CHAPTER 6: PROBLEMS

It was the 7th month of my pregnancy, I stopped my hawking since the pregnancy became heavy. My mum took over, and I stayed at home awaiting delivery. Things changed for the better, the sales were great, so my parents were able to carry me to the hospital for antenatal. The doctor examined me and saw the need for a caesarean section. My parents didn't have enough money for the caesarean operation, but when the doctor said that I might lose my life or the baby's , my parents panicked. They resorted to increase the capital to save money for the operation.

The plan was working when something terrible happened. My mum had an accident, she was knocked down by a fast moving vehicle, she had wanted to cross to the opposite side of the road. It was an old classmate of mine that ran to the house ,"

"Chidiebere, Ebere, onyenunor ( who is at home )" I still remember Kate screaming and panting.

"Kate, this one you came today, what is it,? bahunor (come inside), noor (welcome), I said.

"Ebere, it's not a matter of being welcoming, your mum is dying, she got knocked by a fast moving car. She has lost so much blood." she said.

"Jesus!!! "I screamed.

"where?" I asked shaking.

"At st. Peter's junction" she said, we were already running .

I saw my mother laying lifeless at the junction with oranges littering everywhere, I carried her to Dr. Jane's hospital. Unfortunately , Dr. Jane was not on seat. I had forgotten to collect money from Dad's safe, I begged them to put her on a bed, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and saw my dad at home, he had returned from the farm.

"Ebere, where did you go? I searched for you all around the house.", my father asked.

"Accident! Accident!! Accident!!!" I shouted brushing passed him and went to his safe,

he was confused because he apparently didn't know about the accident but he knew all wasn't well.

"Onyewen accident?(who had an accident), he asked.

" Nnemwe accident (mother had an accident),"

"it's a lie". he said, trying not to believe.

"come to the hospital" I said.

We ran together to the hospital. My mum was placed on drip, she was still unconscious. We paid the bills for the bed and drip. We came the next day with food for mum, she was conscious when we got there but she was weak and still on drip. I asked for Dr. Jane again, her PA said she and her family relocated to the UK. I dropped my hands in disappointment, now hope is completely gone. Dr Jane was the one person that could have helped us but now all hope is lost. God why?

What I thought was a minor case turned out to be major case. After spending the money meant for my caesarean operation, all my savings went into her treatment, she still wasn't improving.

The doctor said she needed an operation that will cost 750k naira. We didn't have the money for the operation. She was in the hospital for 3 weeks with no improvements.

"I need to see both of you in my office, the doctor said in a very serious tone, talking to my dad and I , "Mr. Ebuka, your wife , Onyinye is getting worse and without proper treatment, she might lose her life", the doctor said in his office.

"Doctor please, we don't have such amount of money for the operation, please keep her here for sometime, "my father pleaded.

"Well, you don't have any outstanding debt in the hospital, neither do we have a right to keep her here. Look, keeping her here will just accumulate bills," said the doctor.

"What are you saying , I asked.

"I am saying that your mums case needs operation or she might lose her legs, I am afraid or worse still paralyzed" , the doctor said.

" But doctor, the money isn't ready yet," my father said.

"Well, I give you till next week , after which, she will be discharged. If the money for the operation is not ready," he said with an air of authority.

"How can we get 750k naira by next week?" I asked rhetorically.

"Well, that's your business and not mine. This is for the cutting down of expenses for you. If we keep her here, the bed charges and other expenses will grow but if you have the money for the operation, it's a different matter, I am sorry but I … can't help, this is not a charity organization, she is just occupying our bed" the doctor said.

"Please, doctor," my dad said, about going down on his kneels.

"we are done here, you may now leave "the doctor said standing to leave.

My dad and I left the doctor's office. We went to see my mum but she was asleep. We went home.

That night, I knelt to pray but couldn't find the right words, I began to sob, when I remembered how I was raped, my parents fired, my pregnancy, me hawking and now my mum hospitalized.

God why? Did my family and I do wrong by serving you? Did we ever served any God other than you? Why do you choose to punish us like this. Did we in anyway offend you? I asked rhetorically in tears, you call yourself God the omnipresent , where were you when I was raped? Where were you when I got pregnant.? Where? where are you? Are you on a vacation? Ehn? God do something, prove to me that you are a mighty God, prove to me that you still exist," I was still sobbing in the palour when my dad came and heard me asking God different questions.

"Ebere, how come you are not asleep and why are you asking God such questions,?" he asked.

"Nnam( father). I cant sleep, mother is hospitalized. If God is God, how come he allowed these things to happen to us", I said in tears.

"My child, do not ever say such about God, he knows everything, God knows the best time for everyone. Night now, morning later, we are falling but we shall stand again, onyemaechi(God knows tomorrow)" he said, "let us pray," he added and held my hand.

"Dad, I am not in the mood for prayers, I don't think this will work, I don't believe that this prayer will work," I said.

"Never say such, prayer works. Believe in prayers, God is the one to look up to when trouble comes, he is the strength to the weak", my dad said, "let us pray," he concluded as he held my hand to pray.

* * * *

"Buy sweet oranges and banana," I shouted in my hawking bid.

"Oranges, please wait," said a buyer, I stopped and looked back.

Wow! Its ijeoma, we have not seen each other since the rape issue.

"How much is this orange,?" she asked.

"Ijeoma , don't you know me."

"Ah ah, how did you know my name, have we met before? "

"Ij baby, does it ring a bell? I am Chidiebere."

