Nene was strangely quiet for a while.
She stood as still as a statue, her arms across her chest, and she did not look at doctor Peterson's direction at all.
She tried to remember the color of her son's eyes, his smiles and the sound of his voice. She took the soft, melting brown reminiscent of molten chocolate and took a bite, leaving brownish moist stains on her lips.
"We lost him Nene." Doctor Peterson's voice kept ringing in her ears like a recording.
She doubted at first, not until she was taken to the ward which he was laid.
The nurse had pulled a white sheet over his innocent bold face, Cecilia stared at his body and wished his eyes would blink .
"You may now rest in peace son" She whispered softly.
She knew he was going to die. Doctor Francis had told him that Larry was going to live for just sixteen years, but Larry was strong enough, he struggled and lived for eighteen years.
He died a day after his eighteenth birthday, right at Bupa Southampton hospital in Hampshire.
Larry's death was a relief to Nene, but then she couldn't help but cry a bit.
Larry's existence cost her lots of money. She should have listened to Doctor Francis eighteen years ago when he advised her to abort the foetus when his genotype was confirmed to be Sickle Cell. But she thought she was going to lose Damian, Larry's father.
She still lost Damian to a girl on Graham road, who had AA genotype.
After a bruising ride across the broken tarred road, Nene was at South Stoneham cemetery.
She covered her head with a black yashmak and took out the red lipsticks from her purse, Doctor Peterson and the nurse stared at her in amazement.
She applied the lipsticks boldly on her lips, joined her lips together and puts her black sunshade on her face.
"I am ready for the burial." she said in soft whispers as tears ran down her cheeks.
"Take heart Nene, you will get over this soon." the nurse said shrilly.
Nene Whimpered as Larry was being lowered into the grave. She began to cry softly, then shivered. The nurse nodded and drew Nene to herself, she brought out a red rose flower bouquet from her handbag, and handed it to Nene.
"Thank you." she said, collected the flower and lowered it gently on the grave. The men who were digging the grave dropped the shovels and folded their arms to watch Nene.
She had faraway look in her eyes as she cleaned the tears in her eyes with a white handkerchief.
She stood stiffly beside the grave, hurt and pained.
"I will miss you Larry boy. Rest in peace. I was ignorant, I would not have brought you into this world to suffer." she said tearily and walked out of the grave side hastily.
She got into the car and became silent for a moment, then took her phone and dialled her mother's number.
"Hello mama, we just buried Lala. He died few hours ago here in Hampshire." Her voice quivered, she hung up the call, and removed the yashmak from her head.
"You need some rest now." Doctor Peterson whispered.
She breathed in slowly and let her breath out before she could speak, her voice finally came out as a groan of despair.
"I will be going back home to Nigeria to see my family. I need some rest. When Larry was alive, I never rested a day for eighteen good years." She paused and then stared at the doctor in the eyes for a while. "You're a witness."
" I will advice again Nene, in terms of compatibility, someone with AA genotype can marry anybody. It is safe for someone with AS to marry someone with AA genotype.
The combinations of AS and AS, AS and AC should not be risked. There is probability of having a SS. Although. Two sickle cells should not even have a relationship or get married.
Individuals with the AA genotype should help you prevent genetic abnormalities by marrying the AS, AC and SS. By this, we are hopeful to eradicate sickle cells in the world. Good luck."
"Will such a time ever come Doctor? it should have been yesterday, when Larry was still breathing." She said softly and drove off into the stony bruised road.
®Vicky Bon
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