I sat up in bed and watched TV. There was live broadcast of the national celebration of Mashujaa Day. I watched the matching of the disciplined forces. I watched the musicians entertain the crowd at the stadium.
The place was full. I watched guests speak. Then I watched the Vice President. I didn't focus on what he said. I didn't like him one bit, nothing personal.
I just looked at the screen then checked my phone. Chad had sent me a text, asking if I was up. I smiled, replied then watched him on TV type back. He missed me there. It was the first national celebration he was attending without me.
I watched the president get up to speak. The applause warmed my heart. He was well dressed, elegant. I had chosen the suit myself. He cleared his voice then got to read his speech. He had gone through it for a week. He barely looked at it. I knew it by heart as I had helped him go through it for days.
Then out of nowhere, a toddler rushed to him giggling. He stopped, chuckled, and picked him up then his aide de camp moved forward to collect the boy.
That must have been Onyx, the vibrant one of the identical twins. I watched the president's lips as he went through the speech. Then he put it aside and rallied the country to keep the fight against corruption alive.
Once he was done, the president remained standing as the national anthem was sang. I sang along. He would be home in fifteen minutes and I loved that.
I switched off the TV, turned to my side and shut my eyes. I couldn't leave the bed without aid.
We had had a lovely one year of Chad being president. Then one beautiful day, I had lost consciousness and been in hospital for three weeks. I had been home for a week after that, perfectly fine.
But one fine morning, I woke up and just couldn't feel my legs. Chad had rushed me to hospital and as always, there was nothing wrong with me. So after being in hospital for two weeks, I was back home on physiotherapy.
Chad had worked hard to become president. I had worked hard to get him on that seat. My whole family had been involved to ensure he sat there. He did fit on the seat. He was focused and patriotic, determined. He was an excellent father to all the four children we were parenting. He was faithful and loyal to me.
I had had my reservations about him joining politics but he had made sure I was okay with it or he wouldn't have done it. I had travelled to four countries with him. He had loved that, sex away from home. He had loved his clothes chosen and arranged by me.
Now I was down and felt like a burden. No walking, no sex, nothing. Chad made me swear not to push him away. He worked harder to prove to me that I wasn't a burden.
I prayed, more than ever before, that I would be back on my feet. Maybe prayer could work since science couldn't.
The only good thing was my hands could work well. My job depended on my hands working. I loved typing away, solving tech problems. That was how I earned my livelihood. Sort of. I was majority shareholder in the company and basically didn't need to work but I enjoyed working.
Chad got in bed and cuddled me from behind. I smiled, kissed his hand and spoke of how charming he looked. He kissed my cheek then got up to feel my legs. Then were stone cold when he left.
"I thought of you the whole time, my love," he whispered in that deep voice I loved.
"Probably you miss sex. Chad ..." I began.
"No, it's not due to lack of sex. I love you, wife," he kissed my ear and I giggled.
"I can still go down on you, Mr President," I whispered. He laughed.
"Your legs are warm," Chad said, gently rubbed them.
Chad sounded optimistic that physiotherapy was working . I felt nothing while he touched them but he still was optimistic. He held me in his arms and stroked my arm gently.
There was a late lunch we were to host and he wanted me there. He would carry me all the way. I loved that but hoped my legs would work soon.
"Excuse me sir, you are needed for lunch," the chief of staff always barged in and I hated him.
"Give me ten minutes, Andrew," Chad said. "Let me get you ready for the lunch, then we will cuddle up for a movie later,"
Chad stood at six foot three. He was dark skinned and fit. He worked out four times a week. His head was clean shaven. He was bald and hated it. He grew a beard that looked great with the bald head.
Chad had a deep rich voice I so loved. He sang occasionally, especially after he annoyed me. He annoyed me a lot. He was thirteen years older than me and that always shook his confidence but he had got a permanent solution to that.
Yet he knew I sincerely loved him and I was devoted to him. Or I wouldn't have married him twice. Yes. Married, divorced, married.
Chad helped me undress then carried me to the bathroom. He helped me bath, picked a pink dress for me and carried me all the way down to my seat right next to his at that enormous lunch table.
I smiled, pleasantly said hello to the guests then listened to talks about politics and the weather. I ate a bit and had wine. I felt warm and relaxed and Chad saw that. He whispered, reminded me of our plans for the afternoon. I smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Mrs Ochot, we missed you at the stadium today," the CS for Health said.
"I … I … I waaath … Thad …" I held Chad's hand and broke down.
My speech. I couldn't speak. My tears poured as Chad quickly picked me up for bed. I held on to him and cried. Chad took me back to bed and called the doctor.
I gestured and he got me my laptop. I typed, I needed Ethan. He nodded and called him. I turned to my side and cried myself to sleep. I was getting worse and that broke me.
Nobody wants a slow death, nobody wants to watch death coming. Yet death stalked me. I could smell it, I could hear it, I could feel its breath on my ear, its whisper, it was here.
Ethan was there soon enough. He must have rushed. I felt him cuddle me. I knew his scent. Had we not been married before? I held his arm and cried afresh as Chad explained that I was losing my speech.
"Chad, let me take her to England. Maybe there's something the doctors here ate missing," Ethan said.
"Emma is my wife. She needs me," Chad said, looked down at me.
"Would you like to leave this place, Emma?" Ethan asked me. I nodded.
Ethan was six foot two, white. He had grey eyes and blonde hair. His lips were thin, pink. He co-owned the tech company with me. Much as he would deny it, he was my best friend. The divorce had been amiable, three years ago .
The doctor came. He asked Ethan to excuse us but I held on to his arm. The doctor checked my vitals and said maybe going abroad would help. I smiled and nodded. Maybe going to England would do me good.
Chad asked if I was comfortable leaving. I got my laptop and typed, asked if he would come with me. He wouldn't, it was too short a notice.
I rubbed my tears, typed, asked when he would join me. He wasn't certain yet. There was protocol, he couldn't just travel. Ethan wanted us to travel the following day.
"I want to take Evans with me as security. I don't want my security detail," I typed away.
"He is my aide de camp, babe," Chad said, arms akimbo. I knew that.
"He is my friend, I trust him. I do not want your security to see me like this," I typed away.
"He will join you in a few days. I will make calls, you will get British security there. Oh I will miss you babe," he said, rubbed my cheek fondly.
"Bradley?" I asked.
"Well, once you feel the desire for sex, I will send him over." he planted a kiss on my lips.
I just wanted to travel with Evans and Bradley. Those men had protected me before and I trusted them. They had been loyal to me, not to my husband. But Chad had decided to promote Evans to be his aide de camp while Bradley remained my lead guard and a little more.