"Wow, Ebere, is this you? How come you are pregnant and hawking, what happened?" She asked.

"It's a long story", I said.

"Well, lets hear it."

"In this blinding sun? besides, I need to sell all these fruits before the sun sets."

"Don't worry, I will pay for all of them." Ijeoma just like Emeka was from a wealthy Christian home.

Apparently, she seem oblivious of my predicament.

"Infact, how much is all of them," she asked.

"Emm, 1200 naira" I answered in amazement.

"Take this, she put 2000 naira in my hand. You know what, let's go somewhere shady, okay?"

"Okay", I agreed in excitement not believing my eyes.

We went to a kiosk nearby and she bought two loaves of bread and two bottles of soft drinks, we sat on a bench in the kiosk and ate and discussed at length.

"Ijeoma , when you sent your cousin to bring the meatpie , you didn't tell him to tell me that you will be travelling for a long time," I asked with a mouthful of bread, as I didn't eat before I started my hawking, I ate like an hungry lion.

" Yes, I have not been in town for a long time, I travelled ," she said.

"So let's hear the story".

She added.

"You remember Emeka, your cousin wrote a love letter to me", I started.

"Yes, how does that do anything to your current situation."

" Well, that's the beginning." I narrated how her cousin started maltreating me, then we settled, when we got to the giving of meat pies, she got confused.

"What meatpie?" she asked, sounding oblivious of the meatpies.

"The meatpies you gave Emeka to give to me as a birthday gift," I said confused and thrown aback.

" No no no!!, there must be a mix up somewhere, I didn't give Emeka anything to give you, she said.

"What? You are kidding, right?" I asked shocked.

"No, I am not. Why will I joke about something like this?", she asked.

"Then how come he knew about my birthday?" I asked.

"I mentioned it to him before travelling, I was lamenting not being able to give you something on the D day, he then asked when was the birthday, which I told him before leaving". She narrated.

" He told me that the meat pie was from you", I told her pointing at her."

" I swear I did not give anything to Emeka for you ", she said.

"So I was not accusing him falsely", I said talking to no one in particular.

"Who?"

"What?" I was lost in thoughts.

"Who did you not accuse falsely?"

"Emeka! He did this to me."

"Emeka did what?"

I went back to my story and narrated how I was raped, got pregnant, my parents lost their jobs , my mum out of false accusation, my dad out of instability of the finances in his place he worked. My mum being hospitalized and my need for a caesarean operation.

"I am very sorry" she said after the story.

"Oh its not your fault that all these happened to me, so don't be," I said.

"The saddest of it all is that your mum will be discharged in 3 days without improvement. N750,000. Where will you get that from in 3 days?" She asked rhetorically.

"I don't know, I just don't know why the doctor gave such short time, I don't blame him, I blame God," I said appearing very sad.

"Don't say that, don't. how can you?. Please don't . look, I will talk to my parents, maybe they can help foot the bills."

What she said was the happiest thing I have heard ever since mum's accident.

"Oh thank you. How can I thank you enough. How will I ever pay you back,?" I said appreciating her.

"Well, what are friends for? If not to help each other in times of needs. Anyway, I've tried several times to call you but your line is always unreachable."

I hissed., "my dear, I sold the phone when my parents lost their jobs".

"Eyah!" She sympathized with me, then she brought an android phone from her pocket, removed her sim card from the phone, and gave the phone to me.

"Ah! Ijeoma, if I take it, what will you use."

"Don't worry, my dad bought another for me yesterday, and besides, how will I reach to you without a phone, just take it please". She said convincing me to take it.

"Ijeoma , you have been too good to me, how can I ever pay you back. God will bless you," I said with a heart of gratitude, after taking the phone.

"Amen! …. Emm aunty, how much is the bread and soft drink?", she asked the owner of the kiosk.

"400 naira," the owner said.

"Okay," Ijeoma brought out 500 naira note from her pocket and gave the kiosk owner, and please use the change to give me those biscuits," she added.

Ijeoma had a `thing' for biscuits, and she could use a whole 600 naira to buy biscuits, but this time, she just used 100 for biscuits which is quite unbelievable to me. She bought two 50 naira biscuits and gave one of them to me.

"Ijeoma , today you bought only 100 naira biscuits and still gave half of it to me.

What happened?" I said jokingly as we strolled.

She had promised to escort me close to my house.

"Ebere , if you are trying to say that I have reduced my love for biscuits, then you got it all wrong.

I don't like the type they have, "she said looking down at me. She is a lot taller than me.

"Biscuit chopper!!! "I called her jokingly.

"Groundnut eater!!! Infact, groundnut beetle" she said also jokingly because I love groundnuts.

"You too like biscuits."

"Even you too like groundnut."

She spotted a store that sold sim cards and devices.

"Chidiebere cherem(wait for me)"

"Why?"

"Chere chere cherem biko nu (wait for me please)."

"Okay ".I said.

She entered the stored and bought a sim card with 3000 naira recharge card, she gave me the sim card and took 1000 naira recharge card for herself and gave me the rest.

"Thank you, I said after collecting it.

When we got to the street my house was in, she turned to go back.

"Kachifo (good night)," I said.

"Good night," .she said .

When I got home, I saw my dad sitting in the palour.

"You came early , how come? Sales were great, I guess." He said.

I told him everything.

He too was grateful to God.

I asked for forgiveness from God for thinking he hates us.

Ijeoma's parents footed the bills and the operation was done successfully. My mum was well again.

Ijeoma's parents also gave us money for the

Caeserean operation