By Egboka Ozioma

“Diana!” mama yelled, hitting her exposed laps which where sprawled on the bed.

“Diana!” mama called again, this time hysterically.

Suddenly throwing her hands up, she swayed herself, bending low to gather her wrappers and stop them from revealing her ‘dross.’

“Mama wait nu, ya kwuri, don’t shout! ” Mama Aisha, our neighbor, cautioned her.

Moving over to the bed where she lay, she observed her closely, touched her forehead, and her chest.

“She’s warm! ” she announced, much to the relief of my mum and I.

“Pour her water, ” I whispered, quite unsure of myself.

“Hmm baabu mana, she’s pregnant, her baby will catch cold. “

I wondered if that was really true, it didn’t make sense… but does Diana’s long sleep make sense too? Nothing makes sense anymore.

Just then Rasheed, our taxi driver neighbor rushed in. He had driven over quickly to take Diana and her seven-month pregnancy to the hospital.

“Insha Allah, she’ll be fine! ” Mama Aisha said prayerfully, tapping my mama in an encouraging manner.

“Amin Jesu, ” mama answered slowly, sniffing her nose as she struggled hard not to cry.

“Amin Jesu, ” I whispered too. Slowly, I went over and held my mother, rocking her like a baby as she cried softly.

“Amin Jesu, ” several others in the room chorused moodily,” Amin Jesu “

“Rebecca, call Amos. Let him… know his wife fainted, ” mama said to me, her voice breaking sorrowfully.

Slowly, I stepped out to make the call. The kind which I never dreamed I would make in my life.

“Hello, Uncle Amos… “

⚫⚫⚫

Few months earlier

Beautiful things make the heart rejoice.

Such was the excitement that goshed through me when Diana called me that afternoon.

“Rebe rebe! “

“Shoo, but sister, I told you na. I don’t want Rebe again na! ” I protested over the phone excitedly.

Sister Diana as I called her, though a reserved conversationist, had few moments when excitement washed over her and overshadowed her quiet mien.

Growing up, she had always called me Rebe instead of Rebecca even when she was angry, all my playful protest to remind her that I was no longer the sandal-eating, naked Rebe she carried as a baby, met her soft, quiet resistance.

“I’m pregnant, ” announced, acting like she didn’t hear what I said.

“Ehhh! You say? “

“Hahaha, you heard me na… I am pregnant, ” she sang it this time.

“Haaa, sister Diana so fast? You’ve got no patience ooo. Uncle Amos is on fire! “

“Abeg abegi, ankali! I have to go; I don’t even have airtime!

Without waiting for my response she cut the call.

I understood, she and I were very close and so she had told me first. But, she would have to tell my mother.

Smiling ruefully, I danced a little, and went ahead to the kitchen.

Few months later, the call that came across greatly pierced our bubble of joy.

I was still in the realm where you’re dreaming but still aware of your surroundings, that realm of being half asleep when my phone rang. I heard the sound like it came from a distant region.

Reaching out like a zombie, still not fully awake, I pressed the answer button.

“Diana is sick! “

Source: Diana’s Great Fight

cc: lalasticlala mynd44