ADDICTION✓

xii (edited)

This chapter was thoroughly edited.

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I slump on my couch, stressed out, today was very busy, I didn't spend up to 5 minutes at my desk. I kept running around, doing stupid errands for Mr. McClain from picking up department works in their various floors to making coffee five times for him, he still made me went to get coffee from his favourite cafe and I went to pick his laundry from the laundromat and so many things, I'm exhausted.

I don't know how long I sit for, my phone rings startling me, I check my bag for my phone and bring it out when I see it, the number calling is unfamiliar and the country dialing cold also unfamiliar, I didn't know of anyone outside of the country except my parents, my birth parents, in Nigeria. My other parents were also out of the country travelling the world, maybe it's them, but why aren't they using their phone? I answer it, in case it's them.

"Thank God you answered." I recognize the voice immediately, my mum's, as I place the phone on my ear.

"Mum, this isn't your number." I state sitting up properly. "Did something happen to your phone?"

"It was stolen so we had to buy another one." She answers me.

"Mum are you ok?" I ask worried about her and dad, I knew what she is doing, she is downsizing the situation.

"Yes I'm fine but your dad got beaten up pretty bad." She tells me, her voice sounding sad and little, this is the way her voice has been since we started talking, I just noticed now.

"How is he?" I ask almost shouting. "When did this happen?"

A soft sob comes through the line. " Two weeks ago, I'm sorry for not calling you sooner."

For my mum to cry it means it's really serious, she didn't cry easily, she says it makes her feel more bad than the situation is already. "How serious it is? Was he injured? Have you told Dani?"

"No. And please don't tell her anything. It was serious, he just got discharged from the hospital yesterday." She answers my questions sniffling.

"How is he?" I repeat noticing she didn't give a reply to that question.

She sobs again, this time it sounds choked up. "He is fine but there's something else."

Dread fills me as she continues sobbing, I don't comment wanting her to finish, when she starts to calm down, hiccuping. "What's wrong, mum?"

"When your dad was at the hospital during one of his check in's, we found out your father has cancer. Leukemia." She tells me, sniffling.

I feel my heart break in half, my parents and I are very close, we are all very close, even though they aren't my birth parents, to me they will always be my parents. I don't think any of us will survive if dad dies, mum especially. I feel my throat closing in, I can't breathe properly, a tear slides down my cheek, I cry silently. I feel confused. How can he have cancer? My dad is very healthy and doesn't take any risk, I voice it out, "I don't understand, he is very healthy, he doesn't take anything that will endanger is head, how can he have cancer?"

Mum starts sobbing again, "The doctor says he is the first stage and it can still be treated." She sounds broken.

I think of Dani and how she'll react to the news. "Does Dani know about this?" Tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Don't tell her this too, we'll tell her ourselves. We are coming home by the weekend, the doctor told your father to begin his treatment as soon as possible." She informs me.

It'll be hard for not tell Dani but I'll try. "I won't." I promise her. "How's Dad taking it?"

She sighs sounding more tired. "Your father just accepted it like that not even fighting back, I had to beg not to beg him to undergo treatment, he said he didn't want to waste money that we should save it."

That's my dad for you, he always didn't put himself first, he cared more about the future than the present so he liked saving but I never thought he would say something like that. A sad smile grace my lips. "That's Dad for you."

She sniffles again and I hear rustling. "I didn't even ask you how you are doing," she says. "How're you? Are you doing ok?"

I know she is changing the subject, she doesn't like talking about things that's troubling her, so I indulge her. "I'm fine." I reply her first question. "I'm sure not you saw my text, I got a job." I tell her hoping my voice sounds cherry enough.

"Really? When? What is the job about?" She asks sounding excited for me, she sounded more happier about the job than I was when I first started.

"Yes. Almost two months now. I'm a P.A." I answer her questions.

"Wow. I'm happy to hear that." She says. "Have you spoken to your Mami and Bami?" She asks. My birth parents.

"Yes, I sent them money almost a month ago." I tell her.

"That's very nice to hear." She says, she always encourages to keep me ties with them and I understand that. They sent me to the states with mum and dad when I was some months old, I had some complications that couldn't be treated in Nigeria. "Ok I have to go now. Your father is waking up."

"Ok if you need anything at all please tell me." I say meaning it, she hums telling me all I need to know, she wouldn't, I sigh. "Greet Dad and tell him I love him." I say before she hangs up.

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Just wanted to give you look at Gbemi's life outside work. It's a chapter was really emotional  😭😭😭.