SISTER MARY
EPISODE 37
Chioma was so worried that she insisted on speaking with Mary’s sister. I tried my best to stop her, but she kept insisting to the extent that it almost brought a little misunderstanding between us.
I was forced to do her bidding against my wish, and so on the second saturday of the month of November, I took her to see Mary’s sister who was extremely surprised to see us, most especially Chioma who she eyed annoyingly.
Seriously i hated that moment, i hated myself for doing Chioma’s bidding. I felt it was a very wrong idea. I was extremely nervous as i watched the two ladies exchange glances.
I wasn’t comfortable at all.
Surprisingly, Chioma was calm as ever, smiling pleasantly as if she was a diplomat on an official duty. She returned the old Lady’s furious look with a very cheerful smile, playing down my tension with her behaviour.
“so Mr Ken what’s up with this surprising visit?. You came to show me your fiancee or what?” Mary’s sister asked coldly.
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“Actually i’m the person behind it all” Chioma quickly replied before i could say anything, drawing the older lady’s attention back to her.
“of course you have been the person behind everything from the begining. My loving younger sister isn’t here with me thanks to you. So you better shut the fu.ck up unless you want me to help you do it” she barked at Chioma who shook with surprise, smiled and stood up.
“please can we speak privately. I believe you are an enlightened respectable lady. I know you will do the right thing. Please let’s talk privately” she begged her politely.
Mary’s sister stared at me for a while before turning her attention back to Chioma. Breathing deeply, she stood up.
“very well, let’s go to the bedroom” she said a bit coldly, leading the way, while Chioma calmly followed her.
I was left all alone in the sitting room to battle with my thoughts. I nervously waited for them, unable to figure out what was being discussed.
A long wait it was, they spent nearly an hour locked up in the bedroom discussing seriously.
They finally came out when i was almost dying with boredom, Chioma’s face as gloomy as ever.
“let’s go”, she commanded and headed out of the house while I quickly followed her with my heart furiously p******g.
I knew something was wrong. I imagined the worst….
SISTER MARY Episode 38
@MY APARTMENT, 7:45pm
“so when are you telling me what you discussed with Mary’s Sister or aren’t you going to tell me anything?” i asked Chioma as we settled down for dinner. My eyes all over her with expectation.
After the seemingly long discussion with Mary’s sister earlier in the day, Chioma had dragged me home without saying much to me. She kept everything to herself while i died of curiosity and worry.
It was the fifth time i was asking of what transpired between she and the lady. I was desperate as ever and equally wasn’t finding her silence funny at all.
Chioma breathed deeply and stared at me. I focused all my attention to her, my heart furiously p******g.
“Mary never left the country. Infact she’s still in this city” she revealed slowly. I gasped with shock, unable to believe my ears.
“actually it took me quite an effort to get this surprising piece of information. Mary never left town my dear” she confirmed seriously.
I dropped my spoon on the table, folded my hands and stared at Chioma with an open mouth.
“so where is she hiding?” i asked anxiously. She breathed deeply again and shook her head.
“she isn’t hiding my love. She’s at the General hospital. She’s in a very pathetic condition” she slowly informed me, sending my nerves flying high with the revelation.
“she has been sick all these period but we never knew. Seriously i feel very guilty” she cried. I swallowed hard with worry. I was very clueless on what to do.
“she promised to talk to Mary on my behalf. If Mary agrees to see me, i’ll try my best to see how she’s doing” Chioma added calmly. I couldn’t believe my ears. All i did was shrug silently…..
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Days slowly passed by with Chioma surprisingly refusing to get out of the depression she threw herself. She felt responsible for Mary’s sickness and it almost affected our relationship which almost collapsed.
Finally another Saturday approached with Mary’s sister inviting us to the General hospital. We all went there with our hopes up and eventually got the shock of our lives when we saw what remained of Mary.
She was nothing but a breathing skeleton. She was so thin and pale.
“you wanted to see my sister, here she is” her elder sister said to Chioma with sadness in her eyes, avoiding our questions.
I couldn’t believe the person lying before us was Mary. It was very difficult to believe.
“it looks like she’s down with HIV Aids. What do you think?” Chioma whispered into my ear, almost sending me to my grave with the fearful words…
SISTER MARY – Episode 39
“please stop saying nonsense my dear” i whispered back to chioma who quickly dropped her eyes and kept quiet.
“as you can see, my sister is sleeping. It’s quite unfortunate you guys came at the wrong time. Maybe next saturday you can come over” Mary’s sister said with a cold smile. I shrugged and held Chioma.
“thanks for everything. I see you don’t want us to hang around for a while. Anyway we will be back by next saturday. If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate mentioning it” i said politely, smiling nervously as i threw another look at Mary who was sleepling peacefully.
“thanks but i sure won’t need anything from you” the old lady replied coldly, leading us out of the ward.
