The atmosphere in the room was strained. The earth's rotation slowed to a halt, and the gravitational force loosened its grip on me. I tried not to move because I was afraid of floating.
She,
too, returned my stare and attempted to communicate with me.
There
was no sound as I tried to form words.
She gave
up attempting to communicate and just sat there.
Instead,
tears fall freely.
“Maami…”
After much searching, I finally found my voice.
Maria
felt as if she had been yanked by a cord.
She surged
at me, encircling me in a tight embrace, the embrace of a mother.
As she
walked away, all she could say was, "I'm sorry..." she wept.
I took a
deep breath and swallowed hard. I noticed her tenderness.
Motherly
love was written all over her face and eyes. I was unsure if she was my sister,
step-mother.
“I never
expected to see you.” Once more, she murmured, her eyes darting around me admiringly.
My
tongue cleaved to my teeth when I tried to speak.
Maybe
she didn't dislike me at all; I was only a bother to her.
“It's a
miracle you're still alive.” she whispered, embracing and kissing me
“Please
accept my apologies for what we did to you...”
I
stopped her and said, "No..don't."
She
insisted, "Please forgive us."
“I have
no grievances against you, you know.”
Her
tears were brushed away by me.
“I adore
you, my daughter,” She said.
For the
tenth time, she hugged me.
“How about
Baami?” “Can you tell me where he is?” I enquired taking a look around.
Maria's
brow furrowed and she averted her gaze.
“Maami?”
I took a close look at her.
She
didn't say anything, simply shook her head painfully.
I
shifted my gaze to David, who was standing nearby.
He had
been sad the entire time he was with us.
“What is
going on?” I said something to myself in hushed tones.
Why did
they all appear to be depressed? I racked my brain.
David
softly squeezed my hands.
“You
must have courage.” His tone was hushed.
“Which
heart shall I take?” I was putting forth my best effort. It's best to think
everything was OK.
“Your… Please
accept my apologies, Teju. He…he..passed away… a few months after you
disappeared.” He was stuttering.
“Did you
say that?” I overheard myself saying.
“On the
day you departed, he had a stroke, and He was incapacitated before passing away
a month later.” David gently explained. He clenched his fists.
I breathed
softly, wanting to scream, but I couldn't.
How
could he have died in such a manner? Without uttering a single word? “So I'm to
blame for his death?” My vision became hazy.
“Don't
talk like that, Teju.” Maria remarked soothingly.
“He
walked away silently. Maybe he'll never find out.
I was
forgiven. Perhaps he left with a lot of aches and pains, enmity toward me.”
I
swerved in the direction of Maria. She clung to me tightly. Sweat was dripping
down my brow to the side of my face I felt a stab of pain in my stomach.
I knew
it was coming from my head.
Despite
my best attempts, my eyes softly closed.
They are
now open. My body was completely broken. My body trembled convulsively as I
yelled.
David
said something when he heard Eniola's scream.
But their sounds were far away, and I was long gone.