YESTERDAY.

I didn’t beg to be made

You made me.

You made me,

You wronged me…

Tife laid on the bed. Her face pale. Her lips dry and thin. Her eyes wide open, the eyeballs unusually white and roaming. Her gaze settled on Teni who was a picture of pity in one corner. His height hidden by pain and fear. He noticed Tife’s gaze on him and went to her. His gait unsure.

He passed by Ebun, who was another picture of pity. He spared her no glance as he moved to his sister’s bed. He reached for her, Tife could only twitch her fingers but he grabbed them. Fiercely and gently, his lips quivered as he looked at Tife, he controlled the emotions engulfing him.

Tife’s yellow eyes sought Teni’s flowing ones and she smiled, ever so gently. The smile was Teni’s undoing. His tears flowed but he made no sound.

“Don’t cry” Tife whispered in a shaky voice. Ebun’s sob racked her as she heard her daughter’s voice. She grabbed the hem of her wrapper and wiped her eyes which were as swollen as a Cat’s first pregnancy.

Teni and Tife paid no attention to her. They saw only each other. Teni dropped to Tife’s bed, not dropping her hand which he continued to massage subconsciously.

“Don’t cry” Tife whispered again.

“Please get well” Teni said passionately, looking into Tife’s eyes as if that would unlock eternity for the ailing girl.

Tife turned her head away, the movement made her wince. Ebun noticed the sound of pain and rushed to her daughter’s side.

“My darling, are you okay? Do you want anything?” she touched Tife’s forehead, touched her feet, sniffed and searched her daughter’s face.

“Talk to me” she begged but Tife only moved her head, away from her mother’s prying fingers. She uttered no sound.

Ebun’s wail went up. She returned to her seat dejectedly. Sobbing hysterically.

“Look at me!” She cried.

“I am suffering from unknown sins eh” she slapped her thighs and moved her head from side to side.

“This is what I get God?” she turned her face upwards, the ceiling fan smiled at her angrily.

“See my daughter God!” she wailed pointing at Tife who is now sobbing quietly. Teni angrily turned to his mother and with a stern voice, cautioned her.

“What is all this about mother?” He asked. Ebun looked up at her first child, her swollen eyes looked like they would be plucked out of their sockets if she cried any more.

“You keep wailing and shouting, upsetting Bolutife. Please go home, we don’t need you here. You have done enough harm as it is” he hissed and turned to his sister, whispering to her.

“I didn’t do anything” Ebun croaked, too tired to shout or cry.

“Motenitola, mi o se n kankan” She said again, whimpering like a child.

Teni ignored his mother and angrily stormed out of the room. Tife turned and watched her brother, her loving brother leave the room.

She was left with her sobbing mother. She closed her eyes. She was tired. She was ready. She needed rest.

“I want to sleep” she muttered. Her mother went to her side again, touching her gently.

“Sleep my darling, I’ll be here when you wake up. Sleep oko mi” she gently grabbed the covers and pulled it up to cover her daughter.

The covers had barely touched Tife when she began to thrash wildly on the bed. Ebun was momentarily dazed as Tife’s flying fist landed on her jaw. She jumped back and grabbed her daughter, whose eyes had rolled backwards.

“BoluTifefunmi” Ebun screamed and held on to her daughter who was thrashing even in her mother’s arms.

“Motenitola!” Ebun’s scream went through the hospital and ears turned in different wards.

“Tife, Boluwatifefunmi” She cried as she struggled to hold her still. Two nurses rushed in with the doctor. All three looked serious as they went straight to mother and child.

Teni rushed into the room and Ebun ran to him…

“Come and see your sister” she cried, pulling him towards the bed. Teni made no move as he watched the ritual. He did not blink. He saw Tife take a final harsh breath and go limp, saw as the doctor sighed. Saw the nurses’ sad look.

He knew.

He sat on the floor.

Ebun looked at her son on the floor, looked towards the bed and in one move, she was by her daughter, but the Doctor held her.

“I’m sorry, Mrs Okojie” He said, shaking his head for emphasis.

Ebun looked back at her son on the floor, turned back to the nurses who were already covering her child.

With one swift move, she was out of the Doctor’s grasp and pushing the nurses away.

“Boluwatife” she called quietly at first, pulling off the covers that one of the nurses had pulled over the girl’s face.

She dropped it. Her daughter’s face had changed. Her eyes were bulging, and dried tears ran out of their corners. There was blood in her nose and her lips wouldn’t cover her teeth.

Ebun screamed, and fell to the floor. She continued to scream and no one tried to stop her.

****

Written by Bose Bamidele La’bos

#Spontaneousfiction

#labosfiction

#Fiction