Chapter Six - I Can't Compete With That
2030 Words
As the daylight lessened the tension in waiting room grew and somehow I was starting to hear things in my head.
Doctors weren't running up and down anymore. It was quiet. Way too quiet for my liking I didn't know what to think... But the small sounds in my head kept on creeping in.
I wanted something to hapoen.. I wanted to hear my mom's voice.. Anyone to talk to me. Or even cry... Or scream.. Just any sound.. Then that was going to stop me from going crazy.
I paced back and forth trying to make sense of the event that just happened and its chaos. Steven was just sitting there not knowing what to do. He tried to talk me down, telling me to calm down and that my mom was going to be okay.. But with what just happened I has no idea what to think.
I was slowly losing hope.
I looked at my wrist watch.. The doctors should have been back by now, doctor Ohmed promised that it wouldn't take more than two hours. But it was past that and my worry grew gradually.
Steven sighed and gave me something to drink. I took it and folded my arms then started pacing back and forth again. I wanted to know what was wrong.. They asked for other doctors in my mom's operation room. I wanted to be told if something went wrong..
"Bella sit down... Please.." he spoke after a while.
I looked at him for a few seconds and then sat down, only to get up just a minute later. I couldn't stay still. My mind was all over the place and I felt like my head was going to explode.
You know how they say no news is good news at the hospital, it didn't feel like that to me. These past two hours felt like the longest time I have lived on this earth...
Suddenly I heard footsteps and watched around the corner as nurse Grace walked in. She didn't look okay.. She looked worried and like she was ready to cry.
I shook my head a little bit as every hospital scene in a movie I have watched played over and over again in my head. She was dead. My biggest nightmare was now a reality.. My mother was gone..
"Miss Mackams.. Please sit down.." she said when she reached me and I shook my head, "No .. No one wants to tell me what is going on. Where is my mom and how did the surgery go..?"
She sighed, "Miss Mackams..."
"Just tell me please.. I am so tired of waiting.. I want to know what happened.. Why was there chaos..."
She swallowed, "There were complications.."
"Oh God... Nooo.."
"Miss Mackams.." she said and I shook my head, "No .. No... Okay.. No.. Not my mom.. She's all I have.. She is.." I couldn't even stop the tears on my eyes. They just waltzed out and went down my cheeks.
"Hey .. Hey.. Hey...Isabella look your mother is fine.."
I couldn't moved for a few seconds, "What ?"
"There were complications.. But she's fine now.."
"What the fuck...?" I said nd she smiled a little bit, "I'm sorry... Umh.. She's going to be okay.. She's resting..."
I pulled her into a hug, "Thank you.. God thank you so so much.. You have no idea how much this means to me Grace.. Can I go see her.."
"Yeah .. But unfortunately you have to go in there alone.."
I turned to look at Steven and he just smiled, "I'll be waiting here."
I went to him and pulled him into a hug, "You are the best.. I'll be back.. And thank you nurse Grace.. So much."
"Let me take you to her."
I followed behind her as she took me to the ward they put my mom in.
..
I noticed that day that worry is actually fear. So we ask ourselves, what is the basis of that fear... I was terrified of losing my mother and that I'll be left alone. I couldn't bear that thought. She was the only thing I had left and losing her would have destroyed me in a different way.
Grace opened the door in front of her and stopped to look at me, "She's in here.. She's heavily sedated so she might or might not hear you.. You can talk to her though.."
I pulled the nurse into another hug, I was really thankful, "Thank you.. Thank you so so much nurse Grace.."
"If you need anything I'll not be far away.. Just find me okay..?" she whispered and I pulled away to look at her, "Thank you so much."
She left and I walked inside the ward and closed the door behind me. It felt weird seeing my mom in all those bandages and all those drips on her. 17 year old me knows her as the strongest woman I ever met. One who would walk in through fire just to make sure that I was okay and I got everything I needed.
I went to sit by her side on a chair and took her hand.
"Mom ..." I smiled, "I almost lost it thinking I lost you."
"They were running around being dramatic like in movies and I was close to dying. Don't ever scare me like that okay. I still need you here. I just hope they got all that cancer out of you and that you'll be okay."
I talked to her about boring staff now because I had no idea if she could hear me or not. I ended up reminding her that aunt Sandy missed her and those soapies they both watche all the time.
After a while my phone started ringing and I took it.
" Hello ...?"
'Hey ... We are about to go to work, we are just checking up on you..' Neha said on the other side of the phone and I smiled, "Hey guys, how are you doing..."
'How is she?' Marci asked and I squeezed mom's hand before standing up to leave her ward, "She's okay.. For now.. There were a bit complications but she's okay now and it's all that matters.."
