There was once a girl named Emilia who lived on the west side of Abakwa village. She loved farming, fishing, cooking and cleaning. Emilia was a very quiet girl who loved her family very much. Unfortunately things fell apart when she learned her mother had fallen ill in Menji, the other village. Emilia wept heavily day and night. Her younger sister, who was 5 years old, wept with her but didn`t know the cause of her big sister`s tears. George, her father lived in another village called Fontem which was 5 hours away from Emilia and Emma, her junior sister. Each day they went to the well to carry water for cooking and cleaning; but on this Friday afternoon as they walked down the well in search of water, they saw a tall, huge, big belly man coming towards them. They were scared and thought it was a rebel from the other side of the village. Emma shivered and started strutting back towards home; but Emilia told her to “stop” because that person looked familiar. Emma stopped and started walking back towards her sister. The tall, huge and big belly man came and stood in front of the girls. He told them he was their father and he had come to take them to their sick mother. Emilia recalled her father as soon as he spoke but Emma was still in doubt because she had forgotten who her dad was since she was a little girl. Emilia walked towards their father and gave him a big hug and Emma did the same.
The next day very early in the morning Emma, Emilia, and George took off to Menji on the bus. As they drove it began to rain. Emilia said to herself,” This is not a good sign.” She immediately knew something wrong was going on with her mother. She prayed and prayed for the rain to stop. Unfortunately, the rain kept beating the bus more and more and the roads became more and more dodgy. Emma, who was asleep, woke up in fear and began to cry. Emilia held her close to her and whispered in her ears,” It`s ok, go back to sleep.” When they arrived Menji, trees had fallen, there were floods and ceilings were destroyed. They stepped out of the bus and went inside a house made of cement blocks and mud. As they walked, they saw unfamiliar faces; some gave them strange looks, others smiled, and the rest just stared. George felt scared and thought something wrong might had happened because the rain and the flooding often means death; he walked closer and saw his wife laying on a mattress with a cloth around her. She looked pale, tired, restless and powerless. When she saw her kids and husband, she smiled broadly. Emilia looked at her mom and started tearing up, and Emma followed right along with her. Bridget, their mom, told them to “stop crying” and she was going to be okay. Bridget didn`t have appetite at all. She did not drink water and she couldn`t speak loudly since her kidneys had failed. She was close to death but no one could see it except her. She instructed Emma, Emilia, and George to come close to her because she had something to say.
Bridget managed to sit up right so she could speak. Bridget started by saying,” You know I love you all with all my heart, but I have been very sick and the pains keep getting intense as I speak to you all. I know you all might not know what is wrong with me. My doctor told me that my kidneys have failed and i might die anytime soon. Emilia, take care of you sister and father for me. Take your educations seriously, and I’ll be with you all till you all succeed; I love you all.” Bridget`s eyes slowly closed and she passed on. Emilia wept more as she walked out of the house; she wondered why life is so cruel. She thought about what she was going to do so things could be perfect. She thought of how she was going to take care of her sister and father, but most of all she realized that her mother was in a better place where there will be no pain and suffering, but joy and happiness.
After the funeral, they all returned to Fontem with their father. George was a soft, gentle man who lived quietly in his home but the death of his beloved wife made him even stronger to go out and try new things. Emma turned six the following week and started school again. Emilia was now a freshman in college and was studying nursing. Even though they all knew living without their mother was going to be tough, they managed the little they had. George started a job and was getting paid 200cfa FRANCS an hour which is about $10 an hour in the U.S. He worked full- time so he could be able to hold his family together. Though they miss their mom so much, they believe she is with God. They also are sure that she will watch them throughout their lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment