Chapter 61: Reconnecting

In less than a second, everyone gathered around the young doctor whom everyone would have thought was a bouncer or a former boxer, before assuming he was a medical doctor. Unlike everyone else, he seemed to have trouble lowering his arms.

Mrs Brown turned to face Tacha, whose eyes had swelled to twice their original size. A few minutes ago, she was upset that Tacha and her son had met again, but after a short while, she felt sympathy for the young woman. The fact that she was a mother and the young child was her granddaughter contributed to her sudden feelings. As a mother of five, she recalled times when she feared losing any of her kids when they became very ill.

"Doctor, this is the child's mother." Mrs. Brown looked over at Tacha. “My son here is the younger brother to the child's father. He will also come with you." Mrs. Brown said. She knew Tacha was the first person who wanted to know how her daughter was doing.  "Anthony will understand better whatever the doctor has to say. We will wait here.”

Tacha didn't bother to give it a second thought why Mrs. Brown was suddenly warm towards her. It was just an act of pity. Anyone would because of what she was going through. She realised that very quickly. And chose not to put a name on the quick change she was seeing.

The steps Tacha took to get to the doctor's office were slower than her heartbeat. As she entered the doctor's office, the odour of the drugs had vanished and was replaced by the scent of roses.

“Miss Tacha, your daughter is suffering from kidney disease and we need to carry out surgery as soon as possible.”

Tacha's heart dropped to the ground. She was numb with cold from the tip of her fingers to her toes. The sudden shock that hit her was undescribable. How? When? A child that has been fine for weeks, so how? Kidney disease! Her soul left her body and she fought everything she could to make it come back but not until she heard a tiny voice in her head.

“Tacha.” Someone had called her name. She turned towards Anthony who tapped her lightly on her shoulder.

“Yes.” Her reply was faint. Very slow and clueless. Her eyes were heavily soaked with tears. Troubled and red than the colour red itself. “Anthony…will she survive?” Her voice had a hint of pain as the words came out softly. Afraid she might break down in the presence of the two young men staring intensely at her.

Tacha stood up. “Please take me to her.”

“I think you should listen to me first Miss Tacha,” the doctor persuaded, but Tacha had already walked away from her seat, covering her eyes to hide the tears that had begun flowing. When will she stop crying? How could she be so careless? How could she not notice her baby girl was sick? What if it had gotten worse before they realised? Could she have lost her child? Tacha's heart was pounding very heavily. Her breathing was clashing with her thoughts and even though physically she seemed fine, her thoughts were choking her gut that she almost collapsed in the room.

Tacha opened the door and walked away.

“Mummy,”  Anna called out to her Mum the moment she saw Tacha. As if she had been waiting for her Mum to appear at the door entrance because she had not even taken a step away from the door before Anna called at her.

Tacha inspected her daughter's body very quickly.

“Mummy, am I sick?’

“A little.” Tacha stared back at her baby girl, holding back the pain in her eyes. She had stopped crying. She didn't want Anna seeing how puffy her eyes were. She avoided looking into her baby girl's eyes. Tacha held onto her daughter's hand. “You will be fine dear. You are not sick.”

“But I'm in the hospital, Mummy. I saw a nurse. Only very sick people come to the hospital.”

“Anna.”

Tacha whispered, her voice almost shaking.

Mrs. Brown, who had been watching Anna, came closer to both mother and daughter. She could see that Tacha was unsure of how to respond to the situation once more. She knew she was trying to hide the truth about her daughter's condition, but it was better to bring the child along and let her know she would get better.

“But Mummy, you said your sister went to the hospital too but later died. Am I going to die too?”

Tacha was drained by those words. Where was this coming from?

Her stomach flipped. Her forehead was sweaty.

This was not the time to talk about her lost sister.

She can't afford to lose anyone dear to her again.

Those words were enough to break her into pieces. Maybe they did shatter her, because…she froze. Her mouth trembled with no courage to stop her daughter from saying such nonsense. She had told her the truth, that visiting the hospital does not guarantee your survival.

The strength she thought she had to face her daughter had gone out the instant Anna said those words. She said those words to her unconsciously when she kept on asking about her younger sister whom they visited at the cemetery. Who knew her daughter still remembered those words?

Tacha turned slowly, her cheeks burning as the tears spilt out with force. To breathe, Tacha put a hand on her chest. Her own tears were choking her.

The last person Tacha would have wanted to see her in this mess would be Mrs. Brown. However, she was standing very close and was starting to respond to her daughter's questions.

“No, darling. You are going back home to Mummy and Daddy.”

A very juicy smile filled Anna's face. “My friend said when you are sick, wishes do come true. She said her mummy and daddy gave her everything she asked for. She even got a new bicycle ma. A very big teddy bear.” Anna demonstrated with her hands. When she turned to face her Mum, she paused. Another look at her Mum who was back to paying attention to her, she said, “can I start asking now?”

