Nkemdili 2

Nkem woke up the next morning to an empty bed and a little note beside him that read “Do take care of yourself Nkem, you’re a good man and you gave me pleasure in ways I have not known in years but be sure to check in with your doctor too, he should know what to do.” Nkem read the note and was left with mixed emotions. She’s just trying to scare me away he said to himself but I’ll not let her. I’ll go to the bar once my presentation is done today, I have to show her that I meant everything I said last night.

He got to the bar and met a new bartender, a man who was much older too. He inquired about the girl that tended the bar last night within the hours of 8-10 pm, describing her looks because he didn’t even know her name. The man said she was just a fill-in, one who only comes in when they were short-staffed and gets her pay for the hours she puts in. he too wasn’t sure of her name, neither did he have an address but he gave Nkem a phone number saying that’s how they contact her whenever she’s needed.

Nkem left the bar and dialled the number immediately but got a dial tone. He got home feeling a bit frustrated but said to himself that he’d keep trying, it might be network perhaps or her battery was just dead. Days turned to weeks and still, no trace of this stranger who had given him the best sex of his life – she didn’t show up at the bar either for he went there without fail daily and met nothing.

Nkem fell sick, a sickness he didn’t understand for it felt like his entire system was giving way and he couldn’t even say what was wrong. He decided to go to his doctor because, for some weird reason, he remembered the note this strange woman left him and her last words rang in his head. He muttered some prayers as he awaited the results, hoping for some good news that it’d be just malaria or something not too serious. As the doctor read out the results to him, Nkem went blank, immediately detached from reality - He was HIV and Hepatitis B positive.

He walked away, ignoring the doctor’s words, got home and wailed.

Not for himself but for his mother.

For he knew what her warnings were before he left for the city. She had told him to be careful of strange woman, women whose beauty were a charm, so he doesn’t end up like his father did. Yet, here he was, way worse than his father. He wouldn’t even face his mother, oh, the agony.

A few weeks later, his health took a turn for the worse because he refused to take any medication to make himself better. He had also switched off his phone and cut off all communication while wallowing in alcohol daily. His mother who has been trying to reach her only child decided that it was time to travel to the city to find out what was wrong even though she prayed for him to be fine.

On reaching the house, he wouldn’t answer the door, she called on a few neighbours who also said he hasn’t been seen for a few days, so they just assumed he went to work someplace as usual. On the mother’s insistence, they opened the door forcefully only to find empty bottles of alcohol littered everywhere and an awful stench emanating from the bedroom. They walked into the bedroom and found him hanging loosely from the ceiling fan, a rope around his neck and his tongue hanging out.

His mother screamed.

A scream so loud it tore their hearts.

“What have you done Nkemdili, what crime did you commit that you’d think me not capable of forgiving you for it my child, what have you done?” she spoke in tears. The neighbours finally brought down his body and as they wrapped him up in a cloth, they found a note in his pocket and handed it to his mother.

Forgive me, Mother, I have sinned against you in ways that are unfathomable, in ways that are killing me faster than I can manage but I can’t put you through the agony of watching me die, so, I decided to do it the easy way, as the coward that I am.

I took your words for granted and let a strange woman ruin me. One night of pleasure that has cost me my life. That has cost you my life as your only child – please forgive me, Mother.

I have left both cards and passwords for you, in that place where only you and I know. I am not sure how much longer you can survive without me mother, but I hope you survive long and travel like you’ve always said you would on your birthday in a few weeks. There’s enough money to take care of you, even though I know it is not compensation for my life.

Please forgive me”

His mother held the note to her chest and screamed, her heart breaking into shambles. How could he do this to her, take his own life?

“Did she love you more than I did, was it worth it Nkem?”

Mother whispered to her lifeless son hanging from the ceiling.