End of days

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

" Rayford, whatever you think you are getting from Jane, I can give it to you double, even more" She pleaded with desperation.

"Well.. maybe you can. But you should know I have chosen to stick to Jane. Do you know what that means?" Rayford asked Lauretha who was too dumbfounded to speak.

"I will tell you, it means that; even if I see another lady who is more beautiful or has more to offer me than her, I'm still going to stick to her. That's what love and commitment is all about"

"Just give us a chance I beg you, at least for the sake of our son"

"Lauretha please stop, just stop already, why are you using the poor boy, as a bait to lure me into marriage? Are you that desperate?"

" Rayford, I advise you think this through, don't make any hasty decision"

"I'm sorry, but you are preaching to the wrong man, I have made my decision already"

Rayford stood up, and left the cafeteria. This time, not looking back. He has a lot on his plate already, the last thing he needed, was for Lauretha to come add to it. The only thing on his mind right now, was for Jane and his sister to get better. Every other thing was secondary.

He went back to Jane's ward, and checked on her, before going to see his sister in her own ward.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to come see me, before I leave for my trip tomorrow" Leah Rose was seated on her bed watching the TV in her room, she had a wide smile on her face.

"You should know, I would never do that" Rayford bent and kissed her on the forehead, before seating down on one of the chairs in the room.

"How are you?" She asked him with concern.

"I'm doing okay, I should be the one asking you that"

"I'm fine, as you can see. I have decided to stop feeling sorry for myself, and embrace my situation. After all, life is too short for me to be wasting the precious little moments I have on worry"

"Hmmmm, sounds like someone has gotten a mind shift or something?"

"Yes I have. You know, I was reading a part of the scripture that was talking about gratitude, and it said; when we are grateful for the little that we have, then we are definitely going to have more"

"Okay?" Rayford wasn't quite sure how that applies to her health.

"So, I have decided to focus and be grateful for other parts of my body that are working perfectly, instead of focusing on the part that isn't"

"Wow, that sounds really like faith"

"It works, you should try it. Ever since I started practicing the act of gratitude, and focusing my attention on the things that are working, I sometimes forget I have breast cancer"

"I'm sure going to start trying it" Rayford smiled at her.

"Yeah you should, but on a serious note, Rayford how are you? I know this period has really been crazy for you, with Jane's kidnap and all. And you must be trying really hard to be strong. Sometimes it's good you talk to someone, about how you feel, don't always bottle things up"

Rayford gave Leah Rose a weak smile, and stood up. He knew she was trying to use her psychology skills on him.

"I'm doing okay big sis, you don't have to worry about me"

" Rayford? You are avoiding the topic"

"I'm not, I need to leave now. I want to go check on Jonathan. I will come see you before your departure tomorrow"

Even if, he wanted to talk to someone about his problems, it's definitely not Leah Rose who has managed to get herself out of self-pity. Something he has been praying hard to happen ever since.

The only thing she needed around her right now, was good vibes, and not some sad tales about his unconscious fiancee, or his long lost son, or even his crazy ex lover.

When he got to Ming's house, she was having a heated argument with her husband Michael, they didn't even notice when he came in.

Rayford ignored them, and went straight into the kitchen to see if there was any food for him to eat. For he was famished, he was hoping to get something to eat at the cafeteria, but lost his appetite when Lauretha came with her ridiculous demands.

He opened one of the pot, to find egusi soup and some freshly made semo in a plate. He suspected they were about to have dinner before the argument started.

He decided to serve himself some, if he was going to settle whatever dispute those two were having, then he was going to need some strength.

"It's only a thief that will go into someone's kitchen without the person's permission"

Rayford looked up from his plate, to find Ming standing at the door of the kitchen, with her arms folded.

"Hey... trouble" Rayford spoke with his mouth full.

"Hey.... trouble" Ming mimicked him in a very funny way. "Look at you stealing from your sister's kitchen"

"I'm sorry but I was very hungry. And this soup is dope" Rayford knew the only way to soften her up, was to pay compliment to her cooking.

"Flattery will take you nowhere" Ming served out some food for her and Michael who was already seated at the dinning with a grumpy look on his face. Rayford took his food, and joined them at the dinning table.

"What seems to be the problem anyway?" Rayford asked after five minutes of them eating in complete silence.

"Your sister here, intentionally bashed someone's car"

"What? Trouble is that true?"

"It was not intentional, I .."

"Just before you deny, remember I have the video, someone made a video of you" Michael flashed his phone before Ming.

"Let me see that" Rayford took the phone from Michael.

"Trouble? Why would you do such a thing

now?" He asked, after watching the video.

"The i***t that captured it, didn't have the sense to also capture when she called me a w***e"

"She called you a w***e?" Rayford asked her.

