My precious gift

In our lifetime, we may come across many experiences that we only know how to handle because of the way we were taught by our families. My family consists of two brothers: my mother, my father, and me. Everyone stayed with my grandmother in Lagos, Nigeria, except my dad, who does not stay at home because his work makes him travel a lot, so he comes home every weekend.

My mother was who I looked up to all my life. Because she’s the most precious gift I ever had—someone who is ready to sacrifice anything for me and my siblings. Every morning, she ensures our breakfast is ready before 8 a.m. Even before I and my sibling ask for anything, she knows what we require. Due to that aspect, Grandma does complain a lot about how she has spoiled us.

Even though her eye is on me, in terms of doing housework and other relevant things that are necessary for a girl, she plays with us a lot.

Generally, when I require someone to soothe my mind and also ask questions, she's always available. I knew that no matter how mad I was with her, she’d always find a way to make me forget. She could make any day brighter with her smile, and she taught me so much.

On December 24th, 2004, my father and I went out to buy my mom a gift because her birthday was coming, and we decided to give her a surprise gift. That year, I got to pick out the gift that would be from me and my two older brothers. As we walked through the store, I was excited because I saw the perfect gift the week prior. It was a stunning piece of jewellery that she had been longing to have all this time.

But something happened that I will never erase from my mind, and I don't pray it's come up any longer.

It seems to have been a jolly weekend in my family; everyone was around, while my mother was busy doing the normal house chores. When something suddenly happened, we were in the parlour, playing. We sat on the couch, throwing pillows at each other, as Charlie Brown's Christmas played in the background. The room was lit only by the TV, and the lights were seeping into the window from the ambulance. As we sat pondering what could've happened, my uncle, who lived in the back room, rushed past us with a look of despair on his face and his coat and shoes in hand. That's when my heart dropped, and I then knew something terrible had happened. We ran after him up the dark staircase, and my grandmother stopped us and, in a taut voice, instructed us to go back downstairs. We kneeled on the couch, peering out of the small window in silence, as the ambulance passed by with its sirens wailing. As it passed, my dad peered into the room and instructed us to come sit in the living room upstairs. As we followed behind him, he told us how my mother had gone to the hospital because she had had an asthma attack. When he said that, I was lost for words because it was always something she struggled with and everyone knew, but this time around, she wasn't with her inhaler. It was a snapping thing for my father to come to her aid when she fell off on the floor, gassing for air.

That night; I could not sleep; I feared losing my mom; plenty of different thoughts were running through my mind. It's my aunty who came around to prepare dinner and bathe us before going to bed.

When I finally fell asleep, I ended up having a bad dream in which I noticed that my mother was buried in a mortuary and that my sibling and I were moved to my aunt's place. All of a sudden, I jumped up from my bed to check for my dad and mom in their room; I could not find them there. I broke down in tears. My tears woke my aunty up. I told her about the bad dream, and I don't want to lose my mom because she is nothing but a precious gift to me and my siblings.

My aunty took me to her room and petted me to sleep. My mother was in the hospital for one week because the doctor had her take her time in the hospital. My dad came home one day and told us that our mother would like to see us. I was so happy and excited to see my mom; she's getting better. I jumped on her and kissed her on the cheek.

When my mom’s birthday finally came, although she was still in the hospital, I didn't forget to take the beautiful jewellery along with me to surprise her.

She was delighted to receive the gift from me and my sibling.

Finally, my mother was discharged from the hospital. I ensure I assist her in the kitchen and also in other houses at home. I also try my best to check on her whenever she's resting in her room.

“The picture is my property"