TITLE: TOO PRECIOUS
WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI
CHAPTER 26
Immediately Allen left Hope to inform PB about the decision, Hope broke down in tears. She couldn’t believe her daughter was dying. Her only daughter was leaving her behind.
She wondered if it was the adultery she committed that she was being punished for. But no punishment was given to Collins who cheated on her from the very beginning of their marriage. He told her s-x was strictly for procreation between married couples. He starved her of s-x and money.
Her mother encouraged her to endure and secretly supported her financially. She advised her to ensure she graduated one of the best in her cl@$$ and take her career seriously. “Marry your work and your children. Be very successful. The world doesn’t nee-d to know what is happening at home, always give the impression all is well. Never complain or you will be seen as weak and mocked as not being de-sired by your husband” was the advice her mother gave her.
She did all she was told and still didn’t find happiness until she met Emeka at work. He was much younger and had fertility issues with his wife (now ex-wife). He took to her immediately and didn’t hide his intentions towards her. Dr Hope had to restrain because she didn’t want another woman to endure what she endured in the name of marriage.
When Emeka and his wife finally separated, he came back. She still refused. She refused because his situation could change at any time and she was still legally married to an abse-ntee husband. Emeka went the whole hurl and got divorced before he came back. Since she wasn’t ready to get divorced, he was willing to be with her still married. She threw caution to the wind when he wooed her the way she had never experienced, read or watched. It was amazing and she went for it.
She refused to stay at his place. He was younger and she didn’t want to be seen with him in public. They spent the most time at her place or they travelled to be free to show their love. She loved Emeka and even Collins finding out made her more determined to be with the one she loved. Emeka was the complete opposite of Collins. He was kind to her, talked to her lovingly, even though he wasn’t as rich as she was, he spoilt her with gifts, and Love-making was mind-bl-owing; she wasn’t ready to give that up for any reason.
Collins had reported her to her family calling her an adulteress when she refused to nurse him or end the relationship. She accepted the fact she was one and asked her family to return Collins dowry as she was no longer interested in the marriage. Collins couldn’t believe his ears. He stepped down on his demands and allowed every slide. His biggest fear was dying and being buried like a nobo-dy. No wife or children to mourn him. He had been estranged from all his children; it was only Allen that tried to help him.
Hope knew why Collins refused the divorce. She told him her lover would continue to be a regular in her home and he should live with it. He was allowed to bring in his lovers if he felt compelled to. Well, he was paralysed and had no function in his man-hood anymore so it was her turn to laugh. Or not.
What her daughter was going throu-ghscared her. She had seen how bad cancer patients can be and she couldn’t believe she was going to be taking care of one. She loved her daughter and wished she was the one that had to die instead of her. “Precious has two very young children Lord, why punish me like this?” she cried out.
It took a week to be able to bring PY back to Nigeria. She sat in First cl@$$ with her nurse while PB, Simon and the children were in economy. She sle-pt throu-ghout the journey. An ambulance was at the airport to receive her and bring them home. Hope was also prese-nt.
Hope joined the ambulance to the house while the driver brou-ght PB, Simon and the children to the house. By the time they got home, PY was already comfortable in her be-droom. The nurse handed over Dr Hope and the nurse she hired before leaving.
They all settled in. Simon stayed in the room with PY but would excuse Hope when she was around. PB also stayed with PY and attended to the children. Hope never cried in front of PY and PY was happy to be with her mother. Hope took very good care of her. She had Hope’s undivided attention.
PY asked Hope one morning, “Where is your boyfriend?”
“We took a break. I want to focus on you now”
“Who will take care of you when I eventually leave? Who will console you and love you knowing what you are going throu-gh?”
“I don’t nee-d anybo-dy….”
“You nee-d him. I will love to meet him. You look so lovely, he must be doing something awesome in your life”
Hope shook her head and for the first time tears dropped in the prese-nce of her daughter.
“Are you blaming yourself for my illness? We both know I have had it for a long time but never realized it. Your finding love again isn’t the cause of my illness. If God wanted to punish anyone he would have punished my father a long time ago. You are not guilty, this is my pre-destined fate and it is happening at the right time. I am grateful I could sort out my affairs before leaving; I didn’t leave suddenly. I have told Allen what I want and it should be adhered to”
“Reserve your strength. You will be with us for longer than you think”
“No, I won’t. I will be leaving sooner than you can imagine. I have asked that my p@$$ing should be painless and swift. I don’t want to be in a hospital. It will be as I de-sire. I know what I want mum. Be nice to Simon; he has shown me no other man would have loved me as much as he has. He has proved himself the man I fell in love with years ago. And PB, I have handed her my kids. I want them to be raised in a certain way and PB would do this effortlessly”
“Why? When I am here?”
“Yes, mum. You didn’t raise me right and you never stood up to dad. You believed so much in customs and tradition even when it affected your daughter. You realized later but it was too late then. It will be the same with my children. I don’t want them tied to any custom and tradition, I want them to enjoy their uniqueness as individuals”
“And PB is the best candidate? She couldn’t keep her marriage; how would she train these children?”
“Exactly what I expected. She did what took you years to do, she walked out on a manipulative and disrespectful husband. She did it immediately she discovered. She didn’t wait until her children were scarred to do it. Mum, un-derstand me. I trust her to raise my children right”
“We won’t talk about that for now.”
“There is no other time to talk about it. This is what I want. I love you. You were an awesome mother when you stood up for me. I began to appreciate you then. I appreciate you even more now. I want you to always be happy. If that man makes you happy, stick with him. I will like to meet him”
Hope called Emeka on the phone. She told him about her terminally ill daughter and her request to see him. Emeka was heartbroken when he heard. He promised to be around the next day.
PY saw Emeka and was pleased. Emeka was tall, had a chocolate complexion and looked cool. She smiled at him and he smiled back. She introduced him to Simon and PB as her mother’s lover. Both of them were shocked. Even Hope was embarr@$$ed by the stares that followed. She chose right. The guy talked to PY. She listened to him talk and then she asked,
“What plans do you have for my mum?”
“I want to marry her but she has refused to get a divorce from your father. So, we have to keep the relationship a secret until she decides to make it official”
“Good. You have my blessings” That was all PY said and asked to be allowed to sleep.
PB discussed Emeka with Allen when she had the chance. He told her that was what also shocked his father into a stro-ke.
“He didn’t believe a fine man like this would de-sire your mother? She is a beautiful woman too, she has taken very good care of herself”
“Well, he is unhappy seeing her froli-cking with the guy. I don’t care. He makes my mother happy and that’s all that matters”
Tbc