CUSP

I have been pacing up and about in the hospital corridors, the bleeding got worse on the way and I am scared for Nancy because she has been praying for a child for years it would be unfair to lose it now.

I haven’t bothered calling Caleb, it is clear we are from two different worlds and he is an enemy because he wants my child dead.

The door to the theatre opens and a nurse rushes out, I try to stop her but she is quick enough and says the doctor will see me when they are done.

I wait another thirty minutes before he finally comes out looking tired.

‘Is everything okay?’ I ask

‘Are you a relative?’

‘She is my sister in law, unfortunately my brother is out working but will be here as soon as he can.’ I lie

‘Alright, come with me.’

We go to his office, he offers me a seat and I impatiently wait for him to sit down.

‘In all the years of my practice, I have never seen anything like what is happening to your sister in law.’

I look at him bewildered

‘What?’

‘When we started the checkups, everything was okay and the babies were both healthy.’

He pauses

‘And?’

‘Now I can’t see them.’

‘What do you mean now you can’t see them?’

‘All I can see is a huge clot of blood in her womb, and it looks alive because it keeps sucking her insides.’

I feel chills all over my body

‘What are you talking about?’

‘That was my exact reaction.’

I stand up, this is not making sense.

‘So she is no longer pregnant?’

‘Unfortunately she isn’t.’

‘So where have the babies gone? What medical explanation can be given?’

‘At this point I am sorry ma’am but this looks like a spiritual case and it has to be dealt in that realm. Take her to a pastor or a priest or a native doctor because my medical history is not familiar with this and if I keep her here any longer I don’t want to know what will happen.’

I sigh deeply wondering if this might be connected to what happened earlier.

‘So there is nothing that can be done?’

‘Nothing.’

‘So we take her home?’

‘We can keep her for the night, she is in so much pain maybe we can sedate her and you can pick her in the morning.’

‘Alright, I will call my brother and find out how far he is.’

‘Alright, we will move her to a ward.’

We both go out of his office and I go and seat on the waiting chair, I pick up my phone and try to call Caleb. He doesn’t pick up on all three occasions that I call him so I call O’Brien instead.

‘Hey can you talk?’ I ask

‘Hai Wane, what is it you want to say to my husband?’

‘Good afternoon ma’am, I had an emergency I was hoping he would help me with.’

‘And when did you start calling my husband and not Claudia?’

I swallow hard

‘I am sorry ma’am, it will never repeat itself.’

‘It’s not about repeating itself, it’s about where you got the guts to be calling his number and from what I can see in his call logs your number is appearing a lot.’

I don’t respond

‘Wane you are a pretty girl and very young, I don’t understand why you would want to ruin your future by being with a man as old as your father. And not once a day did I even suspect that you could be having an unfair with him, but from all these call logs that is the only conclusion I have. Unless of course you want to vindicate yourself.’

Silence

‘I am guessing the silence means that you have nothing to say.’

Silence again.

‘And the pregnancy? Is it his?’

‘It’s not his and I am not having an affair with your husband ma’am. My sister in law is in hospital, I can’t get through to my brother so I needed to ask for help from him.’

‘And you couldn’t think of getting the help through me? Haven’t you been like a child to me? How many times have I treated you and Claudia like equals? Wane just because I have been quiet doesn’t mean that I am a fool, first you ruined what Besa and Astridah had and now you want to ruin my home? What sort of demons possess you?’

I laugh, it’s not supposed to be funny but I do.

‘And you think that is funny?’

‘No ma’am, I bet you are just taking this too far and unfortunately I can’t find the right words to vindicate myself but I will let you think what you want. Besides the person that owes you answers is your husband, again I am sorry for having called him.’

I drop the line and breath out heavily, that wasn’t me but then again my secret will go with me to the grave. It’s enough that my relationship with my brother is on the line I am not about to see O’Brien’s home crumble in my face.

I try calling Caleb’s line one last time and he picks up.

‘What!’ He asks immediately and I want to laugh but hold myself

‘Your wife is in hospital.’

‘What did you do to her?’

‘Excuse me?’

‘You obviously did something to her and I swear upon our dead parents if something happens to my children I will murder you.’

I am taken aback.

‘I will murder you.’ He repeats before dropping the line and I feel chills all over my body

..

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Winnie

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