FATED BOND

I was mad at Sidney. He didn’t even call to ask how I was faring and also about Ellah. What sort of boyfriend is he? It was evident enough that he was no good for me.

After I left the party that night, I was grateful that I wasn’t too late to get a cab back home. My stupid boyfriend didn’t even make any attempt to see me off not to talk of taking me back home or to the hospital.

I knew it was no other than our family’s hospital so I rushed there. My baby was in the intensive care unit and I couldn’t help but cry. I realized at that instant that I had less time for my baby and more time for my useless boyfriend. Sometimes, I go to bed without even seeing her throughout the day. This was because Nadia takes her to school as early as possible before I even wake up to prepare for my school.

I always get back home in the evening when Ellah was at Mrs Landon’s residence, studying with her son, Jason. Before she comes back I’d be asleep already, school work was becoming more stressful for me and I go back home exhausted, most of the time.

Nina explained to me that Ellah lost consciousness immediately after I left and she didn’t want to disrupt my evening, thinking it wasn’t a serious matter. She had called me when they got to the hospital and Ellah was placed in the ICU just like when she was born.

I cried bitterly and watched over her till the daybreak. Nina was also with me despite my insistence for her to go home. I couldn’t go to school the next day. Ellah regained consciousness that night and I was delighted to see my smiling baby.

She was wriggling her feet and calling to Nina by the next morning with a big smile on her face.

Jason’s mother came visiting too in the hospital and she apologized for not coming earlier. She explained that Jason and Ellah were playing in the courtyard while she was busy cooking dinner. She heard Jason calling her and she quickly went out to see Ellah on the floor unconscious and Jaason crying.

“I even asked him what he did to her”, she had said.

“He said they were playing and she fell. Meanwhile, Jason’s father called and told me he was coming home with some of his colleagues from work, so I was trying to fix them something in a hurry before they would arrive, that was why I didn’t bring Ellah back home on time.”

The doctor discharged her and asked us to see him in his office. I was all smiling before he said he wanted to see Nina and me. I was really happy my baby was fine. I thought I was going to lose her. Seeing her back to her normal self was overwhelming. I told myself I needed to set my priorities right.

Ella was my priority. But when the doctor said he would like to see us, the fear in me came back as my heart thumped wildly.

“Is Ellah going to be fine?” I voiced out my thoughts to Nina who patted my back and smiled at me encouragingly as we walked to the doctor’s office.

‘Did something happen to my baby?’ I thought inwardly.

“Your daughter is asthmatic”, the doctor announced and it seemed like my world stopped as I stared at the doctor’s moving mouth, without hearing any other word apart from the fact that my daughter was asthmatic.

“How did that happen?” Nina asked.

“Asthmatic?” I finally uttered, more like a whisper. The doctor nodded. There were whitish beards all over his mouth and I realized he had grown older than the last time we saw him. That was during Ellah’s delivery. He was Nina’s family doctor and he was competent like Nina would claim.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“She was born prematurely”, he stated.

“What has that got to do with this? Ellah is three years old already”, my voice was raised and Nina placed her hand on my silk dress. That was the dress she bought for me for a change after I insisted that she won’t spend a second night in the hospital. She had gone home and came back the next day with a change of clothes for me and Ellah.

“Most babies like this end up with long-term health problems”, the doctor explained after a moment of silence.

“But it’s been three years already, doctor”, I Insisted.

Ellah is no longer premature”, I thought childishly.

She behaves more than her age. My daughter shouldn’t be a victim of a health problem. I began to cry again when the doctor didn’t reply to me. He only shrugged.

On our way home with Ellah, I was fuming in anger and Nina was quick to notice. I was not angry at the doctor but I was angry with Sidney. I felt giving him more attention than was needed was what led to my baby’s situation. If I was always home to watch over her, maybe… just maybe this wouldn’t have been the case.

I was angry with Sidney for not even showing any care about my baby and he claims to love me. That isn’t love.

What I was feeling for him at that moment was pure hatred and I was more than ready to break up with him.

“Don’t worry, Ellah will be fine. We just have to keep a close watch on her from now on to know when she will need the inhaler, that’s all.” Nina placed her left hand over my shoulder.

Richard was driving us home and Ellah was sound asleep in my arms. I was watching her every move like a hen watching over it’s chicks. Yes… She was my chick and it was high time I took responsibility as a mother… as a good mother

As for relationships, I am done. To hell with all the men and to hell with relationships. I don’t need them, I said inwardly.