The woman on the bed tossed and tossed. Her big round eyes were widely opened and her small well shaped mouth kept muttering something.
She wore a blue short gown which revealed her slender legs. She got up from the bed and paced the small room as if looking for something and then settled her gaze at the window. she drew closer to it and a light smile escaped her lips.
It had been long time she smiled. As she kept staring at the big city with cars and people through the window she felt a sense of freedom. Freedom to explore the world. Of course, she wasn’t free. She had been locked up inside the damn place for three months now which she wasn’t even aware of. This beautiful young woman with a pure skin, curl hair, round eyes and a slender shape had now turn so pale and almost looked like a grandmother at age 23.
The door cracked open and she turned her gaze to it. A petite dark woman who was not doubt a nurse because of the uniform she wore come in.
Mum, you need to take your medications she said stretching her hand to reveal the medicine. She poured a glass of water from the jar on the table and stretched it to her.
“How many times do you want me to tell you I’m perfectly fine. Please let me go”. Maya said putting her hands together with desperation in her eyes.
‘we know you are not made but please just take some medicine? The nurse said stretching the medicine and glass of water to Maya. Maya took the water and poured it on the woman’s face.
‘How dare you?’ The nurse said angrily and slapped Maya on the face. This woman didn’t know what revenge was. She pounced on the nurse and was now on top of her.
‘What’s happening here’ A tall built man came into witness the scene. He wore a scope around his neck which gave no doubt he was a doctor. Maya got herself off the nurse and she got up from the floor where the medicine was all scattered.
‘I wanted to give her medicine but she ended up attacking me’ the nurse explained.
Please let me out of here. I’m fine I want to go’
The doctor walked to her kept his hand on her shoulder and guided her to the bed.
You’ll be fine okay, just try taking your medication’ the doctor said with a reassuring smile. “bring her the medicines” the doctor turned to the nurse who processed the information and rushed out but came in later with the same medicine that was now on the floor.
‘Take this okay, you can take it when you feel alright. But just take it. It’s good for your health’ the doctor said and handed over the medicine to Maya. Don’t forget to send for me when you need any help he said as he and the nurse exited the room. Maya sat for a long time before shifting her pillow to reveal a lot of medicine of the same kind and added to it what the doctor had given her and covered it back, she sighted.
The slender woman with big eyes and just finished with her press release and decided to take a stroll outside her garden. As she was walking she remembered today was her daughter’s birthday. A daughter she never knew. A daughter who died the very day she was born. The pain came sharp as she remembered her son as well. Michael died three months ago and she was left with no one. With all her money, her heart was still hurting. Every year, she visits the orphanage on her daughter’s birthday and today was not an exception. She strolled out of the garden calling her maid.
Maya was on the floor busily drawing something.
Yes, she was sketching a picture of her mother. This woman had wanted to tell her who her biological parents were but unfortunately, she couldn’t before she died. She had so many of these drawings inside the drawer. It was a masterpiece. She remembered ever telling her mother that she would be an architecture. A best one of course but she had lost hope the very day she died.
The people who would have motivated her to rediscover herself were gone. She found herself here not because she was mentally ill but she just wanted to ran away from the world. To ran away from her problems but here she was, wanting to leave this hell again. So indecisive of what she want.
She heard a knock on the door and Dr. Martins came in. He walked closer to her to see what she was up to.
“nice drawing there. It’s a masterpiece” he said with a bright smile.
“thank you, doc, do you really think I’m mad?” Maya asked redirecting her gaze at him.
The doctor walked to her bed and picked the pillow to reveal so many pills on the bed.
“you haven’t been taking your medicines, have you?” Dr. Martins asked. That’s because I’m not mad. I can’t take that” she hustles said.
I know you aren’t mentally stable that’s why I have never forced you to take those pills. Look I can see the pain in your eyes. You have lost hope in yourself. You don’t believe in your capabilities any longer. But that is not supposed to be the case. We mourn in life yes but not forever. Pull yourself together and stand because as long as you have life, you have everything. I can help you leave this place for a better life. Maya, don’t do this to yourself else you’ll get really mad forever.
You don’t understand anything. Just leave me alone.
Maya shouted at him. Dr. Martins had no option but to leave. Dr. Martins looked at his watch. It was 11minutes past 1pm and Diya wasn’t around. They had agreed for her to drop by at the hospital at 1:00pm for them to go on a date. He had arranged to proposed marriage to her. He wasn’t getting younger. He had vowed not to get married again after his wife died but this woman had twisted his heart. He was 45 years and Diya were 42 years old. He thought and smirked.
The door cracked open and beautiful Diya came in. This woman really resembled a patient here.
Her eyes, the hair, the faced everything about her resembled Maya.
“sorry I had to go to the orphanage today is my son’s birthday.” Diya explained and moved forward to kiss his cheek.
“so now you are here, shall we?” he said and got up from the seat to lead her to the door.
Diya was all smiles as they exited his office. This man was doing things to her heart. She had vowed not to marry again after her husband died but with motivation from friends and family, she gave this man a chance.
