"I felt my child's breath shaking, crying for help, but I couldn't, going through pains that I should have taken for her; I thought that is what you do when you become a mother," Kemi said with tears rolling down her jawline.
"Kemi.. you have to calm down; you need to be strong for your daughter," Lara said, holding Kemi.
"How can I be strong? When my only child is in there fighting for her life," Kemi said, pointing towards the operating room.
Operation room door opened
"Doctor! How is my baby girl doing? Can I see her now?" Kemi rushed to the doctor immediately spotting him.
"I'm so sorry your daughter is.." Dr. Andrew started but was interrupted by Kemi.
"My daughter is what!?" Kemi asked with her emotions high.
"Your daughter is fine. We've been able to stabilize her for now, but then she suffered severe injuries to her head that required immediate surgery. If this surgery is not done at the appropriate time. She is likely to lose her memory".
"So why don't you perform the surgery now doctor?"
"The surgery costs six million naira and you need to make a deposit of seventy percent before the surgery can be performed, ma'am"
"The surgery needs to be performed in three hours, or else your daughter will lose her memory," Dr Andrew continued.
"I'll make the payment Doctor but you have to give me more time to raise that amount of money"
"Time is what your daughter doesn't have ma'am, the earlier the higher the chances of your daughter making it out alive and in good mental condition"
Kemi's nine-year-old daughter Simi is her whole world, the only thing that gives her hope whenever she wakes up in the morning. Having escaped a marriage that almost cost her life, kemi has managed to get her life back together piece by piece.
The only thing that keeps Kemi going every day is Simi's sweet soul, her beautiful face that causes a hole in her face whenever she smiles; looking at Simi, she is filled with hopes for tomorrow. Having Simi is everything that matters, nothing else.
Simi had been in a terrible accident while coming back from school and was rushed to the hospital; Kemi received a call from the hospital informing her of the accident. Upon getting the call, Kemi immediately found her way to the hospital and was followed by her best friend, Lara.
Kemi sat on the couch with her eyes fixed on the clock as it ticked, she had just three hours to raise six million naira or risk her daughter losing her memory.
"So my daughter could wake up not recognizing me as her mother," Kemi muttered to herself, thinking of the next move to make.
"I've scraped together every money I have, and it isn't up thirty percent of the money needed for the surgery," Kemi said, looking at her best friend, Lara.
"I'm gonna come up with a name, but I don't know if you would like to call that person," Lara said, turning her face away.
"Hmm, don't tell me it's the same name I'm thinking?" Kemi asked frowning.
"I think he might help. Besides, we don't have much time left; look at the clock, Kemi, Lara said, pointing at the ticking clock.
"I promised I wasn't gonna call that man ever again. After the horrible things he did to me when we were married, Lara, that man almost killed me and my unborn baby," Kemi said, reminiscing.
"I know but if there is a chance that man will provide the money and save your daughter's life, won't you do it?" Lara asked, staring at Kemi.
"I will, but I'm gonna try other options, Lara," Kemi replied, scrolling through contacts on her phone.
"Let me try and put a call through to some persons and see if they will lend me the money," Kemi continued.
Kemi called her family and friends, She cried and begged for help, but no one she knew had that amount of money. Rather, they were supporting her with the little sum they could spare. Kemi had no choice but to negotiate with the hospital to perform the surgery while she looked for means to raise the money, but unfortunately, the hospital refused the offer.
Kemi couldn't hold herself but let those tears flood her face as she stepped out of the doctor's office only to stumble upon someone.
"I'm really sorry," Kemi said, wiping the tears from her face.
"It's fine. Are you okay?" The stranger asked
"It's my daughter, she..... " kemi tried to complete a statement when she raised her head and saw her daughter's father.
"What are you doing here and who called you?"
"I did, I know you are gonna be angry with me forever but I'm sorry kemi, I'm really sorry, I can't let you through this alone," Lara said
"Lara but I told you to not think of that name but you called him Instead"
"Kemi, I'm sorry," Lara replied as she walked to the restroom.
"Lara told me everything the doctor said, and I'm here to make the payment so he can begin the surgery," Simi's father said as he pulled out his checkbook.
When Kemi saw the checkbook, she became speechless and felt like words had been drained from her lips. At that moment, the only thoughts running through her head were her daughter's.
Simi's father wrote the check and handed it over to her to go make the payment; she stretched out her hands and held the check, looking at it with tears rolling down her eyes heavily.
"Thank you so much. I promise to pay back every penny, no matter what," Kemi said with tears of gratitude streaming down her face.
With the check-in Kemi's hand, she ran to make the payment at the counter. Fortunately, after the payment, the simi was taken to the operating room for the surgery.
The surgery was carried out successfully, and shortly kemi was allowed to see her daughter. As days turned to weeks and weeks to months, simi was discharged from the hospital upon full recovery.
Kemi didn't forget to pay back the money, but Simi's father insisted she didn't pay back. Because his blood also runs in Simi's veins.
Thanks for reading 🧡
