Little Kaodi, her mother knew would not have chosen to leave them this way. She left with the only flash of light that was left in their marriage.
The mourners have all departed, leaving them with nothing but their grief that came in a hurry. Kaodi was such a jolly-little-child, who wanted everyone around her to be happy.
DEATH OF A LITTLE ANGEL
They never knew she would leave when life was sweetest. She held on so tight till the last moments. Kaodi was far gone from them, but her father never knew, her little pale fingers still held-on to his hand. Her father just hoped for a smile, just the way it used to be between the two of them, but her lips pressed themselves together. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, turned and looked into the doctor’s unflinching eyes; those eyes have seen many deaths. The doctor gave him a warm smile, and said:
“She is no more. You have to let her go, now.”
But her cold hands still held on to life. He was dazed on what to tell his wife, their only source of joy was gone --for good, maybe. She was a little girl that bore too many pains with a smile in-between her gap tooth. He would tell his wife that her little angel left with a big smile on her sun-lit face.
Kaodi ’s Birth
She tried to fight death, but it overwhelmed her. It was on the day before her first day in secondary school that she fell.
At birth, the doctor called them into his office. Their new baby had been taken to intensive care. The look on the doctor’s face said it all. His looks were accusing, it was as though they committed a gruesome crime.
“What have you done?”
Mike was confused at the question, but when his eyes fell on the test results, he drew back. Their daughter was sickle-celled.
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Love-struck
Mike and Laru could not forgive themselves. They were love-struck at first sight, and could not hold down the strong tide until it was too late –a baby was made. Mike didn’t see himself leave her, and neither could she. At birth, the baby looked beautifully frail that, the doctor had to poke and poke before their little angel squeaked. They didn’t think twice to name her, Kaodilichukwu. Her life was in her creator’s arm.
When she grew, all eyes were on her, including their parents that could not get themselves to forgive their irresponsible act. ‘Be careful before she falls’, Mike’s mother would always say. Mike would always hear his father’s anger, ring somewhere in his head:
“Are you really sure that I gave birth to you!”
His father’s words made him feel like a loser. Those years were the hardest times of their lives, but losing Kaodi could be compared to no other.
Pain After Birth
His wife would spend hours in the bathroom doing nothing, after they lost Kaodi. He didn’t know if it was the pain of losing Kaodi, or the guilt of putting the little angel through the misery of life. He too, felt guilty: that night, he had eyes only for Laru, but little did he know that the following morning could break into their nightmare.
After Kaodi left them, silence descended upon them with darkness; it gave a cold comfort .
A Moment of Decision
As Mike drove them to the appointment venue, he knew that they were not going there because they just lost a precious child, but they both were fast losing it. He could not bring himself to look at his wife, because his conscience kicked him in the face. He had always accused her of Kaodi ’ s death, deep in his heart, where nobody except him could see. Why did she allow her to run too fast on that day? Kaodi was such a fragile angel who need not walk or run but fly.
Kaodi
He remembered how her long hair used to dance on her golden shoulders. Her eyes were full of dreams, even at twelve. Her lovely spindly legs would run to him each day he returned from work. At night, she would comfort them with her coughs and cold. Kaodi would keep them awake till they begged. He remembered her last birthday party, how she danced and ate till they worried for her soft stomach and jiggling bones. Kaodi was a child too good not to love.
Losing Kaodi
Mike fixed his eyes on the road, the other arm held Laru’s arm. He wanted to hold her until they got to the place where their sun shone no more. He stopped the car in front of the office, and both went in together. Charles said it won’t take long. The door opened, and their eyes fell on the long table with the man at the end. Charles wore a black suit, and gave them an empathic smile.
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He was Laru’s friend from school, and always had a thing for her. He came the night Kaodi fell, and it was his right to do the deal, and set them free of life miseries that were yet to come. Mike led his wife down to the table, his hand, stiff on her shoulders. Laru felt the pressure of his arm on her shoulders, there was something strange about the way he held her. Charles got up and came up to them. He brought out his right hand for a handshake, and said:
“I hope this brings healing to your soul.”
Mike looked at his outstretched palm, and then to Laura. She took Mike’s palm, placed it into the Charles’s, looked into Mike’s eyes, and said:
“Yes, we have made up our mind to sign the divorce papers. But first, I want to tell you about losing Kaodi.”
Charles knew he had won, after twelve years. The lawyer raised an eyebrow, because many a time has he seen a woman torn beyond compassion, but never has he seen one sitting on her pains. He looked into her eyes, and something told him that losing Kaodi killed her entire being.
Written by Udemezue oluoma.
Udemezue, Oluoma loves to read and write; she also enjoys movies and meeting new people. Oluoma believes that life is nothing without a little touch of romance, thriller and reality. Catch her on: udemezueoluoma@yahoo.com, Udemezue, Oluoma Judith on Facebook, Instag- oluomaudemezue, and Twit- @Udemezueoluoma.