Listen To Me

Chapter 16

Damilare greeted the nurses as he stepped into the hospital. He was here to visit Hope. A day had not gone when one of the Ayos did not visit the hospital.

He was quiet when he walked past a certain room. He recalled how Mama Unique had run to this same room, Efe's room, only to find it empty. They went to ask the nurse but she told them that Mr. Edosa had transferred his son to another hospital. They had run away.

"My God. The world is wicked. Thank God, I did not sign any deal with them." Papa Unique exclaimed. "I will put them in jail. They can't run away after almost killing my daughter."

Damilare shook his head as he walked past the room. People in this world are truly terrible, he thought.

"Sister Unique, good afternoon." Damilare greeted as he walked into Hope's room.

Unique, who was dozing off, jolted from her seat, "Oh, good afternoon Damilare." She greeted, when she saw who it was.

"How is Hope doing?" Damilare asked as he took a seat next to the bed.

"Nothing has changed. Her condition is still the same." Unique answered, drowsily.

"She will get better in Jesus name."

"Amen."

Damilare handed the flask he brought over to Unique, "My mother made some food for you."

Unique reluctantly took it. If her mother ever found out, she was dead. "Thank you." Unique eventually replied.

"Where are your parents? They do not come to the hospital often."

Unique sighed before answering, "My father is busy searching for Mr. Edosa but he still has not found him. It's as if the family disappeared from the surface of the earth." She told Damilare. "As for my mother, I don't know about her. She has been moping round the house aimlessly but she will visit in the evening though."

Damilare nodded. His gaze averted to Hope's face with an oxygen mask attached to it. Regret settled in his stomach. "If only I had waited for her," He murmured, "This would not have happened."

"It is not your fault. In fact, we are grateful to you and your family for standing by her when we could not." Unique said, "It is our fault this happened."

They both went quiet for a while. After that, they exchanged small talk until it was afternoon. Unique stomach growled from hunger. Mama Unique had promised to bring food for her but she was running late. Extremely late.

Unique eyed the flask that Damilare brought in longing. It was her mother's fault for running late, she thought as she reached for the flask. She was delighted when she saw the content. Jollof rice with peppered chicken.

Unique was halfway into the food when the door opened and her mother walked in with a flask. Her father was right behind her.

Mama Unique gazed at the flask on her daughter's hand ignoring Damilare who was greeting them, "Who owns the food that you are eating?" She asked. "I brought food for you," she said referring to the flask on her hand.

Papa Unique, sensing that trouble was about to come, said, "We are not here for this. You have not even checked on Hope."

As soon as he said that, Mama Ola walked into the room. She had come to pick up her son, "Ah, everybody is here. Good day to you all."

"Good day to you, Mama Ola." Papa Unique answered.

"Good afternoon, ma." Unique greeted. Mama Ola smiled in return.

"Unique, you have not yet answered my question. Where did you see the food you are eating?" Mama Unique asked once again without sparing a glance at Mama Ola.

Mama Ola stared at the flask on Unique's lap, "It is mine. I told Damilare to give it to her." She answered as Damilare stood up for her to sit.

Mama Unique sighed, scowling at Mama Ola, "Mama Ola, I am perfectly able to cook for my children, thank you. Stop trying to cajole them with food or gifts." She said.

Mama Ola smiled, "I am not trying to cajole your children. I am only rendering as much help as I can to your family because I know how difficult things might be for you-"

"I know you want to mock me, so why are you holding back?" Mama Unique cut in, "You think I don't know that you and other women are laughing at me behind my back. Do not come here showing fake kindness when I know that you are dying to taunt me."

Mama Ola laughed at her words as she stood up from her seat, beckoning her son to do the same, "Mama Unique, you are ungrateful. I am not like those other women. I will never taunt anyone when they are at their lowest and you know that." Mams Ola paused, "I don't know the reason why you behave harshly towards me but next time when someone does something nice for you, you should learn to say 'thank you'."

"Are you lecturing me?" Mama Unique asked, seething.

"Who am I to lecture you? I'm just offering a piece of friendly advice." Mama Ola replied. "Unique, please give me my flask. You should eat your mother's food." She reached out and took the flask from Unique, "Let us go." She told Damilare and they both walked out.

Papa Unique shook his head at his wife before sitting down tiredly, "Why are you filled with spite towards that woman? What is your problem?"

Mama Unique eyed her husband in anger, "I don't have any problem. Don't I have a right to tell my children who to eat from and who not to?" She said before turning to Unique, "Why did you not wait for me? Did I not tell you that I would bring food for you?"

Unique scratched the back of her neck nervously, "You were taking too long and I was very hungry-"

"So, would you have died from the hunger? Do not ever try eating from that witch in your life again or else-"

"Or else what? What will you do?" Papa Unique said, cutting her off, "Honestly, between Mama Ola and you, you are the one who is behaving like a witch."

"Papa Unique!" Mama Unique yelled.

"It's true. That woman and her family saved our child's life. They protected her when we were pushing her to the hands of the devil but yet you still despise her. Don't you have shame? You are fighting with your daughter's savior. I went to church yesterday to thank Mama Nosa only to see Mama Ola conducting a prayer section for Hope. Mama Unique, did you ever pray for your child's recovery? Did you?"

Mama Unique opened her mouth and then closed it back. It reminded Unique of a fish, "I did not push my child to the hands of the devil." was all she could say.

"Yes, you did. You pushed her. You are a mother, you should be ashamed of yourself. Your daughter told a stranger about her problems and not you. That should tell you how much Hope despises you. You have made your daughter hate you. You never cared for that child, now see what happened."

"Are you saying it's my fault? You are blaming me?" Mama Unique asked with tears streaming down her face.

"It is all our fault that Hope is in this condition." Papa Unique said. "But I blame you." He added before walking out.

Unique, seeing her father walk out, quickly ran after him. She did not want to face the brunt of the argument from her mother.

Mama Unique stood for a while, staring into space. All she could hear was the beep from the heart monitor which indicated that Hope was alive. She wiped the tears from her eyes before walking out of the room.