THE CURES

CHAPTER TWO

Ugomma decided to pack her belongings and leave Nnmdi's house after the previous night. Though she found it very difficult but there was no option left for her but to leave before Nnamdi would kill her and take her corpse to her family and then tell them that their daughter died because of ignorance. Or he would cook up a very delicious lie to them that even the devil himself would eat and repent. She packed her clothes and the clothes of her children in her bags and left Nnmdi's house without hesitation.

On getting to her father's house, she narrated everything to them without leaving anyone untouched. After her narration, her siblings pitied her and advised her to stay with their sick father so that she would be taking care of him, and also be keeping him company. They took pity on her and provided everything for her. They filled the house with food stuffs so that she and her children including their sick father won't go hungry or complain for hunger. They did many things for her and never hesitated to give her some money as well. That was how Ugomma came to be living in her father's house with her four children.

Ugomma turned to leave as the leaning on the entrance could not help the matter, but her father's voice stopped her. "Help me, my daughter. I want to ease myself. Please, my daughter" The old man pleaded calmly. Ugomma's face changed at that moment by the mentioning of that statement. She was annoyed by it, and didn't know if to help him or not. To Ugomma, she was sick and tired of taking care of her father who had been sick for many years, despite every treatment given to him by different doctors. Yet he was not improving.

It all started on a Monday morning, when Nzekwe, Ugomma's father woke up and was heading to the farm then he fell on the ground with his legs shaking like that of one who had touched electric current. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where the doctor diagnosed his sickness as a stroke. This meant two things, first, it meant that Nzekwe has lost the ability to move, and second, he has lost the ability to speak clearly. Nzekwe's children were shocked as the doctor said that their father's sickness was a stroke. They were stricken by the news and began wondering how to go about the whole thing. Everything to them were like a dream but it became a realistic fact when they found out that their father who had been walking and moving from one place to another couldn't move again. It the dawned on them that everything was now real and that the doctor was saying the truth. So, after much thoughts of what they should do to help their father to start walking again, it all resulted to nothing. I mean, absolutely nothing. They found out that there was nothing to left for them to do in order to make their father start walking with his legs. They left everything to God, who is the king of healer. They believe with hope everything would come to it's normal position. But when would that be? That has been their questions..... And has also made them sleepless nights.

Ugomma stood adamantly still thinking if she should help her father or not. As she stood, the years that she has been with her sick father began coming through her memory. The times and spaces she had been taken care of him began flashing right before her eyes. She now saw the whole thing as a burden to let go of. She saw everything as a heavy stress to her. In fact, everything became a frustration to her for she could not think properly again. To make everything worst, the memory of how she left her husband's house added salts to her injuries. It all made her weak and ever regretting doing it, but there was never a way she could go back. Besides, before she left her husband's house, Nnamdi warned her firmly and strictly not to think of returning back. He strictly made it clear that it was all over between them. All this made her burst into years and began crying and sobbing at the same time. She was wailing that nobody could tell a reason behind her tears. Not even her children nor her sick father that was still laid on the bed could tell what was happening to her.

"Father, why ? Why are you so wicked? Why are you so wicked? It's not just a second that I took you to the rest room, and now you are begging me to take you there again. Am I the only daughter you gave birth to? Why did you chose to make my life miserable that I can't even have peace or rest again? Why father? Why? ".

She asked in between tears.

When anyone falls into a sickness called stroke, it's always difficult for that person to walk nor do anything by himself. Some who couldn't make it in taking themselves to the rest room at times ends up urinating or defecating on their body while still on the sick bed. I. terms of Nzekwe's, it was like that. There was a time nobody was at home with him, and he needed to ease himself but couldn't walk on his feet. He called and waited for help but ended up defecating on the bed. When Ugomma walked into the room she was so annoyed and baffled over what her father did that she almost beat or flogged him with cane. She angrily walked upto him and held him in his jaw with a burning flame of fire in her eyes.

"what is the meaning of what you did now? What is the meaning of that, father? Look at the way you messed everywhere up by defecating here! You are nothing but a wicked father! May the good Lord come and take away your soul sk that I'll have peace all the days of my life. I'm tired of you and all these your nonsensical attitudes everytime" . She roared at her father not minding his sickness. Tears clouded Nzekwe's eyes as he watched his daughter pouring cures on him. She walked out of the room and came back with a bucket of water and a mop. She dropped them right before her father's eyes and ordered him to stand on his feet and clean up his mess knowing fully well that what she was requesting from him was totally impossible. When seeing that her father was not making any move, she took a cane behind the entrance of the room and began flogging him mercilessly with stopping. She continued till Nzekwe became unconscious.