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‘Get me the phone, Lum.’
She held the door closed when Lumumba gave it to her.
‘Get me your father’s gown too,’ she said, dialling.
She closed the door and covered Kayita with his grey gown.
On the phone, the nurse told her what to do while she waited for the
ambulance to arrive.
‘Put him in recovery position . . . keep him warm . . . you need to talk to
him . . . make sure he can hear you . . .’
When the paramedics arrived, Nnam explained that the only thing she
had noticed was Kayita falling back in bed that morning. Tears gathered
a bit when she explained to the boys, ‘Daddy is unwell but he’ll be fine.’
She got dressed and rang a friend to come and pick up the boys. When
the paramedics emerged from the bathroom, they had put an oxygen
mask on Kayita which reassured her. Because the friend had not arrived
to take the boys, Nnam did not go with the ambulance. The paramedics
would ring to let her know which hospital had admitted Kayita.
When she arrived in Casualty, a receptionist told her to sit and wait.
Then a young nurse came and asked,
‘Did you come with someone?’
Nnam shook her head and the nurse disappeared. After a few
moments, the same nurse returned and asked,
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