Chapter 14 The Storm That Broke Her Day
After a while, she regained her composure and she quickly picked up the phone, assembled it and switched the phone back on. Amanda's heart raced as she struggled to redial her mother's number. Panic and fear gripped her, making it hard to breathe.
The phone began to ring again and it seemed like the longest wait of her life. Today is such a terrible day, she said to herself as she waited for her mother to get the call. After what felt like an eternity, her mother answered.
"Mother, please tell me what happened! Is the baby okay?" Amanda's voice quivered with anxiety.
Mrs. Roberts took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Amanda, it was a close call.
At this point, Amanda became impatient. All she wants to hear for now is if her baby is alright. She does not even know which of her babies got hurt.
Amanda's heart raced as she heard her mother's trembling voice on the phone.
"Daughter, it was Tyler. He is hurt"
Amanda's heart sank. Panic surged through her as she clutched the phone tightly. Tyler is the youngest of her quadruplets, and the thought of something happening to him sent shivers down her spine.
"What happened, mother? Is he okay?"
Her mother's voice quivered. "He was playing in the living room, and he tripped and fell. His left arm and right leg are broken. We are at the hospital now."
Unsettled, Amanda questions her mother. "Have you been attended to? Is he going to be fine?
Yes, yes," her mother reassured her. "Thankfully, the doctor on duty is quite kind and friendly with children. Tyler is fine, just a little shaken and in pain.
"Where are you? I will go there right away", Amanda inquired, still in fear.
We are still in the hospital. But, Amanda, you should go home. This incident has left all the children frightened. We will also be on our way home soon. "
Amanda nodded, though her mother couldn't see it over the phone. "I'll be there as soon as I can, Mom. Please tell Tyler that I love him and that I will be waiting for him at home."
Amanda hung up, her mind racing. She hailed a taxi and headed back home, her thoughts consumed by the close call with her youngest child.
When she arrived home, she found the children huddled together in the living room. The children rushed to embrace her when they saw her. Relieved to find them safe and sound, Amanda bursts into tears.
The day has been hectic for her. She is yet to get over what happened at the interview and now this. The children's tears increased when they saw their mother crying.
Amanda clung to her children, tears still glistening in her eyes. She has to stop crying if she wants them to stop. She held them tightly, whispering words of comfort so they could stop crying.
When they finally did. They gave her a breakdown of what happened to Tyler. "Mummy, Tyler fell and it is really bad." Adora cried out.
"He was jumping everywhere. I told him to stop. Even grandma, who was in the kitchen, warned him but he didn't and he tripped."
"Grandma was crying when she took him to the hospital, she said his condition was critical", Mason added.
Amanda sniffs several times, trying to hold back her tears. Seeing everyone like that made her sad the more.
"It's okay, Tyler is fine. The doctor had already attended to him. They should be back home soon."
Just as she finished talking, the door opened and Mrs Roberts came in with Tyler on her back. The little boy's face was flushed with pain, and his arm was in a makeshift sling.
They all rushed towards them. Amanda carried Tyler gently from her mother's back and sat down on the couch with him on her lap. The other kids surrounded her.
"Tyler baby, are you alright?" Amanda asked, checking his body out.
He nodded bravely, his lower lip quivering. "It hurts, Mommy."
Amanda held him close to her chest, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead. "It's okay, honey. You will be fine. Everything is going to be alright."
"Sorry, Tyler" Adora, who had started crying the moment she saw him, whispered behind his head."
Amanda looked at her mother with curious eyes. The mother understood immediately that she was asking for an update.
"The doctor said it was a clean break that could be mended with a cast. He will get better soon."
Relief washed over Amanda as she hugged her son more tightly. She gave her mother a thankful smile as she wiped Adora's tears.
Mrs. Roberts watched the tender moment between her daughter and grandson, her eyes filled with tears from the warmth of love.
Raising Amanda was one of the most difficult moments of her life and she had never imagined that Amanda's life would take this turn. She has been through so much and now she is proud of the strong, resilient woman her daughter has become.
By the time it was evening, Tyler had slept off, which gave Amanda and Mrs Roberts the mother and child moment. She was seated beside him on the bed stroking his hair, when Mrs Roberts came into the room.
"He is going to be fine," Mrs Roberts said, squeezing Amanda's shoulders.
Amanda nodded in agreement. Tears still leveled in her eyes. Mrs Roberts notices her teary face and holds her tight.
"Oh my daughter, you don't need to cry. You should thank God it is not more than this." Mrs Roberts said, trying to persuade her not to cry.
By now, Amanda had become so emotional. She could not hold back the tears anymore.
"Mother! What have I done wrong? Where did I miss it? Why do bad things keep happening to me?"
"You have done nothing, my dear. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people." Her mother draws her closer and hugs her.
"You have been a blessing to me since your birth and right now, with these kids, you are still a blessing. Nothing has changed. And very soon, everything will work out in your favor. Once you get the job at Xi company now, things will get better," Mrs Roberts assures.
Amanda released herself from her mother's grip. She adjusts her sitting posture on the bed, her eyes very gloomy because of excessive crying.
"Mother, about the job, I do not think I will be employed" Amanda said, hoping her mother would not be disappointed.
Mrs Roberts does not look disappointed but curious. She wanted to know what happened.
"Why would you say that? Did you not go for the interview? She questioned Amanda.
"I did," she replied reluctantly.
"Then what happened?" Her mother asked, looking straight into her eyes.
Amanda narrated everything that happened at the interview. How Mr. Kenny was looking at her lustfully and she became uncomfortable, Kira's smiles and Mrs Joan disregarding and degrading words.
Her mother listened quietly while Amanda was narrating her encounter. When she talked about Mrs. Joan, her mother, loudly started cursing her and Amanda had to cover her mouth so her children would not be alarmed.
After a while of ranting about the incident,Mrs Roberts calmed down. She reassures Amanda that all will be well.
"Xi is not the only place to work to make it, my dear. If they do not give you a job, it is their loss, not yours. Sooner or later, you will get a better job, okay?"
Amanda nodded in agreement and Mrs Roberts drew Amanda closer and held on to her so tight, she could hardly breathe.
At that moment, Amanda's phone rang and a notification popped up on the screen. She detaches from her mother and picks up the phone. What she saw shocked her and she froze.
"What is it? Mrs Roberts asked, impatient.
"Is it the Xi company?"