“Raheem I’m so glad you made it. Mum collapsed whilst trying to get into the attic. I don’t even want to think about what might have been if her neighbour wasn’t over for tea.”
He was torn between looking at Gill or his mobile, “is it serious?”
“Sweety, everything is going to be fine.” She held him. “The doctor told me it’s only a broken ankle. I know your mum can be exhausting at times, but her fears are becoming real. It must be difficult to be living on your own at that age. She’s been asking for you.”
“Thanks Gill. Yeah, I’ll go and see how she’s holding up.” Raheem hurriedly walked towards his mum’s room, as he turned the corner he looked at the phone – no text.
He sat by his mum.
“I just wanted to see you one more time, Raheem. I might die tonight.”
She began to cough and sputter and with it, all her concerns of chest pains, back pains, headaches and diminishing strength came pouring out. His mum began to weep.
“Mum – you’re not going to die! You fell and broke an ankle, nothing more.”
Raheem began to wriggle in his chair, who won?
“Raheem, you should have been a doctor. I remember how much you loved watching General Hospital with me. I never thought you’d be selling medical equipment.”
“Mum, it was you who imagined me as a doctor and you wouldn’t let me watch anything else!”
“Instead of saving the community, you join them in drunken behaviour and football. And what about the family?”
“Mum, we’ve talked about this.”
Why hadn’t Barry texted him about the game? Did Crespo poach a last minute goal in the 90th minute? Zero communication from his childhood friend fed his anxieties – surely no news meant bad news?
The conversation ended with the nurse stepping into the room, visiting hours were coming to an end and he would have to leave. My God, that only took like – forever! He kissed his mother goodbye and promised to visit tomorrow though she knew it was nothing more than common courtesy.
“Mmm … well … do you know if there’s a TV around? I need to check something.”
“TV?”
Raheem rephrased the question.
“What about internet?”
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