INTENSIVE CARE UNIT-EVENING
The following day, Jane and I were sitting near Mom’s bed, trying to console her as we had usually done. This time, our mom was staring at us with her eyes, looking so sad. She was also in a very deep meditation.
Mother: Ian, my son
Ian: Yes, Mom
Mother: You both know that I have
been the only parent taking care of you, koh…koh….koh…..koh….. Since your
father died in a bus accident two years ago.
Ian: Yes, Mom!
Mother: So from now on, you are going
to take care of your sister. You need to be a true guardian of your sister.
Jane: Maaam! Why are you saying that?
Mother: Ouch! You are going to
experience so many things once you grow.
After
that brief but emotional conversation, Mom raised her hands and touched Jane’s
cheeks with a smile on her face, though weak, but her touch felt so powerful
and lovely. At this stage, I could not resist pouring my tears. The
only question that was in my mind was:
am I dreaming, or is it true that our mom is leaving us alone and forever?
Mother: Jane, my daughter
Jane: Yes, Mom
Mother: Go buy me some milk at Mzee
Kibotro’s shop
Jane: Yes, Mom
Soon
after Jane had left, my mom looked at me directly for a few seconds with a scary
silence before she started talking to me.
Mom: Ian, my son, you are now 17, and
you have matured. Even if your peers are still under their parental care but you now have the responsibility that you cannot shy away from. These challenges will help you to grow with
wisdom and learn to become a self-reliant person.
Ian: Yes, Mom, I am truly aware of what
we are going through.
Mother: Although your young sister,
Jane, is naturally bright but she is just 12 years old; thus, she needs to be under good care
like……………………………
Ian: Like what? Like what, Mom? You
are talking like someone who is nearly dying. Are you planning to go find
treatment somewhere else? Why shouldn’t
you wait here for the treatment, because the Doctor has assured you that soon
specialists are going to come and will attend to you.
At
this point, it was so painful to continue talking; I was crying like a baby.
Mother: Ian, my son, everybody in this
world has a very deep desire to learn about the future of our world. The
scientists, politicians, revolutionary figures, etc., all of them are in the
quest for the bright future of this world.
She
kept silent for a while before continuing her speech to me
Mother: My dear son
Ian: Yes, Mom
Mother: The universe around us has no
ends but has a lot of secrets that human beings will always try to unveil, but
will never discover everything embodied in it.
She
stared at my face for a moment and said
Mother: I need some water, please;
help me drink a glass of water.
I took the water that was in the jug
beside the table and poured it into a dilapidated glass, and I started giving her.
After taking the first drop of water, she started coughing and talking slowly.
Mama: Death………
I
was shocked by that word, and I touched her hands to console her
Mother: Death isn’t something that
people should bother about because the dead person finds rest in eternity, which
marks the end of all sufferings. Please take care of your young sister.
And
those were the last sentences my mom was able to speak to me before dying. I
remember that was the most challenging moment of my life, particularly after
Jane had brought the milk from the shop and found that Mom had already passed away. Jane
started crying and weeping in such a loud voice; it was so painful for me to
bear, but I am very thankful to God that our relatives came to console and
provide necessary support during this tough time. After that were able to bury
her body, and the funeral was over.
After one month, I was able to go back
to school to finish my ordinary level education. This was possible because
Mike, my uncle, decided to take the responsibility of financing my education, including paying my tuition fee and accommodation fee. Jane was also going to
be raised by him.
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