The kidney dialysis and transplant was successful. Finding an eligible donor wasn't a problem since my kidney was not compatible with that of my mother.
I was delighted to see the face of my mother light with smiles and life. Her eyes were bright and filled with energy as that of a fish in the ocean. Happily her body wasn't swelling like balloon again. And fresh spring had come under feet. She was back to explore her prime now.
She could speak perfectly well and raise her body at will. Mom was rejuvenated again, and hope wasn't far-fetched anymore; this captivated me and put smiles on my chin.
At the sight of me, she sat up and opened her arms in wide embrace as I clenched her in an engaging hug. "I am happy to see you alive, hale and hearty, mama, "I muttered behind her neck as we burnt each other with hot breath and hum of gladness.
We hugged for a time that seemed eternal
"I am delighted to see you hearty too my daughter", she said, withdrew her face and kissed me on the brow. "This is my pretty Melissa", she called, in a more energetic, solo tune, "How has life been treating you at the market with our vegetables? And how did you sort out my hospital bills selling vegetables? She asked softly, smiling cheek to cheek, and expecting answers. I forced a smile and bowed my face in shame just to wade her off but there was no shopping her. She had noticed the ill-look on my chin and asked further "Melissa"! She called, peering at me, "Are you ok"? She asked coldly, raising my jaw to have a perfect look at her daughter.
I smiled even when I thought I was going to cry. You know the smile you give to inform your beholder that all was well mean while your heart was crying a river.
"I am okay, mama, just that I am overwhelmed to see you breathing despite all you have been through. This is more than a miracle…"
She interrupted hastily, "Yes, daughter, that is what I mean. How did you do it? The last time we sold our rotten, hated vegetables, it could barely provide us a square meal, and here I am being treated of an ailment that cost half a million dollars. The doctor showed me the bills, Melissa. "She peered into my face to catch my frown, "Where did you get the loan?" she wasn't smiling anymore, and the gloom on her face was horrible now, especially when I started shaking my head in disapproval. She knew I wouldn't tell a lie; this was not the kind of daughter she raised.
"It is not a loan, mama," I intoned in a devastated tone, and then brought down my gaze to fondle with my fingers, "It is money, real money …"
She interrupted, "I don't got it. Is loan not money? Is it newspaper? I am only concerned how you got such money your ancestors never made and even your generation unborn may never make …"
I could sense the bickering in her voice and the restlessness in her eyes. She would have no peace until I explained myself.
"Have you started selling your body to those, dirty men on the street?" she queried, and gazed upon me with disdain now. She glowered and then her jaw clenched.
I shook my head in disapproval and irritation, "No mama, I wouldn't do that, you know," I intoned and dared to arrange how my explanation was going to be presented to her; how I would tell her that the Melissa she was seeing now was in a contract marriage with a mad man that she would never be proud to call her son-in-law.
"Did you steal it?" She asked afterwards, her voice striking as thunder and almost raising her voice at me in a way that may leave me weeping. She rolled her eyes.
"Mama! Mama! "I called to make her relax while I figure out how to explain myself to a concerned mother.
"Speak up Melissa, I am all cars", she reminded me just to let me know that she wasn't going to let go until I offered explanations.
My lips trembled as I was lost about where to start my explanation; the provoking part of it was that I was still fidgety.
"O…okay, mama," I stuttered as the boldness in me spoke, "I am married now," my voice snapped once she pulled back her face at the mention of that. the message was brief without any interest to explain further if she didn't ask for it.
"Married?" she retorted and her nose wrinkled even more than her face, "Married?" she retorted yet again, daring to understand the version, "How? You are only nineteen. Marriage at this age is never what I planned for my daughter. I thought we could raise little money from our vegetable so that you would go back to school. I ….
I interjected, "It is ok, mama. I don't want to get you walked up, remember you just survived a kidney disease."
She shot her frown at me, "You getting married at this age is the worst kidney disease. And who is your husband if I may ask?" She asked,
And I squeezed my lips, wishing the ground would open for me to fall in; I wish I could tell her some questions bordering on my marriage weren't pertinent at the time.
"Didn't you hear me?" She asked yet further and called, "Melissa!"
"Mama!" I answered and swallowed hard, wondering what other name of Brian I would mention that wouldn't make her blow hot at me.
"Who is your husband, Melissa?" she asked, flogging me with her shrieking voice. "or is your husband nameless?"
"Fanny." I shook my head firmly, "Yes, Fanny."
The image struck in her head and she snapped, "Fanny, the richest man in Rio Hondo?" she asked, anxiously, her gaze locked into mine, with much focus on my lips, "You mean that old man?" I shook my head in the negative, "No, no…h…i his son", I stuttered emphatically and about to break down in tears.
"His son?" she asked angrily, and stared in the space thoughtfully, "The Fanny I know has only one son and he is violently mad?"
Mama stared at me and I stared back…