I woke up at around 4:30am, It's Dinma's birthday and i was super excited, so excited that I couldn't even sleep. I chuckled when i noticed Nonso was missing from the room too(I thought it was only me).
When I was done with prayers, I stepped out of the room only you find May in the kitchen trying to put finishing touches to the cake we started baking yesterday(I didn't even notice that she was up already).
"Good morning May" I greeted giving her a hug from behind startling her.
"My God, Pearl you started me" she said without looking back. "Good morning to you too"she added turning back with a smile on her face. I just 'smiled loudly'.
"Where is Nonso?' I asked suddenly realizing that she wasn't in the kitchen.
"You won't believe it", Maybe started. "She's sitting in the bathroom waiting for Chidinma to go and have her morning pee so should give morning bath just like on her(Nonso's) birthday" May explained laughing hard.
"Chai, eyes have not seen,ears have not heard what Nonso has on store for Dinma this morning" I commented.
Just then Goodness stepped out of the room.
"Good morning everyone" she greeted in whispers. "CHIDINMA is awake already" she announced as I exchanged glances with May and we laughed. We could see the confusion on Goodness's face as she begged for an explanation.
But 'no',our own expression said. She was going to find out why soon enough.
Just as if our thoughts preceded the actions, there came a heavy splash in the bathroom..can you guess what it was?
Yes, 'you guessed correctly I guess'. It was the conjugation of holy matrimony between Dinma and 'cold water' where Nonso was the officiating 'minstrel'(I also imagine you know how much she hates cold water).
A doctor, yes,I saw the face of the doctor on duty when I was rushed to the hospital(e shock you abi)
"Hello there" he said in a voice single but sweeter than 'achi soup'(comman beat me na,ooin i have left your house)
"Who are you?" I asked(even though it was kinda obvious), "Why am I here?" I fired again as my brain was booting slowly "Where are my friends?" I asked almost immediately.
"Young lady" he said, "You might need to calm down and lay on your back, you don't want to hurt yourself and the baby" he said as he turned back to leave. "I'll alert your friends that you're awake" he announced as he closed the door of the room where I was imprisoned.
I didn't move, I was automatically muted.
'What on earth was this guy talking about?' I thought. 'What baby?' I asked myself by myself.
Just then Janet, Nonso and May stepped in.
"What was he talking about?" I questioned no one in particular, screaming with tears streaming down my face.
"Pearl,please calm down, this is a hospital" Janet pacified.
"Answer me" I screamed even louder( I didn't care, I just needed answers)
Just then, May stepped into the room wearing a sullen face.
"Pearl darling, I am so sorry" she said as she gave me a warm hug. All I could do was nod my head, I was searching for answers inside of me. Unfortunately the only thing I could find was that 'I was going to be a mom' sooner than I thought
"Why do we do now?" Chidinma asked.
"The doctor said she'll be discharged today" May notified them. "And he asked to see her before she leaves the hospital" she explained.
"Okay" Goodness said, speaking for the first time since I woke up. "When this drip finishes, we alert the nurse to take it off and we got see him" she suggested as they all sat down.
Twenty minutes later, May came in with the nurse and the drip was taken away. It was then I realized that it was a very big hospital that could come with big charges. 'How are we gonna get through this?' my heart fired at me.
"How are we gonna pay the bills?" I fired back at May.
"Don't worry, there'll be a way" she reassured me.
On getting to his office, May knocked on the door. "Come in" came the voice from within('sounds so much like the rude doctor's voice' i thought). We got in and found him sitting on his chair with his head buried into some papers.
"Good day sir" we greeted.
"Good day to you all too" he replied without lifting his head (this guy has pride oh). Though he was younger than I expected for a doctor (about 25).
I looked around and noticed a name which appeared on almost everything in the room 'JIDE SMITH'('that must be his name' i thought).
"Who did you say she is to you again?" He asked throwing the question to no one in particular(so they have even told you before).
"She's our sister" Goodness answered.
"All of you are sister?" He asked again.
"Sir, she's an important friend to us, we all stay together" May explained.
"Where are her parents?" He interrogated.
"At Akwa-ibom state sir" Chidinma answered.
"But they can't know about this" Janet added.
"Very well then" he said as he turned to me.
"Young lady,I'll be having an appointment with you in two days as I have a seminar to catch up with today, so all you have to do is go home and take the drugs administered to you" the said.
He turned back to my friends saying "She's under your car, take her home and bring her in two days" he concluded.
"OK sir" they replied as well walked out of the office hand in hand.
"Jesus" Chidinma screamed as we all rushed to the bathroom songs of happy birthday piercing through the morning quiet.
'The water dripping, defeated Chidinma' was a beautiful sight to behold, it gave us all an air of satisfaction that we still had a little control over her(even though she can control all our controls put together..lol).
Suddenly, she started sobbing (was that her getting emotional or did water enter her nose).
Chidinma, though tough, is very soft and sweet on the inside. She has a large heart big enough for anyone and everyone she encounters (that' why she has plenty children without a father).
A Zealous God-chaser, determined, beautiful, skillful in everything she does, dramatic, Reckless eater(cause autocorrect I meant 'giver'), sacrificial and so loveable.
Bia, May, does she like book??
I've forgotten, please remind us.
This was all I could say to her during the party but trust me, she's more than that. I have to leave the floor for others to take their turn.
