Mateo, the wretched man

"I thought I told you, this wretched man will starve to death one day. I wasn't in support of your 'love' thing with him. But you didn't listen. Now, look at what is happening. Your son lies helpless on his sick bed. He can't even pay for his medical bills." LUCY, Dianne's mum, who was fairly old and a pious woman, angrily but in a low tone spoke.

Dianne shook her head gently, "Ma, you don't talk about my husband like that."

"What has he done to you?" She countered without wasting time. "A man ought to care of his family. He must provide at least the basics; food, health and security. Now tell me, is he any better than a pagan?"

"Ma," Dianne insisted. "Please, not now. We're going through a lot right now." But Lucy was not having it, at least not that day. "Don't 'Ma' me. This boy deserves better than him. He's a wretched man. And all he does is sit on the laptop and do nothing the whole day. If I didn't hook him up with Mr. Patel, he would literally wait for you to put food on the table. And don't you ever think that am stupid. I know what's good for my daughter and clearly, it's not him. I wasn't in support of this marriage. Am not in support now."

Dianne exhaled audibly. Shortly thereafter, came the silence, at least for a few moments. Then, Lucy was heard flipping her fingers through a couple of hundreds and extended her hand to Dianne, "Here, this is Two thousand and three hundred. Add it to Junior's bill."

"Thank you", Dianne appreciated receiving the cash. Tears welled in her eyes. Lucy embraced her in her arms, "That boy needs you to be strong. Not your tears. Do whatever you can do to save him. If it's selling your property, do it. You'll lose your son in the name of waiting for your husband. I bet I never gave birth to a Sisi."

Mateo, apparently standing on the other side of the door and listened to everything his mother in-law said about him. He thus announced his presence with a cough and walked into the ward. He greeted her regardless. "Hi, Ma." He turned to Dianne and extended the money in his hand, "I've managed to organize a two hundred. And we have about nine hundred in pledges."

Dianne took the money and added it to what the mother had given her, "Ma gave us 2.3k."

"Thank you, Ma." Mateo commented with a grateful heart.

Lucy looked at him in disbelief.

As the awful words the mother in-law said about him were sinking in, Mateo's mind cruised back half a decade – the first time he met her:

Flashback….

The heavens were heavy with dark minibus clouds. And in no time, rains, in their majesty and strength, gushed down violently. A few minutes had passed after twilight. A knock was heard at the door. Dianne was quick to her feet and excitedly announced to Lucy, "It must be him."

Lucy sat at one end of the table that was decked with sumptuous food without saying a word. She watched Dianne rush to the door and usher in a Mateo who was covered in a yellow raincoat. After exchanging a set of quick hearty pleasantries, he extended a bottle of cheap wine to Dianne, "I brought you something." Elated, she was grateful and quickly helped Mateo take off his coat, and hung it on the jacket stand by the door.

"This way please," Dianne led Mateo to the table and made an introduction, "This is Lucy, my dear Mother. Ma, this is Mateo, the gentleman I told you about."

The trio sat at the table. The food was served and Mateo dived in without further ado. He was famished. He quickly shoveled in a few scoops of food and washed it down with a glass of champagne. Lucy kept a keen eye on him as she chewed her food slowly and with grace. A few moments later, as the trio were relaxing over a few scoops of home-made ice- cream, Lucy opened up and kept the conversation alive, - rather, in an awkward fashion, "Exactly, what are your intentions with my daughter?"

Mateo, not expectant to such a probe, cleared his throat and answered, "Well, with your blessing, I hope to marry her."

"I see," Lucy plainly teased him. "And what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a system developer. I'm in IT." Mateo replied. Dianne sank in silence and discomfort.

Lucy nodded her head gently. "So, you develop systems?"

"Yes." He nodded while stuffing a scoop of ice cream in his mouth.

Lucy looked in the eyes. Her gaze screamed aloud with impudence, "How many systems have you developed thus far?"

"Well, am currently working on my first project," Mateo replied calmly.

Lucy smiled and gave her verdict, "In my honest opinion. You're don't deserve to call yourself a systems developer. At least not now. My daughter is naïve, I get that. But I don't feel you are ready for marriage. Both of you. You, sir, need to work on yourself. Define and add value to yourself, then we can talk about marriage and all. Otherwise, you're simply a work in progress."

Mateo was floored to the pit of humiliation. Sweat perforated through his skin. He was stuck between a hard place and rock. He, however, had the guts to look at her straight in the eyes. Dianne stretched her hand gently rubbed his upper arm in solidarity. Lucy stood up and drew the last punch before leaving for her bedroom, "It's nothing personal. I just want the best for my daughter. Now, if you may excuse me." The aspiring couple was left dumbfounded. Silence was all they could afford.

…Back to Present

The next day, while Mateo kept an eye on Junior, Dianne sought a short walk around the hospital that led her to the office of the Doctor on call. The urge to add weight to their requests to assistance kept building in her but every time, she came out on top. But this time, the story was different. She succumbed thereto and in no time, she was at the door of the Doctor on call, knocking. A male voice bade her to go in. She did and closed the door behind her.

Behind the desk, sat the Tall and handsome doctor who had been attending Mateo Jr. Dianne sat without been invited to and straight away waged her intentions, "What kind of a man are you? You fail to help a poor boy dying under your care?"

The Doctor looked at the beautiful goddess and wondered, "Didn't I explain my position? It was just yesterday. I mean, what do you want from me?"

"Help." Dianne emphasized.

The Doctor smiled and said, "I can help. But on one condition. That is if you really love your son."

Dianne allowed a moment and probe, "What is the condition?"

"Make out with me. Right here, right now." The Doctor demanded. "And be rest assured I will pay for your bill in full."

Dianne looked at the medic and stood up. "I am a married woman. I can't do such."

The Doctor smiled and stood up, "What is worse, having an affair with me or watching the poor boy die when you could have done something about it?"

Dianne turned and walked to the door. She reached for the handle but the medic called out, "Wait." He walked after her and held her waist, "What are you doing with him, anyway? He can't support his own child at a critical time. I can take care of you and the boy. Just give me a chance." The Doctor fetched an envelope stuffed with cash from his white coat and placed it in Dianne's hand, "That's 10k. Plus, we can start a life together when the boy is okay. Just give me a chance. Please."

Dianne turned around and he gently ushered her against the door. He wheeled his hands up her body, meandered them on the breasts and finally around the neck. He slowly tilted his head forward and aimed his lips on Dianne's. She gave in and they began kissing.

On the other end, Mateo Junior, opened his eyes for the first time and yawned. Mateo smiled and remarked with a ray of hope, "Hey buddy." Junior closed his eyes and he slowly tilted the head to the left. He was dead. Mateo noticed the sudden change and he rushed out to call for help. And as fate would have it, he dashed to the Doctor on call's office. Tears were flowing from his eyes. He was barely thinking. He, without knocking, sauntered into the office and yelled, "Help! My…" His statement came to abrupt halt. He could believe his eyes. Dianne locked in a doggy style, was making love to the Doctor.

Mateo, dumbfounded, slouched to the ward where Junior was nursed. He knelt down by the boy's lifeless body and wept aloud.