Motherhood ππ Part 7
“Stop crying, we’ll find him soon”. My mother said as she consols me.
We’ve already drew the attention of both families and friends about the whole situation with Julius.
“Mummy, how do you expect me to be calm? This is my child we are talking about. I have searched everywhere. Everywhere mummy! He us nowhere to be found!!”. I said with tears.
My husband on the other hand was trying his best to stay calm. Though seated quietly, his silence was loud. Hie eyes gave him away, they were so red.
“Mummy hope my brother will come back home?”. Jude asked.
I broke down in tears again. Everyone started consoling me
“The police are trying their best to locate the whereabout of Julius. They promised to find him at all costs”. My husband assured Jude.
The light suddenly went off. I guess the inverter’s battery has gotten low since we haven’t charged it for two days because PHCN was on strike.
My husband stood up to go put on the generator.
“He is here! I have found him”. My husband screamed at the top of his voice.
Apparently, Julius has been hiding in the generator house all these while. He heard us call him and search for him but never came out.
I ran, no I flew outside.
“My baby! My son”. I said as I ran outside.
My husband was trying to resuscitate Julius. He was unconscious.
“Pour him water”. My mother screamed.
Water was poured on him. After the tussle, Julius finally opened his eyes. He was looking so pale and weak.
“Let’s take him to the hospital. He is looking too weak”. I suggested.
My husband hurried inside and came out with the car keys. Accompanied by my mother and my neighbor, my husband and I took Julius to the hospital. We left Jude with my Elder sister at home.
Thank God the doctor was on seat. Julius was quickly attended to.
We got to know he fainted because of hunger and also because he was exposed to the pungent smell of petrol for too long. I remembered that the whole tussle started because refused to have breakfast.
“He has to be admitted”. The doctor said.
He was placed on drip.
Luckily, Chicken republic was directly opposite the hospital. I went there and bought him rice and chicken with enough salads. Julius love eating rice and salad a lot. I also bought him lucozed boost to help energize him.
He kept on crying of stomach ache as I fed him the rice.
“It’s because he stayed hungry for too long. He will be fine after a while”. My husband said.
He couldn’t even eat much unlike his normal self.
He cried till he fell asleep.
I held his hand and caressed it gently.
“Mummy and Daddy loves you okay! Why can’t you see it? Why don’t you appreciate it? What else do you want us to do? Stop hurting us, we can’t handle it. Mummy and Daddy are humans and they feel pain. Do you want to see us cry everyday?”. I broke down in tears. I knew he was asleep and won’t hear me but i just needed to rant.
“God will help him. He will change”. My mother encouraged.
“Mummy I’m scared π¨. Is this how hard parenting is? We only scolded him because he is not serious with his studies. Is that a bad thing to do? Why can’t he be like his twin? Mummy I’m broken”. I lamented bitterly.
“He will outgrow it. My eldest son was once like that”. My neighbor chipped in.
I hope so.
My husband wasn’t saying anything. I turned back to see what he was doing. He was crying. My husband was sobbing silently.
My heart exploded. This is the second time I would see my husband cry and both tears were because of Julius.
To be continued
Judith Onyoyibo
