Kenechukwu knocked on the visitor's room door.
"Come in," Aunty Monica said.
Kene opened the door and stepped into the room.
"Hi big sis, good morning," Kene greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning, Kene baby," Aunty Monica responded with a smile.
"Please sit down. We have a lot to catch up on," Aunty Monica urged her.
Kene hurried to sit.
"There are so many things I want to ask and say to you but let me leave them. It's not worth it," Kene told her.
Aunty Monica just smiled.
"You know it's been hard. I can't and haven't come to the terms of living in this life without you," Kene stated.
"I know and that's why I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere. Not anymore," Aunty Monica assured as she stood up and moved closer to Kene.
"I won't leave you again," she touched Kene's hand.
Kene nodded.
After having some water, Ifechukwu decided to check up on Aunty Monica. She knocked for some time but no one answered. After waiting and hearing no response, she opened the door and the lights from the hallway flashed into the room. Aunty Monica was standing still, facing the wall. Ifechukwu was startled but gained control of herself.
"Aunty," she called but there was no response neither did Aunty Monica move a muscle.
Calm down, my love. Calm down. Ifechukwu thought to herself.
She moved closer, "Aunty," she called again.
She reached Aunty Monica, took a deep breath and then, she touched her body. But there was nothing to feel. Her hand just went through. Cold shivers travelled down her spine. Panic struck Ifechukwu and she fell to the floor. She managed to pick herself up. She dashed out of the room breathing heavily.
Ifechukwu couldn't eat. She watched Aunty Monica from across the dining table. She was gisting happily with Kene. Ifechukwu scratched her head anxiously.
"Ifechukwu, why are you not eating your food?" Paco asked as he looked in the direction she was looking.
Everyone glanced at Ifechukwu. Ifechukwu seemed uncomfortable with their gaze, especially that of Aunty Monica's.
"Nothing, I'm not hungry," she replied.
"Hmmmm. Sister Ifechukwu is not hungry. Hallelujah somebody," Ziko announced.
"Amen," everyone except Aunty Monica, Kene and Paco responded.
"If I get you," Ifechukwu threatened Ziko.
"What did I do?" he asked jokingly.
Everyone laughed. Ifechukwu gave him bad eyes.
Everyone calmed down and continued with what they were doing. Ifechukwu moved her chair closer to Paco's.
"Dad," she whispered.
Paco looked her way, "ogini?"
"Dad, what do you think about our 'new Aunty Monica'?" she asked him.
Paco swallowed his food and stole a glance at his wife and sister-in-law.
"Ifechukwu, I really don't know but I don't like how close mummy is to her. That is what bothers me," he noted.
"You can't fight that. It is expected. They were like bread and butter. I was close to her then and even now that she is back but after what I saw yesterday, I don't think I want to be close to her," Ifechukwu explained.
"What did you see?" Paco asked.
'Well, nothing serious. I just confirmed with every part of my body that she is not human," Ifechukwu informed him.
Paco laid his back on the chair and dropped his food. He watched Kene and Aunty Monica.
"Helppppppppp," Ifeyinwa's screams shook the building as she held on to the convulsing Kene who was releasing blood from her mouth.
"Daddddddd, Mum, please stop this. Dad, Tobe, Tochi. Somebody help," Ifesinachi screamed at the top of her voice.
Tochi ran into the kitchen. Tobe followed.
"Sis Ifesi, what is it?" Tobe asked.
"Blood of Jesus," Tochi exclaimed in fear as he saw Kene on the floor.
Tobe and Tochi ran to her on the floor as Paco entered.
"What is happening?" Paco asked fearfully.
Ifesinachi could not answer. Ifeyinwa and Ifechukwu entered from the door that led outside from the kitchen. Ifechukwu did not move to her mother when she saw Aunty Monica enter.
"Carry her up now. Fast," Paco commanded.
"No, don't do that," Zimuzo yelled from behind.
"What?" Tobe asked in confusion.
"Don't move her," Zimuzo replied.
"Take," Ziko stretched his hand holding a pillow from the door.
Paco took it from him.
"What are we supposed to do with it?" Paco asked.
"Put it under her head and turn her to the side. Fast," Zimuzo ordered.
Tobe and Tochi joined hands to roll Kene to her left side. Aunty Monica couldn't do anything. She just stood there watching her sister. It broke her heart.
"What now?" Paco nervously asked as he watched his wife suffer.
Zimuzo found her way to Kene. She knelt and everyone could see she was getting better.
Zimuzo called, "Mum? Mum, can you hear me?"
Ifechukwu realised what was going on so she moved closer to Kene too.
"Mum? Can you hear us?" Ifechukwu asked the unconscious Kene.
Everyone kept their fingers crossed. Kene moaned. A tear rolled down Ifeyinwa's cheek. Paco put his hands on his head.
"What would my story have been?" Paco stated.
"You can carry her now," Zimuzo declared.
Tobe and Tochi carried her to the sitting room and laid her down on a sofa with a cushion underneath her head. Paco rushed outside to call the Udokwu Hospital since it was close to the house. Ifechukwu stared at Aunty Monica in anger. She loved this woman so much but she didn't belong here and she was hurting her mother.
Kene was no longer colourful. She had lost her colour. She was growing pale every day and she had stopped eating well. She wasn't the lively and bubbly mum everyone loved to have around. Spending all her time with Aunty Monica was slowly draining life off her while nobody realised. Cause why would a healthy woman be convulsing and releasing blood from the mouth?
Ifeyinwa lifted her mother's head and put it on her lap while she sat close to her. She patted and rubbed her head. Ifechukwu walked out of the living room with folded hands while the rest including Aunty Monica sat down.
Ifechukwu met her dad on the porch. She walked up to him.
"Dad, you have to do something or we might be burying two people we love on the 8th. Please, save Mum. I've lost one already. I won't lose this one. She means so much to me. I would go crazy if anything happens to her," Ifechukwu told him.
"Me too. I don't know what I'd do if I lost your mother. She is my everything," Paco responded.
With a teary eye, "I'm everything to you too," she pouted.
"You all are," he laughed.
Ifechukwu hugged him tightly.
"We will save her," he whispered and kissed her head.
"I don't see anything wrong with her," the Doctor told them.
"What are you saying, doc? There was blood coming out of her mouth. My daughter said she just fell and started convulsing and you are telling me that nothing is wrong with her," Paco argued.
"Yes. She also looks pale," Ifechukwu added.
Aunty Monica looked at Ifechukwu.
"Does she?" Aunty Monica asked her.
"Yes, Aunty. She does," Ifechukwu answered without looking at her.
"I'm very sure. Her blood pressure is normal. So is her breathing. Which means medically, she is fine," the Doctor stood his ground.
"Is that even possible?" Tobe asked.
Paco and Ifechukwu glanced at each other.
Paco sighed, "Fine, Doctor. Let me see you off," Paco offered.
He led the Doctor out. Everyone sat down with so much running through their minds.