The worry which had stayed on Mrs Brown's face was replaced with a heartwarming smile. “Mummy can hear you. Daddy has superpowers to hear you wherever he is too.”

Anna raised herself before Tacha could assist her. “I have plenty. I will start with ten.”

This time, Mrs. Brown chuckled, trying her best not to make Anna feel she was being made jest of. A faint smile took over Tacha's lips. She would have loved to smile so big, but she was glad the pain she felt was no more after seeing the joy on her daughter's face. She was too weak to smile.

“I wish to see my Daddy.” Anna paused. There was a deep quietness. Words failed Tacha, leaving the sudden gasp that escaped her mouth to show her disbelief. Tacha kept quiet, watching her daughter who seemed to communicate freely with Mrs. Brown. She didn't hate the bond that was growing between them, but she hated that in one day, the two were acting as if they'd known each other for ages.

A sad expression took over Anna's face. “But my Mummy told me he has travelled.”

“Really.” Mrs Brown smiled.

“Yes.” Anna nodded. “Maybe now that I'm sick he will come and take me and my Mummy away. Everybody in my school will not be asking me where my Daddy is.” Anna's smile was huge. “And my mummy can give me a little sister like Feyisara’s mummy–”

“Madam!” Tacha's voice was enough to make Anna keep quiet. “Please, you need to rest your head.” What she had wanted to say was…Madam rest!

Tacha would not want Mrs. Brown to believe that she considered Anna's response or taught her what to say. While laying down her baby girl, Tacha did her best to avoid meeting the eyes of the woman behind her. She completely avoided Mrs. Brown. She grabbed her phone, which she knew would keep her daughter occupied, and reached for her bag.

“Alade.” Mrs. Brown called with a hint of surprise. The name distracted whatever Tacha was doing. They might not have spoken to each other but she knew who he was. He was Nathan's cousin. He was as tall as every Brown. But he was fair in complexion. The two seemed to be close but Tacha had never seen them together.

"Good afternoon, Mumsy." Alade hugged Mrs Brown before letting her go and holding her hand. "I came to meet Anthony so we could go somewhere together. I just couldn't go when I was told he was here. Hope everything is fine.”

“Thank you, my son. God has brought you for us. Your cousin is not around and we are waiting for Anthony to tell us what's going on. How are your children?”

“Mumsy, you should have called me. My kids are doing well.”

Mrs. Brown managed to point to the bed close to her making sure Tacha didn't see her. “That's Nathan's child.”

Alade wouldn't have acted surprised if he was to be told by someone else. But it was Mrs. Brown and he couldn't start narrating that he knew for a long time. Alade moved away from Mrs. Brown and took about five gentle steps towards Anna's bed.

Reaching into his pocket, Alade took out his phone.

Alade - Cuz I'm here. About to make up something that might not make her say no.

Nathan - I trust you. I owe you again.

Alade returned his phone to his pocket. Nathan had called him as soon as Kate had told him what was happening. He longed to talk to Tacha but knew he couldn't do so. Even though he is the child's father, she would still choose not to speak to him and would not accept his assistance, so it is not like he would not have done that right away. Then, Alade was the only person that came to his mind.

"I am hoping this is not getting to you," Alade spoke softly while gazing at Anna, who was occupied with her mother's phone.

Tacha wrapped her hands all over her body. "According to the doctor, she has kidney disease. And would require going through surgery. How can I avoid thinking about this? She is too young. I am considering the best way to help her get through this pain-free." Tacha turned to face Alade. "I appreciate your concern.”

“If you do not mind, though.”

Tacha fixed her gaze on Alade. “What could that be?”

"Last year, my child experienced something similar. Someone suggested the hospital. I had to transfer my baby girl there. They have sponsors who are concerned about the health of children and who donate between fifty to seventy per cent of their profits to the child's survivor. Maybe you could give them a try. My little girl is doing great right now.”

Tacha's expression brightened.

Mrs. Brown became confused, pondering whether Alade was referring to the same child she knew.

Anthony, who had made it into the room, grabbed his Mum's hand. “Please don't say anything, Mum,” he whispered.

Tacha had a hopeful expression on her face. Her expression conveyed that her child was not alone and that successful surgery was possible. "Please let me know how I can transfer my girl if yours could survive this. Although I am not yet certain of the type of kidney disease, but Anthony—”

“I'm here.” Anthony stepped forward. “Can you give us a minute please?”

Alade stepped back. Once again, he reached for his phone in his pocket.

Alade - Done.

Nathan - I will be in Nigeria in a couple of hours. Please make all the arrangements. However, there is one thing left.