Mandume paced the room, anxiety bubbling beneath his skin. His eyes kept flicking to the door.
"This doctor isn't coming, Star… Oh." His voice cracked. He bolted outside, yanking his phone from his pocket. The line clicked.
"Where are you? It's getting late, please hurry!" Mandume snapped.
"I'm close. Thirty more seconds," the doctor replied calmly.
Mandume hung up with a huff. "Thirty seconds? I can't even wait one."
He raced back into Star's room, jaw clenched. Maria sat quietly beside Star, her voice a venomous whisper.
"That's what you get when you try to expose my secrets, Star. Hope you've learned your lesson."
Mandume dropped into the chair opposite her, reaching for Star's hand with trembling fingers.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, tears collecting in his eyes. "I didn't mean to shout at you like that. I'm sorry…"
Everyone in the room turned, shocked by the crack in his voice.
"Why are you crying?" Bonita asked gently. "She's going to be fine."
"No, Boni, you don't get it." Mandume's voice was hoarse. "I hurt her. Maybe I should've just listened…"
The doorbell rang. He jumped to his feet and dashed to the door.
"Doctor! Thank God. Come in."
"I thought you were the one who needed help," the doctor said, eyeing him. "You look pale."
"Can you stop diagnosing me and check on her, please?" Mandume barked, already leading the way. "She's pregnant. Be careful."
"Relax, he's a doctor, not a sledgehammer," Bonita muttered.
The doctor approached the bed, and the room fell silent. After examining Star and running some initial tests, he paused, frowning.
"Doctor? Is she okay?" Mandume asked.
"She's fine…in fact, I don't see anything wrong with the pregnancy or her vitals. But she's unconscious. What happened exactly?"
Maria leaned in. "You look confused, Doctor. What's the issue?"
"That's just it," the doctor said. "She's physically fine. No signs of trauma, no complications. Why is she unconscious?"
Mandume took a breath. "We were just talking. I asked her what she saw at the clinic we visited earlier. She started talking…then suddenly went silent. At first, I thought she was joking, so I shouted at her. And then she collapsed."
"Silent?" The doctor's expression sharpened. He ran another quick test. "Help me lift her shirt a little—I need to check her voice box."
Mandume obeyed.
Moments later, the doctor stepped back. "Preliminary test suggests…mutism."
"Mutism?" Bonita echoed. "What's that?"
"It's a condition where a person is unable to speak. Causes vary—deafness, neurological disorders, psychological shock… but she's not deaf, is she?"
"No," Mandume confirmed.
"Then it could be from psychological stress—too much excitement or severe fear. In her case, I can't confirm without deeper tests. But she should regain consciousness within an hour or two."
"Is it dangerous?" Mandume asked quickly. "For her? For the baby?"
"Not at all," the doctor assured. "It's not painful, just alarming. Think of it like this—her emotions overwhelmed her voice. It's her body shutting off one system to preserve another."
"But… she wasn't excited. She looked anxious," Mandume recalled.
"Then fear might be the trigger. Bring her to the hospital tomorrow for a full evaluation. She needs rest tonight."
"Understood. Thank you, Doctor."
"I'm a call away if anything changes," the doctor said, packing up.
After he left, Maria snorted quietly. "Mutism, huh?"
"I've never heard of it," Christine whispered, awed.
Bonita stood. "Star is going to be fine. And Mom, that's just one more reason to treat her like family. Her life is in our hands now."
Christine stepped forward, laid a hand gently on Star's forehead, and kissed it. "No weapon formed against you shall prosper," she murmured and walked out.
Maria shot Bonita a deadly glare, but with Mandume in the room, she masked it. "Of course, Angel. I'll take extra care of her." Her smile was a lie, her exit silent but sinister.
Bonita's fists clenched. You'll regret threatening her, Mom. Her mission was clear now—she would protect Star at all costs. Even if that meant rebelling against her mother.
After everyone left, Mandume was still there, hand wrapped tightly around Star's.
"Hey, bro," Bonita teased. "You're still holding her hand."
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.
"You love her, don't you?"
Mandume opened his mouth, hesitated. "I… I don't—"
"Come on. I know you. You've never looked at anyone the way you look at her. Not even Tiffanie. This… this is fate."
"You're right," he finally admitted, his voice low. "But I can't have her. She's—"
"She's already yours," Bonita cut in. "You're scared Mom will find out. So what? Star was raped, and yet, you love her. You didn't love Tiffanie like that, not even close. And ask yourself this—why does her pregnancy make her even more beautiful to you?"
Mandume narrowed his eyes. "Why are you saying all this? You like her?"
"Yes," Bonita said firmly. "I judged her at first—I thought she was here to steal Mom's attention. But I was wrong. She's real. She's herself."
"Don't tell Mom," Mandume whispered. "Star's terrified she'll throw her out."
Bonita smiled. "Don't worry. You've got my loyalty. If she's what you want, I'll help you keep her safe. And trust me, I know how to handle Mom."
He chuckled softly. "Introducing a pregnant girlfriend to her is a death wish."
"You're not wrong," Bonita laughed. "Want water? Juice? Cookies?"
"Juice, please."
"One juice, coming up!"