'Okay ... I'm just glad that you managed to get her to surgery and I'm proud of you. Wish we were there..'
"I know and you guys can come.. Steven pitched with food unannounced.."
'When is he going to ask me out..?' Marci asked and Neha laughed next to her, 'I think Bella would win in that coz Steven loves her to death.. He is just a blind ass for not seeing that she's gay.'
"Okay let's not talk about that ladies.. Marci tell him that I'm gay since he is closer to you.. Because I've seen someone cute and definitely don't want him on my back."
The ladies laughed, 'Is that cute person Zahara? Because I remember very well the time we told you not to even think about her like that.. Her father is anti you.. And her daughter is probably the same...'
I sighed, "I'm not thinking about her I was just lying.. Well I wasn't..and Now I am thank you so much for this Neha.. You guys suck."
'But you love us right..'
I couldn't help but smile, genuinely smile, "So much you guys.... I love you so much. Thank you for being here for me and I'm sorry for telling you I want to be alone.. I'm glad you called."
'Anytime .. We will come see you at the hospital okay..'
"I'll appreciate that.. Please bring me a change of clothes.."
'I'm not touching your undies.. Sorry mate..' Marci said making me roll my eyes, "b***h this isn't Australia.."
They both laughed, 'We love you... Time to go make money..'
"Yeah yeah I love you guys too.." then I hung up.
..
Marci and Neha showed up the following day with what I asked for and more. I wouldn't tell you why people felt the need to come with food at the hospital.. Or was it because the food here didn't taste as good? But it was a norm and I now had so much food that I couldn't even finish on my own.
" We missed you.. "
I knew they meant it but I rolled my eyes and decided to joke, "You guys made money last night.. Isn't that saying you didn't miss me one bit.."
They laughed, "Yeah we totally did there. No denying it..but we missed you still and we were worried about aunt Velocity."
"She's going to be okay.. I was talking to doctor Ohmed before you guys arrived.."
"Oh and there's that nurse who keeps looking at us.. Is she okay?" Marci asked and I turned to see Grace looking at us. I waved at her and she smiled and waved back.
I turned back to my friends, "She's been a great support system. She was here when I almost lost it.."
"She's cute.." that was Neha.
"You're in a relationship Neha..."
"She's still cute and oh my God she's coming this way.. How do I look?" she said brushing her Indian hair to the back. I laughed while Marci rolled her eyes, "You look like you're in a relationship ass.."
I laughed more and Grace arrived, "Hey ladies.. Is everything okay?"
"Yes it is Grace thank you so much.."
"Alright .. You know where to find me.."
I cleared my throat since Neha kept on giving me a look, "Umh Grace.. These are my friends... Neha, she has a boyfriend... And this is Marci.. She and I are both single... Ladies this is Grace and she is..."
".. si... ngle...?" Grace finished off my sentence looking a bit hesitant making us all laugh.
Neha rolled her eyes, "They are just jealous coz I said you are beautiful.."
Grace blushed, "Thank you.. Neha who's in a relationship.."
Marci looked at me , "I like her.. Make her yours already."
I furrowed my brows at her. What the f**k was wrong with her? Why would she say that?
Grace blushed though and I figured she heard what this i***t said.
"oh look your girlfriend is on TV.." Neha said looking at me and I turned around to follow her eyes that we now glued on the TV that was on the wall.
There she was.. The very beautiful Zahara Lusaka. Journalists were following her.
Man her life must be interesting.. Did she have any privacy at all...? To be followed out like that by journalists must suck.
'Miss Lusaka, could you please tell us what the AFP has planned this year. We are coming close to elections and I'm sure the people would want to know if the manifesto made a few changes or you guys are still doing the same thing.' the journalist said.
I watched as Zahara looked at the camera, brushed her hair to the back and smiled showing that dimple that makes her look cute.
God she was such a natural and the camera loved her. If she wasn't a politician, I'd have advice her to at least do acting or modeling. She was made to be on the spotlight.
'Oh this year I'm going to make sure that I try by all means for people to get free Healthcare and free water.. Those things are both life-threatening and we really don't have to pay to get them, it's not fair.. Everyone deserves to live.. That's all I'm saying right now.. If you want to know more about our plans you have to attend the media Briefing tomorrow.'
Then she started walking away. I was mesmerized by her. Her confidence and how amazing she just was.. The way she talked.. God... Yeah I was definitely attracted to her voice and accent. It was now official.
"Hey stop drooling..." Neha said making me laugh with Marci.
"So, she's your girlfriend?" Grace asked and I shook my head, "Really Grace.. You will believe this i***t??"
She sighed, "Oh Thank God, I don't think I could ever be able to compete with that.." then she left us there.
- Writer
