We woke up late this morning because it was weekend. It wasn't really late though, since it's actually Saturday, a day of rest for us. Not like it's actually a day of "rest" because we have a lot ahead of us.
The director of police had promised to get back to us in due time and would send a detective to is for questioning which according to my husband as he explained would help them lay the foundation on how the search or investigation would be.
I have been greatly worried about my kids, but the worst part is that with the medications I was undergoing, deep down I knew my health was deteriorating. I refused to let anyone know, not my husband and not even my own mother. I knew that wasn't the right thing to do, as Jessica would always so, but I was not ready to let them back down on the search for my children because of me. No, no that wouldn't be fair either.
Since Mom came around, she refused that I go into the kitchen to cook, saying that I was sick and it could get worse if I tried any hardwork, like the doctor said. I knew that was just an excuse to keep me out of her way.
I had wanted to prepare my usual yam but with fresh prawn sauce. It was usually very tasty, but mother came around and asked that I leave the kitchen.
"Mom, you cannot expect me to live like a servant and be controlled in my own house. How do you even have the mind to do that to me? I said, quite annoyed but trying not to lose my temper.
"I could do more than that if I have to. Young lady, you only need to rest and stop stressing yourself over this kind of a thing. By the way, you are not allowed to talk back at me as far as I am concerned, do you understand, huh?
"Mom! This is becoming too much. How can you try to make me a slave in .y own house. Mother!
"You are really so arrogant and naive. I am the one doing the work of a maid in here and you are standing there accusing me of ordering you around as a slave? Seriously? You are a joke girl."
"Huchhh. Well mother, stop exaggerating about me being sick and making it look like I am bedridden. I am very okay, sound and healthy, mother. Don't you see it? I asked, turning around to show off how healthy I was.
"Sometimes being healthy doesn't necessarily mean that the physical body must have to deteriorate huh. Some HIV patients look very healthy on the outside, but the inside is, well I think you should know how the inside looks like anyway." She said.
"Mother, I don't fancy what you are doing. I want to prepare this food myself." I argued.
Going over to the pot I just placed on fire and turned the gas cooker off. She opened the pot that was on fire and looked inside of it.
"Yam? Yam this morning? Wait, you want to bring out yam to the dinning room as what, breakfast? She asked being more sarcastic than serious.
"Mom come on. Don't start with your light food procedure for breakfast, I have heard enough of it. I want to eat yam and prawn sauce. If you can prepare that for me, then I promise I won't disturb you and your cooking again.
"I'm so sure I didn't teach you that. Go to your room Sonia. We'll take yam for lunch later in the afternoon. For now, Let's eat what every human on Earth will take for breakfast."
I had no other option than to leave the kitchen for her. I guess she won. So I went to the sitting room and stayed there, waiting for breakfast.
Alex came downstairs after a while and joined me in the sitting room. He noticed that my face looked gloomy so he asked what the problem was.
"Babe, hey. What's up."
I looked over at him and faked a cool smile, then I replied calmly, "I'm okay."
"You're hungry? He asked.
"Well, yeah I am hungry. Mom said food will be ready soon so I have to wait." I answered.
He stared at me as if he was unsatisfied with my response.
"Darling, are you sure you are okay? I am sure you are not. Tell me, what is the problem? Come on, tell me what it is." He said, coming closer to me and bringing me close to himself.
"It's mother. I really don't want her around, to be honest with you." I answered, and turned to back him.
He laughed lightly before he replied. "Babe! Come on. But, she's your mother. Tell me, what did she do this time huh? He asked.
"She is always ordering me around. I don't like it, this is my house not hers. She keeps reminding me that I am sick and I need rest and that I can not cook when she is around. Honey, why would she say that. But you see that I am getting better, huh, am I not? I asked babyishly.
"Darling, listen. I know it's annoying, yeah. But to be honest with you, your mother is right. You should be happy that she is around to help you run these things. Your friend Jessica should have been the one, but thank God, your mother has relieved her of the stress. Isn't that worth it?
"You are not helping matters at all." I said irritatedly, got up from the chair and walked upstairs, not bothering to know what else he has to say to me. It wasn't my business and I don't want it to be my business either.
I got to the room, locked the door and climbed on the bed. I took my phone from the side of the bed where it was. I thought I should call Jessica and know what's up with her.
Since the day she left the house, we haven't talked. I guess we talked that day, yeah. But since then, we haven't talked and she hasn't come over, which is quite unlike her.
Has she gone to visit those friends of hers that always go for parties only, hmm. Well, I guess I should find out myself then.
I dialed Jessica's number and she picked up at the first ring.
"Jessica! Jessica, what is going on? I have not heard from you for a while now. What is going on my baby girl? Hope all is well."
"Oh my goodness Sonia I am so so sorry. I should have called you yesterday but I couldn't and I forgot about it."
"You sound like you are not okay and I know when I hear your voice. Tell me, what is the issue, tell me? I asked impatiently.
"Sonia, well uhm, I wouldn't want to disturb you with my issue when you have one weigh higher than mine to tackle. Don't worry about it okay, I will be fine, alright."
"Jessica, you know that's not fair. When it comes to my own thing, you always come in for me, now I'm asking for the last time, what is going on? I asked authoritatively.
"Uhm, yesterday Jude was involved in an accident that almost cost his life. Right now I'm in the hospital with him but he's getting better now." Jessica answered.
"Oh my God, I'm really sorry my dear. I am really sorry. Hope he's getting better? What happened to him?
"Home accident my dear. He slipped and fell off the stairs and hit his head hard and lost consciousness. Luckily, I was home when it happened, so I rushed him to the hospital immediately."
