I met Esther and her parents at the door of his office when I got to chapel that evening. It was the Thursday preceding our usual Saturday morning monthly prayer meeting and evening service do not hold because of preparation for this program. I curtsied to greet her parents, who were rather too nice in response to me. Esther had this unusually pale face and I noticed a scar on her left finger. I had to ask.
"Esther, you want to see the chaplain?" I asked.
"Yes, my parents want to see him, but his secretary said we should wait." Even her voice was coarse and stressed.
"Are you okay? What happened to your fingers?"
She looked at me, surprised. "You didn't hear? I thought it was already everyone's news …"
"That what?"
"I poured acid on myself during a chemistry practical last week."
"Oh my goodness Esther. " I hugged her.
"I didn't hear o. That's so bad. How did it happen?"
"I don't know. I just thank God the pain has lessened, but my parents insist that I see our family doctor at home to be certain."
"That's true. You should go home abeg. Let me help you tell the chaplain so he won't keep you waiting."
I went inside to see him and explained to him, just like I expected, he was not that busy. He was just sorting out some files with the secretary. He must have told her to tell Esther he was busy because he assumed she's just another story who had come to hear the interpretation of her dreams from him.
When I was done explaining he walked to the door himself to bring them him, then I excused them to wait for my turn.
A lot goes on in this school that I do not hear about. What kind of leader am I? My conscience fought me.
Anyway, I'm going to see a chaplain and get the prayer points I need to be better. And God will help me.
***
Present day, 400 level Aholah's POV
"Doctor, you have not told us what is going on? We've been in this school for almost a week, she just lies there weak. She can't even lift herself. " I could hear my mum query the doctor in the midst of the darkness where I was. This has been my world for the past few days, no food, no water, I didn't even have the strength to open my eyes. I just laid there lost in memories of the past and regrets. Memories I will not hesitate to share every but of with you.
Once in a while I get distracted by conservations around me like this one and there's one I heard recently that killed all the hope inside of me. I guessed they were the nurses who were assigned to take care of me. One day, they came to do the usual things — I don't know what they were doing, the two of them. Then one of them said; "This girl's problem is looking beyond doctor o. Her womb hot damaged. They removed it. He had expected her to heal, and the bleeding should have stopped, but no. Her parents still have to buy blood every day. He's getting tired sef."
And the other said. "You know what these young people may have put their eyes into. Me I'd rather say it's beyond ordinary again o and her parents need to sharp up and take her away from here"
That day I cried within. Truly, my external bleeding is nothing compared to how much I bled inside as I laid on that bed. Am I going to die like this? That I wish I had an answer to.
"Madam we are trying our best? Currently, we do not even know where this blood is coming from again. All the scans say the wound is healing up."
"Ah mogbe!" (Ah, I'm done for) My mum exclaimed, and I can imagine her turning to my father to say the next word. " Daddy Wura, enough of the shame avoidance. This girl doesn't belong here but church. Let's write to the general overseer and put her on corridor prayers. Before they kill my only child here o."
"Madam calm down, you're yelling." The doctor said. " This is a hospital…"
"Discharge my daughter. Now now now. We are leaving. Discharge my daughter o!" She wailed. I pitied her. If only dying would not hurt her more. At this point, I wished to die.
"If you keep trying to protect your image, this one will die. " She said. "Peace, our firstborn too will go after her. I'm fed up with your ego pastor. Our children need help. Hiding them in hospitals for your image's sake would do nothing but render us childless." She said as if trying to convince herself because the man she was talking to was just there, quiet and inactive.
"Madam, the doctor said you should come settle it in his office. " A nurse announced and I guess they left. God, can you hear me?
I'm sorry! My soul screamed.