At dawn I headed to the bus station and booked the earliest bus to my hometown. Straight I went to the hospital where he was. I opened the door and I remained perplexed. He lay there, with a life support machine. He seemed lifeless and for the first time I was afraid of losing him. I couldn't imagine my life without him. I couldn't hold myself, tears rolled down. My mother on the other hand was sound asleep on the chair next to him. It broke my heart; literally I could feel my heart crack in my chest. I wanted to tell him a lot at that moment, how he was my hero but the situation. The situation wasn't fit.
I walked up to where mother slept. 'Mother,' I called out softly, patting her shoulders. She softly opened her sleepy eyes. When she caught sight of me she uttered my name softly, Naya, my daughter. You didn't have to come, you… You'll miss out a lot in school.
My studies were the least of my problems at the moment. 'How can I not be worried about him when family is all that I get? Mother doesn't matter what decision I would have made, every road was leading home,' I assured her that I'd catch up when I got back
'How's he? What did the doctors say ?" , she explained that he was fine and would be discharged the following day .The doctors had taken some lab sample and the results would be out in three days' time since the sample was to be sent to the oncology lab in the capital. I was clueless on whatever she said but for me the good news was he was being discharged. I asked her to go home and get same rest I'd take care of dad but she refused. Instead she asked me to go home and do some necessary house chores and perhaps prepare some food for them as they came home the following day
The house was a little bit dusty. No one had been there for three days so the dust was quite understandable. In the kitchen sink laid dirty dishes that were about to grow molds. The floor was not that clean, anyone including a blind person could spot a few stains. I turned the sound system on, connected with my phone and began to play some music as I did some intense cleaning. By noon I was already done and ideal I decided to switch on the television. I spent the rest of the day changing channels, diverting attention to my phone and then back to the TV.
The next afternoon when my parents arrived I had already prepared some noodles with fried eggs and diced beef. I can't forget their warms were ready especially for mother. After the showers we sat at the table filling our bellies with something. He lacked the appetite; he took about three spoons and pushed the plates away. He went to the front house corridor and mother followed. I lost my appetite as well. So I decided to clear the table as they enjoyed the cool breeze and not-so noisy environment. A few of our caring neighbors dropped by to check up on him and brought some quick recovery cookies. As usual I didn't forget to inform my all-time present but miles away boyfriend about how things were going on, on a daily basis: I gave him a report of how my father was doing and how mother handled the situation
It had been one of the most boring weeks. I was home all alone without my siblings to argue with. I was always there trying to help my parents. On Saturday evening lazily resting in my room with my headphones playing the loudest music ever, I had an incoming call. It was August. I was shocked what wrong had happened, why she is calling me, I thought as I swiped to the left to answer
Most definitely we began with the greetings, and she asked how my dad was fairing, I told her he was recovering and how grateful I was that the lab test came out negative meaning that he had no cancer cells. She then proceeded to ask me whether I had been online.
"No, I haven't. What's up? I asked her. "You mean you haven't checked out Lucca's green app, stories? 'No, I haven't .What has he posted, I asked curiously.
She told me to check it out before he pulled it down. She hanged up after telling me she would send me a screenshot in case he pulled the post down. She also mentioned to be having some other terrible breaking news that she would not tell me while I was still at home. She would tell me once I returned she would be there for me with Anne in order to comfort me
Well, didn't the cat die out of curiosity? I decided to die just like the cat; I connected my phone to the WIFI and got into the green app to check out Lucca's stories. But before that I opened the image that August had sent me. It was Lucca's friend; he was male, to clear things out. I didn't get why he would pull down a picture of his best friend. I thought August had sent it by mistake. I proceeded to Lucca's stories. Well I didn't see anything that required my attention. I existed from his stories and I was about to disconnect from my network connection when I gasped out loudly 'UHH! Huuh! Maybe there's something that requires my urgent attention. I quickly went back to his stories and swiped to the picture of his friend. 'Fuck!' I said zooming the picture out to have the clear view: to confirm that my eyes were not playing tricks on me.
Well my eyes were perfectly fit and healthy; I wasn't high so I wasn't hallucinating. The old shop attendant's word came back flowing in my head "I hope whoever...…is worth it..." I said softly to me "it wasn't worth it 'as my heart broke into pieces, tears rolling down uncontrollably with zero words to explain what was happening. I was so confused, filled with a lot of anger and rage
The necklace I bought, with my money, my savings. The one thing he never bothered to wear his best friend was wearing it. I had seen my friends cry because of heartbreak and I'd make fun of them wondering why someone would cry over someone's son. You're not related by blood, why cry. Now here I was crying because, someone else was wearing the necklace I bought someone I thought would be my boyfriend. I decided to call him and hear his side of the story. Perhaps it would make more sense than jumping into my conclusions.
Hello, I began with a shaky voice and trembling lips. Before he could respond I blasted him out "I have seen your stories, and I've been meaning to ask whether there is any kind of message that you would like to convey? What do you mean, he asked in a rather confused voice.
Don't pretend, you definitely know what I mean. He doesn't say a word. 'Say something,' I screamed 'Tell me I'm wrong, tell me they resemble '
What are you talking about? He asks again. The necklace your best friend is wearing'.
'Oh! That he got it from my table when we were going for the shoot,' he took it lightly. I heard from the way he answered. He never seemed bothered, his voice was so relaxed. I ended the call
Monday morning was finally here. I bid my parents and boarded a bus to school. I was in time for my first lecture, the law of Contract. Before the professor walked in I was begging Anne to tell me what they didn't want to tell me during the weekend. She refused to say a thing. 'I can't tell you without August,' After class we were in the store, August began to talk in a mockery way "So while you were away we dug some dirt on your lover boy. The only problem is, he's tall, dark and handsome so you won't believe a thing.' With a left raised eyebrow I gave her a look that made her talk with less sarcasm. "So guess who's been in a two-year stable relationship? I shrugged my shoulders as I sat upright to listen to her newly gathered gossip.
'Your handsome boy,' I repeated her last words as I asked her what she meant?
'okay let me be blatant, Lucca is in a two-year relationship, with this bitch I can't recall her name and yesterday he came with her , guess what she was wearing ?i shrugged again. She was wearing his sweater
How did you know it was his? As tears garnered in my eyes and I looked up to prevent them from embarrassing me. The sweater was printed, Lucca, the executive editor.
I was shattered, broken into pieces, I couldn't imagine a world without seeing him, I was so lost. I wanted to go up to him and tell him how much I needed him or maybe scream at him not to leave me. Promise him I'd love him forever, ask him to hold on a little bit or may be come back to me. I couldn't hold it anymore I broke into tears as I covered my face with both of my arms. . You're crying! Anne shouted as she approached me probably to comfort me or mock me whatever it was she stood before she could reach me. Here she is, she whispered. I didn't bother to find out what she meant. Naya here she is, she said again. I wiped my tears as I inhaled sharply and painfully. I saw a lady walk to the back, some soft drinks and cereals. That's the girlfriend, she concluded. As she approached the counter I was shaking violently, shattering in my arms, a million choking gasps trying so hard to hold together
"Fuuuck! I knew I had seen her somewhere, not once nor twice but severally on Lucca's Stories.' The million times I saw her on his stories flashed before my eyes.
How could I be this stupid, naïve and blind?