The doctor had said “Congratulations Ma, you are with child”

Oh!!! I leaped for joy

“I will not take responsibility for this child. Get rid of it” he screamed at me.

I was shocked, broken; what next was the question as I pondered.

“I will have this child, come  what may”.

Months away and I felt you inside of me.

The joy I felt, a mother’s joy.

Nine months down the lane, you were born,

Adorable, I called you Kosisochukwu,

How it pleases God.

I will cradle you while you suckle on my breast.

Even in pain, one look at you and I smile.

You passed through all the stages

Then you walked.

Despite the ridicule, I was proud of you my love,

Seventeen months and 10 day old, you woke up with a temperature.

I prepped you up, carried you in my arm and rushed to the health centre.

Flooded with the sick, I pleaded with the nurses.

You were in a bad shape, vomiting and stooling..

“Somebody please help”

“Woman, please have a seat, there are worst cases here”, the nurse echoed.

I ran out, headed for another hospital; it was 7am on a Sunday morning.

Not more than a mile away, I heard the heavy sigh.

You were cold.

I kept holding you, praying, begging the one up there, “Don’t take her away from me”

“She is gone madam, we are sorry” the doctor  said.

I ran out, confused,  screaming, called on the one up there.

But he never answered. You were gone;

Now everything is dark and empty;

At dawn, I say “As it pleases the good God”

At night I cry, wondering why he abandoned me in my lowest moment

So now I wallow in my pain, my darkness I have embraced, my emptiness I have welcomed.

It’s been a year now yet I can’t forget.

 

Come back to me, please come back my Kosisochukwu.