THE NURSE REMEMBERS
313 Words
lawyer came back with a woman.
She was old, with gray hair.
This is Nurse Boma, he said. She worked at St. Mary’s.
Zahra stood up fast. You remember that day?
Nurse Boma nodded slow. Twenty years ago.
Two girls were born that morning.
Amara held her breath. And one was moved.
Yes, Nurse Boma said. A man came.
He gave papers and a payment.
Zahra’s hands shook. Who was he?
I do not know his name, the nurse said.
But I remember the other mother.
Everyone went quiet.
Her name was Ngozi, Nurse Boma said.
She was crying. Looking for her child.
Zahra froze. Ngozi?
Yes, the nurse said. That is the name on the book.
Zahra sat down. Her heart was loud.
Ngozi is my real mother.
The room was still. The truth had a name now.Zahra could not speak.
The name stayed in her mind.
Ngozi.
Amara put a hand on her back.
`Breathe,` she said.
Zahra nodded.
Tears came, but they were light.
Nurse Boma smiled soft.
`I am sorry forfor the pain.`
`But now you have a start.`
The lawyer wrote the name down.
`We will find Ngozi.`
Zahra looked up.
`Yes. Let’s find her.`
For the first time, she had a path.The office was quiet after Nurse Boma spoke.
Zahra wrote the name on her hand. Ngozi.
She said it out loud.
`Ngozi.`
It felt real.
Amara sat beside her.
`I will not leave you,` she said.
`We will look together.`
Zahra smiled through tears.
`Thank you, Mama.`
The lawyer closed his book.
`Tomorrow we go to the market area.`
`That is where Ngozi lived.`
Nurse Boma nodded.
`I can show you the street.`
Zahra stood tall.
`Then let’s go tomorrow.`
She looked at the door.
Outside was a new road.
A road to her past.
A road to her mother.
She was ready to walk it.
- Writer
