Chapter 6

I woke up on Sunday morning feeling so feverish. My head was aching so bitterly. My issue was that it seemed as if it divided my head into different parts and selected some parts to affect it. At some point, I felt as though something was connected in the inner part of the head and after a while, it's been drawn, and I'll feel the pain for some minutes. Not just that, I was getting it very hard to move any part of my body. And my body was too warm that I had to doubt if my temperature was normal. My mum who used to attend the 7:00 AM service was already getting herself prepared to attend the service. While I was still laying on the bed and wondering about what was happening to me.

"Rose! What are you still doing on that bed? I'm almost done in the bathroom. Come and take your bath, so we won't be late for the church" My mummy screamed while still in the bathroom. I heard her, but of couldn't respond to the loud voice she used. Instead, I kept silent. In a few seconds, she entered the house while tying the towel with her body still dripping water. I didn't even know that I was shivering, if not that she came and acted as if shocked. She kept silent to observe what was happening to me. What I noticed next was when she dried the water on her hand and placed it on my chin.

"Jesus! Rose, why haven't you told me that you're sick? Haven't you noticed how hot your body is? And You're even shivering here without saying a word. Get up! Get up, let's find a drug for me." She was asking her questions and removing the wrapper I used to cover myself at once. By asking multiple questions at a time, I know she wasn't expecting a response.

"Rose, there's hot water in the kettle, freshen up so that we will go to the pharmacy. Be fast, please!" She also said. I like my mum because of the attention she always gives in situations like this. She went to the kitchen, then carried the hot water to the kitchen, where she mixed it with the cold one. Next thing, she came and dragged me to the bathroom. She stood at the bathroom door waiting for her baby to bathe. I didn't hesitate to be fast as she requested.

When I finished taking my bath, both of us dressed up and went to Peter's Medicine Store, where Damian was serving. Since that was the nearest Pharmacy around us. As we were on our way, I was just praying in silence that God should help me and take Damian away from the store at that moment, since that was the first time off I go there with my mother. On entering the story, I hid by my mum's back, so she would be the first person anyone inside the Pharmacy would see.

I still met one of my great fear in the pharmacy. Damian was the only one in the pharmacy as it was too early, and it seemed his boss has left for church. I maintained a grave silence to allow him to discuss it with my mum.

I trust Damian that he can be very polite if it suits him. He greeted my mum in such a well-mannered that I started wondering if they had known each other in any other way before if not by living in the same street. Though, as naughty as he was, he was still signaling me with his eyes. Not minding the presence of my mum. I reached out to a chair they kept in the pharmacy and perched on it.

"Where is your boss? My daughter is not feeling fine" my mum said.

"My boss went to the church. But I can treat her. What's wrong with her?" He asked gently.

"I woke up to see her shivering on the bed and her body is too hot. She's also noticing severe headaches. I want her to be checked and treated" My mum replied.

"In that case…" He said while bringing out his thermometer. He hurried to where I was sitting and checked my temperature.

"Her temperature is too high. I'll give her some drugs that would only bring down her temperature and also reduce the headache. But it would be better if she runs a medical test. I can't treat her just by imagination."

He told my mum.

"That's fine. Where will she be diagnosed? Be fast in whatever you're doing" My mother asserted.

"There is a medical laboratory just by the corner here," He said while using his hand to describe the direction. "I'll give you a written note, so she would know what you want and treat it as urgent" He concluded.

"Wow! That's wonderful. Thank you"

Said, my mum

They concluded, and he brought out some drugs while arranging them on a small tray. In all his conversations with my mum, I was mute so as not to say anything that would include one problem or the other for me. I was even surprised by the way he was flowing with my mum in the conversation. He brought the tray closer to me with a cup of water he had in his hand. He kept them on the table and gently used his hands to per the medicine for me since they were sealed. Since he began to peel the drugs, my heart tripped because I know he might even want to give me the medicine in my mouth. I stretched my left hand to him, so he would put the medicine, though he didn't hesitate. He put them in my hand and also gave me the cup, so I administered it myself. While I was taking the medicine, he brought out a piece of paper and wrote something on it, which he also signed. Then told us to go with it while going to the Laboratory. My mummy thanked him and collected the paper from him. They deliberated the amount for the service he already rendered, and mummy paid him. We trekked to the pharmacy that he described for us and submitted the paper he gave us. I can't tell whether it's because of the paper we submitted. We were given attention more than I expected. They took me into a room where I gave them some samples they requested for. In a few minutes, we were done. They ordered us to wait for the result so that we would carry on with the treatment. We sat patiently on the couch they provided. In less than an hour, they brought a signed manuscript and told us to give it to anyone that would treat me. I don't know the amount my mum paid, but I saw it when she was inserting her ATM card into their POS terminal. Then we hurried back to Peter's Store. Then I was already getting better gradually. In the store, Damian injected me and also gave me some medicines to take home. He said that I should take the injection morning and night for 3 days. That was a lot because I knew my mum won't want me to go to the store alone. And she won't still be around at the appropriate times so that we would go together. As I was still rubbing the place I was injected, I collected the medicine from my mum and left the pharmacy while she was still deliberating the amount with Damian.