My mum preferred my younger sister to me because she brings money home (part 2)

I did not regain myself until two weeks later.

The first thing I saw when I slowly opened my eyes was white. White ceiling. White walls. The strong smell of drugs. My head felt heavy, like someone had placed a stone on it.

I tried to move, but my body felt strange. Weak.

Then I turned my head slightly.

There was an elderly man sitting on a chair close to my bed. He looked to be in his late fifties. He held a walking staff, his head slightly bent as if he had been sitting there for a long time.

Beside me, very close to the bed, was a young man. He had a bandage wrapped around his head. His eyes were fixed on the wall, but he was not really looking at anything.

One glance at them, I knew they were father and son.

The resemblance was too strong to ignore.

Before I could even understand where I was, the words escaped my mouth.

“Please… where am I? And who are you both?”

My voice was weak, but the fear inside me was strong. I almost screamed when I tried to move and noticed one of my legs was tightly tied and supported.

The elderly man quickly lifted his head.

The young man snapped out of whatever thoughts he was lost in.

For a second, they both just stared at me.

Then suddenly

“She’s up! Ahh, thank God!” they both shouted at the same time.

The relief on their faces was too much.

The elderly man stood up immediately, his hands shaking as he rushed closer. He held my hands gently, squeezing them like someone who had been holding his breath for days.

The young man leaned forward, his eyes already red, like he had not slept well.

Tears gathered in his eyes.

I became more uncomfortable.

Who are these people?

Why are they this emotional over me?

The elderly man noticed the fear in my eyes. He slowly released my hands and spoke in a calm voice.

“I’m sorry, Amaka. My name is Mr George. This is my son, Ramsey. He… he unfortunately put you in this condition.”

He swallowed hard before continuing.

“You’ve been in a coma for two weeks. We have not stopped praying. Every single day.”

Two weeks?

My heart skipped.

Two weeks of my life gone.

But something else shocked me more.

“How do you know my name?” I asked softly, pulling my hands back.

Before he could answer, the hospital door suddenly opened loudly.

My mum walked in.

The moment I saw her, tears almost rushed to my eyes.

I did not even know she would come looking for me.

Guilt filled my chest.

If only I had not left the house that day.

If only I had stayed back.

Maybe this accident would not have happened.

I was about to call her.

But she started talking before she even noticed I was awake.

“Mr George, this is two weeks now that you and your son have damaged my daughter’s life with this accident!”

Her voice was loud.

Sharp.

Cold.

“You will pay 10 billion Naira. You cannot ruin her life and sit here praying. The doctor said her organs are damaged and she may not even wake up. So when are you paying? Or do you want me to take you to court?”

The room went silent.

I slowly closed my eyes and pretended to still be asleep.

My heart was beating so fast.

Mr George’s hands dropped slowly to his side. I saw his fingers tremble. He looked tired. Defeated.

Ramsey’s head dropped in shame.

He whispered, almost to himself, “I didn’t mean to… I didn’t see her…”

Then he spoke louder.

“Ma’am, I swear I didn’t plan this. I’ve been depressed for months. I wasn’t thinking straight that day. I was driving without focus. I didn’t even know when she crossed…”

His voice broke.

“I wish it was me instead.”

I felt something move inside my chest.

Depressed?

So that was why he looked so lost when I woke up.

Mr George tried to calm my mum.

“Ma’am, is it not too early to talk about money? Should we not focus on her treatment first? If needed, we can fly her abroad…”

But my mum cut him off immediately.

“I don’t care! You see that 10 billion Naira? You will pay it. You must pay it!”

At that moment, something inside me broke.

I stayed still, but tears slipped from the corner of my eyes.

Is this what matters to her?

Money?

Does she not want me to wake up?

Is she waiting for compensation more than my recovery?

I felt ashamed.

Ashamed that this was my mother.

I could not hold it anymore.

I opened my eyes and said softly,

“Mum.”

She froze.

Then she rushed to my side.

“Oh my poor child! Look at what they did to you. The doctor said all your organs are damaged!”

She began crying loudly.

But her eyes were dry.

“Don’t worry. They will not go free. They must pay us.”

Us.

Not me.

Us.

I looked at her carefully for the first time in my life.

I saw greed.

I saw calculation.

I saw something I had refused to see for years.

All the times I worked hard to please her.

All the times I thought she loved me deeply.

Was it all about money?

I gathered the little strength I had.

“Please… leave.”

She stared at me in shock.

“Oh, I see! You want to collect the money alone? Nwa ojoo! I have been fighting for you! And you’re telling me to leave?”

She kept shouting until my head began to pound.

Ramsey sat frozen.

Mr George closed his eyes in pain.

It was too much.

My brother Vincent suddenly walked in. He saw the chaos and quickly dragged her outside.

The room became quiet again.

Only the sound of my breathing and the machine beside me could be heard.

Shortly after, the doctor came in.

I looked at her anxiously.

“Doctor… what is my condition?”

She smiled gently.

“Your organs are perfectly fine. There is no

damage. You just need rest.”

Relief washed over me.

But she paused.

“The only issue is your leg…”

My heart stopped.

“What happened to my leg, Doctor?”

Fear gripped me completely.

To be continued.