Ming went ahead to tell him of all that transpired between her and the woman. And how she later found out the woman was the doctor who was supposed to treat Jonathan.

"So, did she treat Jonathan?"

"Yes she did, it's against her medical ethics not to"

"But Ming, I think you went a bit to the extreme. You shouldn't have bashed her car"

"Exactly what I have been trying to tell her. And as if that wasn't enough, she gave my card to the woman asking her to call me if she wants her car fixed. Was I the one who bashed her car?" Michael asked in anger.

"So it wasn't even your card you gave her?" Rayford asked laughing.

"I couldn't find my card, and Michael's card happened to be lying around in my purse"

"Well, for your information she says; it's going to cost five hundred thousand naira to fix her car. So be ready to pay her or go to court and risk going to prison"

"God forbids, the whole car is not even worth up to that amount. Abi is it not that rickety Toyota? I don't have that kind of money to give her o"

"That one is your own headache, and don't even think I'm going to pay her, because I won't"

"Ehn.. don't worry keep your money. Rayford my beloved brother here will pay for me" Ming rubbed Rayford's shoulders as she spoke.

The moment those words left her lips, the food Rayford was eating, got stucked in his throat. Why didn't he just go and eat in an eatry? At least it wouldn't have cost him five hundred thousand naira, to eat just a plate of semo and egusi soup.

It's been one week since Jane was rescued from the hands of Sandra and her cohorts, and she was still unconscious. The doctors keep assuring Rayford she was going to regain consciousness soon.

Leah Rose had already traveled to India for her surgery. And the surgery was to be done the following week.

Amaka was fully recovered as well. She was already strong enough to do things on her own. But Rayford insisted she still remains at his place, instead of going back to live alone in her and Jane's apartment.

"I have decided to go to the east to visit my mother" Amaka said to Rayford as he drove them back from the hospital, where they went to see Jane.

"Are you sure, you are strong enough to embark on such a long journey?"

"Yeah, the doctor said I'm fit to get back to my normal life, so long I don't over stress myself and I take my medications"

"Alright, when do you plan on leaving?"

"Tomorrow"

"So soon? Why the hurry?"

"It's something I just want to do and get off my chest, if I wait any longer, I might develop cold feet"

"Okay, I know that feeling, how about I buy you a flight ticket, instead of you taking a bus? I still don't think you are fit to be traveling long distance in your condition"

"No, that won't be necessary. You have done enough for me already"

"Are you sure? it's not really"

"I'm sure, you don't have to worry about me"

"Alright if you say so"

Rayford had to drop her off at her and Jane's apartment. So she could pack the few things she needed for her trip. Her boss had given her the remaining two weeks of the month off, she intends to spend a week with her mother and bury the hatchet between them.

Very early the next morning, Amaka left for the bus stop. She wanted to follow the first bus, so she could get home on time. But rather, she ended up getting home late, because the bus she took kept getting spoilt on the road.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Her mother asked, as she took Amaka's bag from her at the door. "I could have come pick you at the motor park"

Amaka didn't say anything to her mother, instead she went straight to her room which still looked very much like it was when she left.

"Would like something to eat? I have ofe onuegbo(meaning, bitter leaf soup in Igbo), and fufu, I can quickly warm the soup"

This was Amaka's favorite meal while growing up. She wanted nothing more than to rush into her mother's kitchen and dish out some for herself. But then, she remembers the last time her mother was this nice to her, she lost something precious.

"No, I'm not hungry. I just want to bath and sleep"

"You look really pale, have you been sick?" Her mother got closer to her as she assessed Amaka's face. Some of the bruises on her face and body were already healed, but you could still find the scars that haven't completely faded when you looked closely.

"I'm fine"

"Are you sure? Because you really look like you were sick. Did someone beat you? What are all these marks on your face?"

Her mother tried to touch her face, but Amaka pushed her hand away. "please mother, I would like to be alone"

Her mother who looked really disappointed, decided not to flog the issue. She dropped Amaka's bag on the bed and left the room.

The next morning, Amaka woke up to find her mother having breakfast at the dining table.

"Mummy ututu oma (mummy good morning)"

"i rahukwara nke oma (hope you slept well)?"

"Yes mummy"

"Come sit and have breakfast with me" her mother offered.

"No ma, I'm not hungry"

"Amaka, how long do you intend to continue doing this?"

"For as long I can, I can't risk being poisoned by the same person for a second time"

"What can I do to show you how truly sorry I am? Amaka please I'm sorry" her mother remorsefully begged.

Amaka who was going to the kitchen, stopped dead in her tracks, for the first time in nine years, that her mother made her lose her baby, she apologized.

"You are sorry? Did you just say you are sorry?"