MELODY 8

 

In the early hours of the morning, Toke’s phone rang out loud which disturbed her beauty sleep, she reluctantly stretched her body to pick the phone.

“Hello” she said, her voice was coerced, so she coughed a little, she felt so weak

“Hi Toke” on recognizing the voice, she checked the phone to be sure it was Uche speaking

“What is it Uche, don’t you think it’s rather too early to call

“It’s not, I just want to apologize for what happened days back”

“Really Uche, it had to take you three days to realize you did a terrible thing to me”

“I know darling and I’m sorry, I was just caught up in that moment and it was really bad of me to bail on you like that, I’m sorry, Toke I’m really sorry……Toke are you there”

“I’m here Uche, just not in the mood to talk”

“Okay, can I come pick you up for dinner? To make it up to you”

“No no no, I’ll be going to the hospital later today”

“Oh, are you okay?”

“Yeah I guess, I’ve not been feeling too well lately, I need to go do some checkups or probably runs some tests”

“Alright, I can come to take you there”

“You don’t need to, we’d get to see when we get to see okay”

“Alright then, talk to you later, bye”

Uche hung up and Toke made efforts to go back to bed.

Later that day, she happened to get weaker than expected and was unable to drive down to the hospital, so she ordered for a cab, tests were conducted alongside x-rays, and eventually, she was summoned into the doctor’s office when the results were out.

“Ma’am you are diagnosed with breast cancer” The Doctor went straight to the point, Toke became speechless, she couldn’t believe the words of the doctor “It’s so unfortunate that is at the third stage which means we will have to amputate one of your breast” the doctor continued

“What!” Toke exclaimed

“I’m so sorry, ma’am, that’s just how it is, we would need consent from a family member so we can start the process, also you need to get these drugs from the pharmacy, it’s very important you do…….”

As the doctor spoke, Toke remained dumbfounded and confused, she collected the list of drugs from the doctor and rose to take her leave, she found somewhere serene and burst into tears, she decided to call Aisha

“Oh my God” Aisha exclaimed when Toke told her the news “Wow, how can this be happening?”

“I don’t know Aisha, I don’t know” Toke lamented

“Have you told Uche?”

“No, I’ve not” She replied, Aisha consoled Toke and advised her to let Uche know at least to hear what he would say, Toke then called Uche to come to pick her up from the hospital which he did.

The journey down to her house was quiet, she refused to utter a word to him despite the numerous times Uche asked her how it went at the hospital, she sat there and shade tears quietly.

“Okay so I don’t get it, you called me to come to take you home from the hospital, which I obliged and I’ve been asking you what happened there, you have refused to answer, why call me if you still don’t want to talk to me, you do realize that I left everything I was doing to answer you and you still choose to give me the silent treatment, I honestly don’t appreciate been treated this way”

“I have cancer” she broke the news to him and he paused

“What!”

“Yes I have cancer, breast cancer, and my breast is going to be amputated” she said has more tears dropped down her eyes

“What the heck, is this some kind of joke?”

“It’s not a joke Uche, it’s not, here is the result” she brought out a piece of paper from her bag and showed it to him which he glanced through

“This is crazy, how did you let this happen?” He asked

“I don’t know, I’ve been having these pains for a while now, went to the hospital to check what was wrong and the doctors told me this, I’m so confused, I don’t know what to do”

“So your breasts are going to be cut off, how am I suppose to live with that, I honestly don’t think I can” he signed

“Oh God why is this happening to me?” She cried

“I can’t do this anymore Toke” Uche muttered, she looked at him and asked

“What did you say?”

“I can’t do this Toke, I don’t think I can cope with you having just one breast, it’s so crazy”

“Are you breaking up with me?”

“If that’s what you’d call it, I can’t live with it, I can’t be with you knowing you have cancer, I’m sorry” Uche words made Toke more devastated, she couldn’t believe he could let go of her just like that, especially at a time she needed him most, she took her belongings and got out of the car, paused a little and watched him drive away from the vicinity. Toke was traumatized.