The following day, Ayo came back to the house so early and went straight to his room where he met his wife and son sleeping.
Ayo: Adaobi! Adaobi! He tapped her roughly on her shoulder ‘wake up’.
Adaobi: Sitting up and seeing that Its her husband asked with sleepy eyes ‘where have you been all night’?
Ayo: and where were you yesterday and why is your phone switched off?
Adaobi: My battery was low and I didn’t get the chance to charge it when I came in last night. where have you been?
Ayo: if you were here, none of this would have happened and didn’t Chidi tell you I said you should call me back?
Adaobi: he did, I was too tired lastnight.
Ayo: Really! Do you know that my mother is in the hospital and I have been running around all night.
Adaobi: Oh my God! What happened?
Ayo: I don’t know, she hit her head and has been unconscious. She has been hospitalized.
Adaobi: Wow! I am so sorry, you should take care of her very well and do everything possible.
Ayo: I need you to please help me put one or two clothes together and get her ready while I freshen up. You will have to go to the hospital and stay with her till she gets better.
Adaobi: I am sorry but I think that you should call your sister to come and stay with her.
Ayo: Yes she would have loved to but she is writing her exams as I speak with you.
Adaobi: then you shouldn’t go to work and spend all the time with her.
Ayo: but you should be there, I have a lot going on right now and I need to be at work.
Adaobi: I am afraid, I can’t go to the hospital, I just got a job and skipping it, is not my agenda.
Ayo: Adaobi, you should go and stay with Mami for she needs you right now.
Adaobi: Just as how my father needed me.
Ayo: Adaobi please don’t start.
Adaobi: What! I am not starting anything, I am only saying that I will not go and spend my time with a woman who hates me so much and to think that she never wanted me to visit my father is worse. I won’t go, I need to get myself and my son ready.
Ayo: Adaobi please, I am sorry about your father….
Adaobi: ‘Good, take good care of your mom for she is all you have got’ she said and entered the bathroom to get ready for work.
==
Kemi: ‘brother Ayo, how is Mami’ she asked as soon as she sighted him in the hospital.
Ayo: She is fine and is asleep.
Kemi: What happened to her?
Ayo: She slipped and hit her head badly.
Kemi: is she really okay?
Ayo: yes she is.
Kemi: can I see her now?
Ayo: yes you can but she is sleeping at the moment.
Kemi: breathe a sign of relief ‘how come you are here and didn’t you go to work today’.
Ayo: no I didn’t.
Kemi: What about your wife, why isn’t she here?
Ayo: She just got a job and it will be bad if she misses work today.
Kemi: Job! is work more important than our mother?
Ayo: No it isn’t but she started work yesterday and she can’t just skip work when she just resumed.
Kemi: Hmmm okay. That means she will be here in the evening abi, after work?
Ayo: I hope so. Ermmm Kemi since Mami is still sleeping, why don’t you go home and prepare something for Mami?
Kemi: you mean your wife didn’t prepare anything for her before leaving for work?
Ayo: ‘Kemi please, I am not ready for any question and answer segment. Take this money, go to the market, buy whatever you need and prepare something for her. Make it quick and fast’ he said as he handed her the money.
Kemi: collected the money and went to the market bought all she needed and went home to prepare the food. When she finished, she dished it and went to the hospital where Mami was waiting for her.
Mami: ‘Kemi’
Kemi: Hello Mami, how are you feeling and how is your head?
Mami: My head is fine just a little headache from time to time.
Kemi: Your healed in Jesus name
Mami: Amen.
Kemi: where is brother, I left him here.
Mami: Yes, he left for work. He said there are a lot of things he has to do which he hasnt been done and that you will bring me something to eat.
Kemi: Okay but work this evening? By the way Mami, has Adaobi called you?
Mami: No! why?
Kemi: she should have called you atleast or ……
Mami: Or what?
Kemi: I don’t know, showed that she worries about you and your health. It seems brother Ayo is trying to cover up for her inability to be here.
Mami: You shouldn’t stress yourself about that especially now that she just buried her father few weeks back.
Kemi: You mean her dad died?
Mami: Yes!
Kemi: Wow! Hope the burial was successful?
Mami: Yes it was.
Kemi: and hope brother stood by her side when she needed him the most
