Tall Glass Of Wine

02 Dear Mum

Francis

You know, I'll never understand how life works, how things in the universe happens and basically every other thing.

Growing up I watched a lot of Nollywood movie that shows how good people get rewarded and bad people get punished at the end, most of them dying at the end of the movie after confessing all their evil deeds and then the Glory be to God that comes after the movie.

I believed so much in karma, that lady that always on the side of justice and people with good intentions.

Now I'm 20 and I realized life doesn't work that way. Life even seems more wicked to the pressumed good people. Life wasn't nice to good people.

Bad people keep doing bad and they get away with it every single time, they are happy, they aren't dying and they keep wrecking more havoc and getting more successful and I no matter how much I tried to under it, I just couldn't.

"Francis" Someone tapped me "Francis!"

I realized I had my eyes shut all these while and the light from the light bulb made my eyesight blurry for a minute.

I raised my face to meet the doctor's. Dr Seun, his chubby face I've grown accustomed to staring right back at me.

"Francis,are you okay?" He asked, concern laced in his voice.

" Yes" I stood up from the chair at the reception, I towered over the doctor with little effort.

"Come with me Francis" He ordered gently and I followed him outside. The hospital was a big government hospital and hence from where we stood you could see a lot of buildings with florescent lights and then the shrubs that were properly trimmed sticking out at every corner.

"Your mum.." He started and then folded his eye glass and shoved it into his breast pocket.

I swallowed the lump of saliva waiting for whatever it was he wanted to say. I could feel my palms getting sweaty and my heart threatening to burst out of my chest.

"Francis I know you are a young man and I really want to commend you for putting up with everything and being strong and everything for a year now. You've shown nothing but strength son" He started off and let out air from his mouth, a sign I knew wasn't exactly good.

"Francis I'll come out plain with you, your mum–"He paused thinking of the right words to tell me

" Your mum's chances of getting better is low, already she's in coma and trust me son it is not a good sign, plus the debts you owe the hospital, the hospital has been patient enough to hold on but you know it's a government hospital and I've tried my best to convince them to hold on till this point Francis, you know I have. "

I held back every desire to burst out in tears

" Doc I really appreciate you but I'm not giving up on my mum" I told him plainly and I watched as he shook his head.

" She's all I have and I'll keep trying to make sure she's alive, I promise to pay back every single debt Doc Seun, already I'm working multiple jobs you know, please buy me more time, please"I begged already on my knees not caring if anyone saw me.

Doc Seun was quick to pull me up.

"Francis, you have one more month" He told me plainly and I nodded and then he walked away.

I went back inside my mum's ward to take a last look at her and hold her hands. She looked really sick.

A year ago my mom and I were happy even in our little house, she was a petty trader and I was learning to fix cars until my mum had collapsed at the market and my mum had been diagnosed with heart failure.