her eyes in death.