Yimika (2)

After about thirty minutes I got scared; he was not picking my calls and he had not shown up. The clock kept ticking and after I had waited for three hours, I paid off the waiters and decided to go look for him in his office before they closed for the day.

 However he was not there! I was told he did not show up. I tried to get his address but nobody had it and I was confused and close to tears. 

The receptionist must have felt sorry for me, because she got a hold of his employee data form and gave me his address. 

I didn’t know what to expect, but I had to see my Yimika, even if his family would throw me out. A glimpse of his face and the knowledge that he’s okay will do.

 I got to his house located in a posh area of Ikeja, the massive gate was intimidating, but I pressed the bell continually, undaunted.

 If Yimika was behind them, then I had to go in. The gate man asked me to wait while he got clearance for me to enter. But immediately I saw him retreat, I followed closely. 

Then I saw an older female version of my Yimika and I knew immediately she was his mum. As I hurried up to her, I immediately went down on both knees in greeting and politely asked to see Yimika. She looked really sad, like she had been crying.

Before I could finish my question fresh tears came to her eyes, and my heart almost skipped a beat.

What must have happened to my Yimika? On our first anniversary, I wondered.

“Lord please, don’t let this be. Let me wake up from this bad dream!” I prayed silently.

“You must be Ruby?” she asked “Any time he opens his eyes, he calls your name.”

“Yes, I am Ruby. Please what is wrong with Yimika? He was fine when I saw him yesterday.”

“He didn’t tell you?" she asked

“Tell me what?”

“Come into the house.”

 As I followed her into the house, all sorts of thoughts flashed through my mind, “what could he be keeping from me?”

Then I looked up and saw my darling, even lovelier in sleep; he had lots of IV tubes poking in and out of his body, for what I could not tell. Did he have typhoid? Or tuberculosis? What could it be? He looked very pale, yet so peaceful in his sleep. 

His mother’s voice, however, jolted me back to the present.

“He’s dying. He has leukaemia.”

“No! He couldn’t be!! He loves me!!!” I screamed.

“What is leukaemia? No! No! No! You are mistaken!”

She embraced me then, held unto me till all my tears subsided. I thought my heart would break. He looked so helpless, so frail; all I wanted to do was hold him in my arms till he woke up. 

His mother told me that he had battled with it for most of his life and maybe he did not tell me because he wanted to lead a normal life. He fought to be normal.

 “I love him Lord. Please don’t take him away now!”

I stayed by his bed side till he stirred, and truly my name was the first thing on his lips.

“Ruby!”

“I am here.”

“I am so sorry; I couldn’t bear for you to feel sorry for me.”

“Hush baby, I understand and I love you."

 He went right back to sleep. I could not let go of his hand. I disturbed the host of heaven with my prayers. I implored God with every breath in me, but those were my Yimika’s last days. 

He would not be taken to any hospital, he did not want that, said he will die anyway and he wanted to do it surrounded by the people he loved.

 I held him close to my heart when he breathed his last, and for a split second our hearts beat as one. Yimika my love, my life died in my arms.

Here I am in the rain without the love of my life. Will I be able to find this love again? Will I be able to love any man like I did my Yimika? People can stare, people can whisper but till I am done soaking up heavens tears for my Yimika, I will not leave this place.


Concluded