We silently left the hospital deep with our individual thoughts. I was extremely worried, so was Chioma.
“of course Mary’s body is like that of an Hiv Aids victim but no it can’t be” i prayed fearfully,
“If she is really with the virus then i’m finished. I can’t have the virus” i breathed nervously as great fear took control of me.
My entire body shook with worry.
“My God No no no” i cried within, trying my best to conceal my fears from Chioma.
“you know we should go for a Hiv test. It’s very important” she soon suggested as we headed back to my apartment. I threw a quick glance at her, noticing how withdrawn and terrible she looked.
“do you actually think Mary has the virus?” i asked fearfully. She breathed deeply and shook her head.
“i don’t know what to believe but all i know is that we are going for a test on monday” she said seriously. I bit my lips and drove on, cursing the day i met Mary.
Seriously i couldn’t imagine myself living with such a virus. I felt sick thinking of it.
“Gosh it can’t be, what even got such idea into Chioma’s head. Mary is just seriously sick. Her sickness has nothing to do with Hiv” i reasoned, trying hard to play down my fears.
I prayed and hoped. I felt very bad, but Chioma looked much worst. Everything about her instantly changed. She became a shadow of herself.
The next day {sunday}, was very uneventful. I spent it indoors, with my television and phones turned off. I simply laid on my bed lamenting my fate and praying with all my soul. I was very scared, but what scared me the most was the Hiv test we planned taking the next day.
It was easier unknowingly living with the virus than living with the fact that every second that ticks was bringing death closer with great speed…
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By 10am on monday, Chioma and i nervously waited for our Hiv test results. My heart throbbed furiously, Chioma sat a distance away, looking very uncomfortable. I couldn’t speak to her because i had nothing to say…
Some minutes later, our results were handed to us without any form of counselling which gave me slight hope and courage to read the result which was nothing but NEGATIVE.
“oh yeah!” i jumped with joy. It was the first time in my life i was happy for having a result which came out negative….
“thank you Jesus” Chioma cried as she hugged me after seeing her’s.
“i’m very sorry for rushing into conclusion. This means Mary isn’t down with the virus” she said to me, tears freely falling from her eyes.
You guys can’t imagine how happy, relieved and reborn i felt that moment…
I felt alive again….
“i’m so short of words my dear” i confessed,
“i know sweety. So just keep quiet and let’s go home” chioma replied.
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SISTER MARY Episode 40
The rest of the week was very uneventful, we did nothing but concentrate on our jobs which we neglected for so long. However it never stopped me from thinking about Mary. I couldn’t imagine what the poor lady was going through on her sick bed. It pained me a lot and oh yes i felt very responsible.
Just like Chioma i was very curious to know what was wrong with Mary, but her elder Sister saw us more as enemies than friends. She refused discussing Mary’s illness with us even though we tried our best to call everyday.
That was the situation of things till Saturday afternoon when we visited the hospital again.
This time Mary was very much awake and looking a bit better, though still very fragile.
She managed to sit up on the bed immediately we showed up, forcing out a weak smile which we returned in full. Chioma dutifully sat beside her.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you guys. Though my sister told me how you have been asking about me” she said to Chioma, coughing weakly as she talked. Chioma held her hand and smiled sweetly.
“of course we are very worried for you sweetheart. No one is without a conscience. We do care very much about you” she answered innocently. Mary breathed deeply before looking up at me.
“you know i felt i found happiness. I felt i found my missing rib when Ken came along. I know you understand that feeling which comes when someone who matches your criteria enters your life” she addressed Chioma who nodded slowly.
“i felt happiness. My life was his, i fell so strongly in love. I gave him my soul to keep safe, but you know the rest of the story” she continued weakly, while i looked down with shame and remorse.
“he flung away my life. He flung away everything for you” she said bitterly, touching everyone with her words. Her elder sister quickly interrupted with concern.
“my dear you shouldn’t be talking about the past. You are very sick”She protested, eyeing me angrily.
“don’t worry big sister there isn’t any cause for alarm. Everything happened for a purpose, moreover i now think it’s cool things ended the way it did. I would have suffered more being in this condition with Ken as my husband. So don’t worry anymore about me dear Ken, i have forgiven you. Just be happy with your girl” she concluded and sobbed.
I quickly knelt by her side, hugging her by the waist, while chioma equally sobbed. It was a very emotional scene.
“you are a very wonderful person. The more i get to know you. The more i admire everything about you. Thanks a lot for understanding, we will continue checking on you till you get better and leave this hospital. The bills are on me, don’t worry about anything and get better” Chioma promised, shocking everyone with her offer.
However we had no time to discuss further with Mary nor her sister because a doctor soon showed up to check on her forcing us to leave.
We left with the promise of returning on Monday but unfortunately Mary never made it to Monday.
An early Monday morning phone call from Mary’s sister broke the terrible news to me.
“MY SISTER IS DEAD. Mary is dead” she cried over the phone.
