by Dora Okeyo
no woman your age would have waited for him. I mean, you even went out looking for him. I read your emails, heard your voice messages, and even got all the notes you left him at work. You have hurt long enough, but I am sorry that there’s even more pain coming your way, question is can you take more pain?”
“What are you s...saying?”
“You heard me right May. I have no doubt that Luke loves you. He’s never stopped loving you, and if only that boy listened to me, I’d be at peace here and he’d be the one telling you all this.”
“So, he is alive.”
“Very much so, but I do not know if he is the same guy you fell in love with.”
“What are you saying? I mean, is he here or not? Is he here? And why can’t he face me?”
“Be still May. He is alive, am sorry to say that he is not here. He will be back soon and when he comes he said he will seek you. I wish I could stop the pain or the waiting, but be patient. He has to face these issues and sort them out. See, it’s about his Father. The fool left us, but he did not know my son had a condition, yes he has one, and the only person who could save him was the fool. I know this sounds too radical, but Luke has been living a double life. He’s been acting as if all is well. He is not well. He is a mess. He was drinking himself silly, showing up with naked girls, and cursing away at everything. He met you. He thought he’d just pick you up, but with time he knew you were special. Luke was rushed to the hospital the night he met you. Yes, I knew he was going to ask you to marry him. He told me before he left that he loved you. I did not stop him. He was in a coma for six months. He woke up and said he had to face his Father. His immune system is weak, first they said it was cancer, but now we do not want anything of the sort. We knew he needed a bone marrow transplant. He went abroad; sadly none of his siblings was a match. The only match was his Father. So why didn’t he tell you? Luke is a baby and he will forever be one. Frankly speaking I am glad he is alive. He’s been in and out of hospices; even the doctors wonder how he makes it. He is in the UK now; he could barely talk under the influence of drugs. He was pathetic if you ask me. The day you stormed here accusing me of keeping you apart, he had resolved he’d tell you-but he slipped into another coma. So you are dealing with a dying man May. My son is dying and he’s been stupid for never telling you.”
Whatever happened after is still a mystery to me. I can only recall waking up hungry and in a rage. I snapped at everything in my way, including the cup that could not reach my lips! I did not talk to Luke’s mother as I left. I cried all the way home. I packed my stuff and hired a pick up. I moved into the school that day, and received four files, each of them detailing what I was to teach. I would write articles for the church bulletin every Wednesday. The monthly magazine would allow me a feature page, on either relationships or parenting. I would have counseling sessions for career profiling for seniors and act as an assistant resident matron. They offered me thirty five thousand shillings at the end of the month. On the contract was a footnote that read, ‘remember to give unto the Lord, for He’s the Giver of Life.’ I smiled at this and sat up all night reading.
I did not answer any calls worse off from Alice. I tried one evening to take off Luke’s ring, but I couldn’t do it. I felt empty. I knew that I was fooling myself. I loved Luke. I loved him and what I asked myself was what I would do if he finally died. If I was Alice, I would have moved on. I would leave early and cause myself little or no pain. It was always there, just a thought. I worked as a slave for the first few weeks. The senior students took a toll on me. They asked me lots of questions and expected prompt answers. I was doing well with the bulletins. Alice kept her distance. I finally told her about Luke. She was sorry. She let me cry in her arms for a few hours. She asked me what I wanted. I told her that I wanted Luke no matter how short that love would last. She said Luke had all the money in the world that could save us a few more years. She said she was still mad at him. I asked her to give me time to sort things out and she laughed. She said she would do so. Thing is she kept calling to check on me every hour. I walked into my room that evening and sank in the chair. I stared at myself in the mirror right across the room and sighed. I did not know who I was. I did not know what to do. It was exactly two years, and three months since Luke proposed and walked away. I had hang onto the hope of seeing him all that time. Some people might think that two years is a long time. Truth is I am proud. I have my principles and I love Luke. I did not get into the relationship so he can complete me. I love him. I love the fact that I can share myself with him. I love the fact that he gets on my nerves that some days I can’t stand him, but that he still holds onto the hope that I still care. I cursed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I changed into my pyjamas and set the kettle to boil. I would take some tea, a few slices of brown bread and sleep off another Lukeless day!
I was making my way from the kitchen with tea in my hand, when someone knocked on my door. I looked at the time. It was 11:25pm. I had asked the Matron to drop by for the folders, but it was late. I walked to the door, and opened it.
He was there. I slammed the door on his face, and then opened it again. He was there. His Mother was right behind him, and some three women. The security guard asked if I knew them. I told him Luke was my fiancée. He smiled and then helped the others with their bags. I stepped aside to let them in. His Mother hugged me and whispered, ‘you can do this May. Welcome to the family, my Daughter.’ I let out a shriek, and flung myself in his arms. I cried away the two years and three months of pain before looking into his eyes. “God May, I know I don’t deserve this, but if you would only…”
“Shut up Luke, and yes I forgive you, not because I can, but because I want to now-stop talking and come in.”
“I love you May, God, I can’t believe all this. I never meant any of this, if only I could turn back and set things right, if only I’d have told you that night, if only…”
“It is okay, how long do we have?”
“As long as we can, the bone marrow transplant was successful. I am a little weak, and will be on medication, so we have time.”
“Good, now come sit and I will make you people supper. I hope you don’t mind some sukuma wiki and ugali.”
“That would be great dear, let me help you, and May, these three ladies here are my Daughters-Lena, Grace and Margaret, I am glad they came home. And girls, she’s May, my Daughter-in-law, and before you start talking or asking her questions talk some sense in your Brother because if he ever hurts her again, he’d have to face me!” I stood there smiling. It was good seeing them, but I wanted to be with Luke that night. I wanted us to talk. I wanted to hear all about him.
I started by saying that I want him back. I had him for a year, and lost him for twice as much. He came back. Call me stupid, sick or insane, but I love him. I love Luke. I have him back. I will spend every moment I have cherishing him, because my heart knows it to be so. I lay in his arms that night. I turned and saw him. He was there, he held me and I felt alive. The pain was still there. The pain still is, at times I see him and cry, because I cannot comprehend how he could just leave without a word. He looks at me at times and says ‘at times May, I think you were just made for me.’
I often retort, ‘don’t you know it already Luke? I was made for you.’
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About the author
Some stories are too painful to be told. Others have to be told, so people can believe in good. The author’s learned to share peoples’ true stories and add a twist to them.
Read more at: www.dora-jodie.blogspot.com
And also at: https://twitter.com/#!/herhar