"Oh my God. Thank God he's sti alive. Don't worry, everything is gonna be okay."
"Yeah I believe. I was wondering what would have happened if I wasn't around yesterday. I might have come home to see my son's corpse in the house. It wouldn't have been a funny news."
"Ha, Jessica, it won't happen. God won't allow that to happen to us."
"Amen. Please, pardon me for not calling earlier. I will come over to the house tomorrow. Hope that's okay with you?
"Yeah. That will be so nice, because my mother has chose to make hell for me in my own house. She is just making things more difficult for me." I complained bitterly to her.
"Sonia my dear, you know you are difficult on your own. I am not sure your mother is actually doing what you claim she is doing or she did."
"Jessica, you too don't believe me? Anyway, I guess will just sulk away on my own."
"Okay then, if you say so. Atleast tell me what happened, so I could pass my own judgement you see."
"Yeah. You know yesterday we were supposed to go to the police station to report the case. My mother had the guts to tell my husband not to allow me go with them because of my health issues, can you imagine that."
"Oh, was that the reason Alex called me yesterday morning to ask me about your admission to the hospital? I had to spill everything to him, my bad."
"That aside, since my mother came here, she has prevented me from going to the kitchen to cook. I can't eat what I want when I want to. Each time she sees me in the kitchen, that is the time she will want to prepare something for the family. It is so annoying. Because of her, Alex has asked me to stay indoor. I haven't smelt outside this compound since two days now." I grumbled in complete dissatisfaction.
"I understand your feeling baby girl. But, come to think of it. You mother is actually helping matters. She is relieving you of the stress of cooking. You should be happy about that instead of complaining. If I were you, I will make out the most of my time." Jessica advised.
"What do you think then? And how do you mean by making out most of my time?
"You know what the doctor said, that you shouldn't do any single thing that will make you stress yourself out. Use this opportunity to rest okay."
"Seriously, how do you expect me to be okay when my children have not been found Jessica. You know that's not possible my dear."
"You just have to make it possible. If your children are found and then you fall so sick because you refused to listen, do you think you will be happy with yourself? Think about it. Instead of jubilation, it will be cut short because you might have to be admitted to the hospital again. That's not fair if you ask me."
"But Jessica, I am trying, I am trying so hard but it is not forthcoming. I don't know what else to do."
"I guess it's not hard enough. Perhaps, you should find a different strategy to use." Jessica answered.
"I will do that. Thanks for your help." I appreciated her from my heart.
"You know you are always welcome. By the way, I just remembered. I will be going to that general hospital later today, in the evening to be precise. I think your test result is out. The doctor called me this morning to inform me about it."
"Oh no. I think I'm getting cold feet fr this news right now, oh no." I exclaimed.
"Hey, calm down and be positive alright. It will be fine and nothing will happen to you."
"Okay okay, I believe that." I said, inhaling deeply and exhaling calmly as well.
"I guess I will talk to you later. I will be around tomorrow. Hope that's okay with you?
"You've mentioned that and I said I would love it so much and please don't disappoint me on that or else I won't forgive you easily." I answered.
"Yes my dear, I won't."
"So who is staying with your other kids of you are with your first son in the hospital? I asked.
"My sister-in-law has been of great help to me, Amanda has been helping me out. I am so glad. She is such a sweet lady."
"That's good, and your husband Eddy?
"Well, that's the question for another day. Eddy has been busy with his work and all that. Atleast we haven't had time to quarrel with each other in a while and that's just so cool." Jessica answered.
"You are not okay. You have to settle your issues with your husband, I am no longer finding all those attitudes of you guys funny any more. You are his wife, you know how to get him, do it and settle things with him"
"You are right Sonia. I guess I should do what you said."
"I will be glad if you do." I answered. Just then, I heard Alex call my name." "Uhm Jess, I will talk to you later. Alex just called me, let me go find out why."
"I guess I will talk to you tomorrow then. Please, do take care of yourself alright."
"Yes Jess, I will. You too, do the same and take care of Jude carefully."
"Definitely."
I ended the call and went downstairs to go check out why Alex called earlier.
I got downstairs to meet the duo sitted on the chair in the dinning room with the table set and the food arranged already. I had totally forgotten that we had breakfast to take.
I pretended I didn't see that, so I looked at Alex pretending to be frowning and asked him why he called me.
"Alex, you called me. Is there any problem? I asked.
"Yeah, I mean no, there is no problem. I guess it is obvious the reason why I called you." He said, eyeing the food on the table then looking at me.
"I still don't understand" I answered, feigning ignorance.
"Okay okay, just to avoid issues. I called you so we could have breakfast together. Mother prepared fried eggs with her special recipe. I think, we have to taste this." Alex said, opening the food, smiling at himself.
"I am not hungry." I replied bluntly and started walking out of the dinning room.
"Come on babe." Alex said, standing up and walking faster to close up to me. "Babe, you don't have to prove so stubborn. Alright, I am sorry I said some stuff you didn't like earlier and I apologise for that okay. So, uhm, please come join us for breakfast. You know it won't be nice without you."
"It won't be nice without the kids at all. So, darling, just let me be."
Alex stared at me for a while without saying any other word to me. I had no idea what he was thinking, though I wished I did.
After sometime, Alex spoke up. "Darling, sweetheart, let's make do of what we have now for the moment alright. It's gonna be okay."
"I am still not comfortable"
"If you believe that they will be back soon, that we wi find them, then come and join us for breakfast." He said finally and went back to the dinning table.
I stood there for a while, but I guess I didn't have any other choice than to join them.