Chapter ten
With the wheelchair which he had bought he moved Grace, his mum out of the hospital that Monday morning. As he was scheduled to resume his duty at the restaurant by 12P.M he ensured he carried his mum out of the hospital very early. She had responded to treatment so fast that she was now able to lift the left part of her body which had not been paralyzed. Since she could not push herself Mark pushed her outside the hospital facility and stopped a taxi.
Lifting her into the car was a lot of stress. He was assisted by the taxi driver who helped him put her in the car. By the time they arrived at the apartment the time was already past eleven and so he had to just move her inside and help her lay on the bed then he put all that she needed by the left side of the bed where she could move her hand. Then he left. As he headed for work his mind was not at rest. He had this feeling of uneasiness deep within him as though something bad was about to happen. The first time he had this kind of feeling was the afternoon after his father died. He could remember he was at the school cafeteria and was on the table alone when he was called hours later after the feeling that his father had been killed. Now it was coming again. He at first didn't want to go to the restaurant that day but he just started their job and had been there for only three days. Missing a day would make him look unserious,so he just went on after deciding to let his boss know that he would have to leave early that day.
His duty that Monday was speedy as he quickly prepared all the dishes the customers would order for. When he was done, the time was past three in the afternoon. He went to the bosses office even though he had never had a cause to go there for the past three days after he resumed. He informed him that he would be going home to see his mum. His boss permitted him to and he left.
On getting home that afternoon he saw people gathered at the entrance of his apartment at Broad street. Filled with suspense as he moved closer he could see the gloom in their faces. As he moved close they noticed they were gathered at the door of his room and it was opened. Confused and at the same time surprised he rushed in and to his utmost shock, his mum was there lifeless on the floor. He moved close to her in shock and bent down.
He lifted her head in his right hand and screamed.
"Mu…Mum!. Mum talk to me. Mum! When he realised she did not open her eyes not made any movement he shook her violently and wept.
"Mum! Don't do this to me mum! Mum! Mum! He wailed and deeper his face in her chest there on the floor.
Still crying he lifted up his head and turned back at the men standing outside the door. Then asked in a teary manner.
"What happened to my mum? What happened?" He asked and stood up.With despair plastered all over his face he caught one of the men outside by the shirt and asked crying. "Why are you all silent? Can somebody tell me what happened to my mum? Can somebody.?" he asked as he shuddered at the man violently. At that moment,the landlord stepped out from the crowd and held his hand, trying to calm him down and at the same time trying to let go of his hand from the shirt of the man he was holding.
Mark calm down, Ok? nobody knows. We just met when the door opened and she was laying there on the floor beside the wheel chair." The landlord said as he removed his hands from the man's shirt.
Mark let go of his shirt and walked back into the room. He picked up his mom's head in her hand and shook it sideways weeping. Just then, his phone started ringing. He knew it was Johnson so he dipped his hand in his pocket and brought it out then placed it by his ear.
"Hey Mark what's up. You have moved yeah?" Johnson asked innocently not knowing what had just happened.
"She's dead." Mark uttered in a weeping tone as he turned his face and looked at his mum on the floor.
"Wh.. Who's dead Mark?" Johnson asked in perplexity.
"My mum." Mark responded soberly.
"Your Mum? W..why? Where? wh…..what happened?"
He asked concomitantly.
"I don't know. I just returned here from work only to see her lifeless on the floor with people standing here by the door." Mark said uncontrollably.
"Where? At the hospital?"
"At the apartment I rented. I brought her here to come and die. I would have left here at the hospital." Mark said in a grieving tone.
Johnson was just realizing that Mark was serious. He could not believe his ear. He said.
"I'm taking the next train down to Chicago right away. Just calm down ok?"
Mark didn't respond, he just dropped the phone on the floor. Then lifted his mum and placed her on the bed. Those who had gathered by the door all began in leave
one after the other but the landlord remained there. Minutes later he entered alongside the ambulance whom which he had called as soon as they saw the body. This was before Mark came.
Johnson, who was at the school library that afternoon when he called Mark, stood up from there and ran to the train station and took the next train to Chicago. All through the journey to Chicago he blamed himself for persuading Mark to move her out of the hospital. Even if Mark would not take it that way he knew he was somehow to be blamed. As he was the one that had insisted that Mark
Pay for the house and move his mum out of the hospital.
Twenty minutes after Johnson called, the Ambulance arrived and carried Mark's mum away. At first the ambulance wanted to take her straight to the cemetery for burial. Mark refused and insisted that an autopsy must be carried on her body.
The body of Grace was taken to the hospital where an autopsy was being carried out. After hour eying for
About two hours by train, Johnson finally arrived in Chicago and got the address of the hospital from Mark. In less than an hour he was at the hospital.
As soon as he saw Mark sitting on the waiting bench with his head resting on the palms he sat down beside him and placed his right hand round his shoulder In a comforting way. Mark, who didn't know that Johnson was around, lifted his head to look at the person holding him.
"My sincere condolences Mark. How did it happen?what happened?" Johnson asked as he also expressed his grief.
When Mark saw him he sat up and said." Johnson I don't know. I returned from work early and met her laying dead on the floor. With people gathered around the entrance of my door."
"And no one said anything about what happened?"
" None of them Johnson.None of them ." Mark
Said as he began to shed tears."
"Don't do this Mark. Shedding tears like a woman would not bring her back to life. You just have to move on Ok?. You are not a woman. You have to Man up Mark." Johnson comforted him, patting him at the back.
"She's the only one I have left. Just like that? I'm now an orphan? Mark Mark said and asked in a sobbing tone.
"No you are not. You still have me. I'm still with you. You would be fine ok. Remember what I told you before?. Nothing and no situation just remains fixed.