As they walked passed a door, they heard a loud bang and a female voice shouting “let me out of here, let me out of here”
Diya stood few steps away and Dr. Martins decided to check what it was. Obviously, it was from Maya’s direction. He opened the door only to see her socked in tears lying on the floor. That girl reminds him of Diya always. Diya came in, from behind her. They took a few steps into the room and Maya raised her head to look.
Diya was shocked that the face resembles her so much. How is that possible!
“sorry I’ll just call the nurse to come give her, her usual injection” Dr. Martins said and ready to go when Diya held his hand.
“don’t worry I’ll talk to her” she said, taking steps forward to were Maya laid.
“don’t touch me” Maya scream as Diya was about to touch her. Diya felt a kind of attachment she did not understand. She still forced the edge to help her up from the floor to the bed. She looked around the room. It was a small table and a jar of water on top it. She got up and walked to the table to pour a glass of water for Maya who rejected it.
Dear don’t be like this. You can tell me anything. I’ll help you because you are just like my daughter and I can feel your pain” Diya said.
Dr Martin excused himself from the room, Maya opened her mouth only for tears to wail up in her eyes.
Diya kept her hands in hers. “talk to me dear. You need someone to talk to and be yourself again”
“did you say you can feel my pain? Do you know the pain of being raped and molested by the person you call your father?” Maya asked as tears shook down her face.
“not once but twice I’ve lived with this pain. I watched my mother being assassinated by her own husband. This woman who was my pride and joy. Because of her I attended college to be the best architect in the whole wide world. “suddenly, she felt as if someone poured cold water on her and she shrieked but tightened her grip on Diya.
“you know, that day, she wanted to tell me who my biologicals where but I was in a hurry to attend school. When I came back, my father had already burnt the house along with them in it. Do you feel the pain as well?
My whole world shattered. I made up my mind to commit suicide but this idiot run his car over me rather saved me. He knew he was going to leave all along in this big world but he saved me. He became my source of happiness, my world. Then, everything fell apart. Everything came to an end when he had an accident and died on our wedding day.
Do you feel the pain of being left alone in this world? He promises he’d make me the architect I wanted to be but he disappointed me” Maya screamed in pain and fell back on the floor.
Wait, Diya son also had an accident on his wedding day and it cause his death. But Diya had been out of the country and wasn’t able to make it there. But the news of the loss of her son shattered her heart. Could this be the woman? No, it can’t be. She brushed it off to listen to the rest of Maya’s story. She really felt for her.
“my world has ended once again. But I motivated myself not to give up. I had to work and sleep on the streets just to go back to school. But do you know the job I found myself in? prostitution! I worked there for a month only to be diagnosed with HIV. My world crumpled apart again and I decided to end it once and for all and that’s when I found myself here. Do you feel the pain?
Maya cried like a baby. Diya felt a strange pain. This young girl has gone through a lot.
She got up from the bed and helped her from the floor to the bed;
“don’t worry, I’ll help you.” She said stroking her back.
“that’s what everyone says” she felt into Diya’s arms and sobbed.
It was one of these days Diya came to visit Maya. They had become best of friends and Diya had advised her to take her pills and get better she heeded to her advice. Maya was busy drawing something. Diya drew closer to see what it was.
Wait this was an old maid of hers “who’s this woman to you?” she asked Maya pointing at the picture.
That’s my adopted mother “Maya said with a high smile on her face. Diya sat beside her.
Could this young woman be her long-lost daughter? This maid of hers as went missing the very day she gave birth to her missing daughter. She had to find her. She drew closer to Maya and cut a piece of her hair without Maya’s notice.
Dear, I have to get going. I have an important meeting ‘’ Diya said in a shaking voice. Okay ‘’ Maya said and smile. Diya left.
Yes, this was her daughter, she held the results in her hand with tears. How could she not have realized? She picked her keys and run out. Those eyes, that face, oh my God were all evident. She pulled her car to a halt in front of the hospital and moved in.
Maya was having a meal when she heard the door open in a fierce manner, she turned her head only to be hugged by the woman in front of her.
“My daughter” The woman said in tears. “I’m your mother”
Maya froze in place.
Two years later
Maya stood in front of the podium in her graduation gown all smiles. She has never been this happy all her life. She was now herself. She would break any obstacle to get what she wanted and that was her.
“I dedicate this achievement to my mother Mrs. Diya, Dr. Martins. They motivated me to be myself. To strive for what I want and not to lose hope, years back, I had lost hope in God and myself. But today, I edge every young person out there to have hope no matter the difficulties you face and God will see you through. You know, I had frozen in place when my mum showed me picture of my brother. This was the man I had planned to marry three years ago.
The man whose death made me shattered. But today I thank God for not letting it happen. I would have married my own brother. Mhmm.
Strive to discover yourself ever think the world have come to an end because people left you.
But go further to make those people happy. Mum, Dad, thank you for making me realize myself. And to everyone who was part of my life, you are of this success. Thank you, for making me an architect” there came a heavy applauds as she stepped down from the stage to a world of great achievement and ramifications and had learned to live with an illness which never be cured.
