Salome wore a cotton chic-black blouse with a Duchess Satin white pants because it was the weekend, Friday, and she had made plans with her friends to meet after work for a buffet at Wakkis in Wuse II, the heartbeat city in Abuja, Nigeria. but, an urgent call came through before the close of work.
She stood by the window, gloomy, silently staring at the parking lot, watching people drive in and out. The doctor's office smelled like lavender, which isn't what you'd expect in a hospital. Trying to divert her attention away from the doctor's report, which revealed that she had ATRT, or atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor, a very rare and fast-growing brain tumor that usually starts in the brain and spreads to the spinal cord. She tried to ignore the fact that she only had a few months to live, and as she was pondering how she'd break the news to her family, a distant voice abruptly interrupted her.
Ms Salome, are you okay?
Dr. Hassan a seasoned practitioner in his mid 50s, has been Salome's family primary care physician for more than 15 years. She shifted her gaze to him and took off her glasses to clean the lens. She nodded, keeping her true feelings hidden.
Yes, Sir,
she responds.
I'm leaving right now. I'll see you at the appointment on Thursday. By the way, I really like the lavender scent in your office; it's soothing. Great choice of air freshener.
Dr. Hassan stood to see her to the door as she picked up her purse to leave.
Ms. Salome, you'll be fine. The Surgery will be successful. You're in good hands and...
She opened the door and walked away before he could finish his sentence. She became impatient waiting in front of the elevator due to the smell of hospital disinfectants, which she despised, and decided to take the stairs instead. Reasoning that it was only 5 floors. She burst into tears as she ran down the stairs faster than one should have, eyes sour & hardened, curled lips, angry about her life. Salome suddenly found herself trying to hold on to the rail, which was now out of her reach, with her glasses on one hand and her Sussen red purse that matched her wedged heel on the other. Her life flashed before her, she let go of her purse and glasses.
Ms. Salome Amos, you see, earned a bachelor's degree in mass communication from Turkish Nile University in Abuja. She'd be 25 in two months, your typical next-door girl, outgoing with her friends but also knowing how to relax and enjoy her alone time. Her parents were extremely protective of her because she was the only child and their pride. They even made certain that her place of work was only a 30-minute drive away from their Cairo Street, Wuse II home. She despised it and even argued with her mother about an arranged marriage before going to work.
Yes, she's had her share of heartbreaks, and her most recent relationship didn't last as long as she had hoped. It hurt, but Salome tried not to think about it too much. All she hoped for was that "somebody's son" would find her soon and for love. She drew strength from her favorite go-to song by a popular Nigerian artist Tiwa Savage whenever she felt down.
Salome is known as "the life of the party," not because she is wild or anything, but because her presence is contagious and she loved deeply, even if she was never loved back. She was always under the impression that her intentions were misunderstood and that everyone despised her.
Her life revolved around the same circle, which she found suffocating. A part of her wished she could live somewhere far away, alone, near the beach, facing sunrise and sunset, and at night, she could stand by her window and watch the moon and stars dance across the sky. It was everything she desired; it was her dream.
and as Salome lay on the stairwell, upside down, face up, with a bleeding head barely hanging on the last step. She could see images approaching her, but all she could do was try to keep her eyes open, at least enough to think about a few things. She reflected to herself.
Is this how my Life will end? what about my dreams?
My Mum and Dad? I'm yet to apologize...I need more time.
My job? My friends waiting at the buffet?
Would I even be Missed?
Her entire life flashed before her eyes in a matter of seconds. It felt like sleep all of a sudden, only this time it felt different. Maybe she deserved it, maybe she'd wanted to go somewhere far away for a long time. She felt someone or two lift her up, and as she closed her eyes, knowing it was the last time she would see her parents and friends, she wished she could see them again. It would be different this time. As her heart stopped beating, tears streamed down her cheeks.
The hospital machine picks up a signal as Salome finally regains consciousness after nearly 48-hours, distant voices like whispers, and blurry images. The doctor asked her to say anything she could remember while he checked her vitals. She struggled but whispered.
"Lavender"
Doctor Hassan smiled, turned around, and gave a "all clear" sign to her parents and friends, who had been called immediately after the incident.
Salome had undergone a 9-hour emergency brain surgery in order to remove the tumor and save her life. A tear on her scalp, few bruises on body and dislocated left arm, it was nothing short of a miracle. She blinks in discomfort asking for her glasses; her mum who is crying and overjoyed, somehow understands and helps her right away. Despite the fact that the lenses were now cracked as a result of the bad fall, Salome could see her family and friends more clearly than she had ever seen them. She realized how fortunate she was for the first time in her life and was grateful. Whether she had more time or not, she was grateful to be alive and to have been given a second chance to make things right.
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