𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒏'𝒔 𝑫𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒎𝒂

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 ℕ𝕚𝕟𝕖: 𝔸 𝔹𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕥 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 ℕ𝕚𝕟𝕖
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕞 𝕤𝕦𝕟 𝕗𝕚𝕝𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕚𝕥'𝕤 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕞𝕪 𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞 𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤 , 𝕒𝕤 𝕀 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕕𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕨𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕦𝕡, 𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕝 𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪 𝕠𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕣 cornered  𝕓𝕖𝕕... 𝕀𝕥'𝕤 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘.. 𝕄𝕪 𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕞 𝕔𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕡𝕤, 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕀 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕚𝕥'𝕤 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕨𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕦𝕡 -𝕓𝕪 6:30𝕒𝕞, 𝕀 𝕘𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕒𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖, 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕤𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕓𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕞𝕪 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕟 𝕡𝕒𝕟𝕚𝕔..7:30𝕒𝕞.ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕥.., 𝕕𝕒𝕞𝕟 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕀 𝕤𝕝𝕖𝕖𝕡 𝕤𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘..
𝕀 𝕣𝕦𝕤𝕙 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞 𝕒𝕤 𝕀 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕒 𝕗𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕪𝕖𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕓𝕒𝕥𝕙.

𝔾𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕖,𝕀 𝕡𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖, 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕥...
Ahh, jeez, what imma gonna wear..
I scan my closet staring at the clothes my bestie and My Dad had specifically gotten for me on the eve of my trip to New Haven.
So confused, I finally chose a Cerulean, blue and black striped dress, top with a purple sweater and black flats. Grabbing my bag, an outfit falls down at my feet. I stoop over and pick it up. I smiled bitterly on recognition. It was the twin sweater my best friend owned, similar to the one I was wearing at the time. She used to love purple so much and in turn being her best friend, we made matching outfits on the eve of our regional assembly.  It's been precisely 10 months since she died after being diagnosed with Leukemia. My eyes were fixated on it as my mind drifts...
... The ECG beeps ... I feel like I'm slowly losing her. I sit beside her hospital bed, holding her pale palms. Her hair had been shaved because of the aftereffects of chemotherapy. She gasped for air like there weren't air pipes on her facial orifices.
"Hang in there dear," I said as the tears stung my eyes.
"Elena... Ebi.., get your... act together dear, you'll be alright, okay" she said fumbling a smile.
It was scary when she spoke with this tone of finality.
"No, Pamela,you'll be alright . I can be okay if you're not, right?" I said nodding frantically, hoping to get a nod from her in affirmation.
The ECG beeps frantically.... beep... beep... beep..
"Oh , Pamela" I say bursting into tears as her face turns pale...her eyes closes calmly. I hug her, screaming her name as I held on to her. Others In the room burst into tears. We couldn't accept her death even if we had be told that she would die in a few days.Pamela had been in pain for months and the hospital had suggested voluntary euthanasia but we  adamantly refused.A scrub nurse walks over to me and politely told me to move aside as she places the thin, white and nearly pellucid sheet over her face.
Pamela had been sickle cell for years.. on her demise, Tiwa urged me to lean on her. It's been hellish.

Tears stream down my face as I woke up from my reverie. My mind resurfaces to my present predicament. I was extra late for school. I place the sweater on the top drawer of my closet as I slide my foot Into my crimson flats. I hurry downstairs.
Dad's meticulously preparing breakfast . I dab the invisible tears from the corners of my eyes hoping he wouldn't notice.He's been babying me since my asthma relapsed; Incase you're wondering why he's playing "Mum" or would I say a discreet maid. This normally doesn't happen in African homes but I guess in New Haven, things outta change.

The dinning table is literally beautified with tons of food, 4 eggs, 2 hardboiled, 2 scotched and slices of bacon, sausages and pancakes with butter syrup and coffee for sure... Belgian waffles too. I wonder when and where he learnt to cook all these.
Settling down, I finally greet my Dad after fully admiring our breakfast.
He answered with a muffled grunt as he looks up wondering why and when I started greeting him in our local dialect. He suspiciously stared at me to speak up if I wanted something. I gesticulated wildly with a waffle in my mouth. He stares at me bemused, obviously not comprehending what I meant. He mouths a "I don't understand what you're saying". I desperately try to mouth some signals as crumbs of sausages fell off my mouth. We erupt in laughter.
"Say it already" he urges me..
"Nevermind, Dad." I said gulping down some orange juice. I got up to get water from the dispenser.
"Anyways, how was your night"
"Twas splendid"
"Splendid ehh, texted a boy?"
His words startled me and I choked on water. He suppressed a grin ,focusing on his food. I glanced at my wristwatch:"7:45,am...
" Holy shit"I panick, picking up my bag .
" Language.. "he says still staring at his food.
" Yes , Dad... I'm off "I say nervously remembering I wasn't supposed to swear in front of my Dad.
On heading out, I realized I had missed the 7:30 general bus . So I decided to wait for the 8:00 one. Standing in by the pavement on the streets of Mortville . I figdeted while waiting till the bus came. I hurried into it as the bus momentarily stoops to pick up predestrians.