Wendy’s imagination was so sharp, that it went to the point where she had to be admitted into Far East Rand Hospital amidst the twilight.
“Wendy! Wendy! has it gone to a point where you almost met your maker before me?” Wendy’s mother, Albertina, asked with her tears flowing endlessly from the well above her cheeks. “Look! Lebohang is nowhere to be found. Whenever he gets paid, he just disappears like a needle in a haystack. Sometimes I just ask myself if I was blind when I got married to that man. Now I see what they mean when they say love is blind.”
Albertina spent the whole night with her daughter in ward six, but her stress rose even more when the doctor came to see her early hours in the morning.
“A pleasant morning to you mam,” the doctor said with a swift, rough, and edgy voice. “Firstly, I would like to inform you that your daughter, Wendy, seems to be responding to the medication we gave her, but there seems to be a slight problem we are encountering. Her hospital bills are outstanding, and they need to be taken care of ASAP. The hospital’s policy does not allow me to continue with a patient if his or her bill is outstanding.”
“Am I cursed?” Albertina silently asked herself. “It seems like the scar within me is growing, and the gods are punishing me for a reason that I’m not aware of! Nevertheless, pain is nothing new to me, so what can I say?”
After a while, Albertina turned to the doctor. “My apologies for the long silence Dr Masilela, my brain and heart were still having a private meeting I couldn’t disturb,” she said. “Nevertheless, I heard your complaint, so please do give me a few hours, and I’ll be back to settle the outstanding balance.”
“Only a few hours, Mrs Albertina! Only a few hours,” the doctor exclaimed.
“Now, how am I going to pay this bill when money chose to isolate herself from me?” Albertina asked herself with a painful, heavy heart.
After leaving the hospital, Albertina went straight to her neighbour’s wife, Mrs Anele Sechai, who usually assisted her in terms of finances. When she got there, she found the fifty-year-old lady outside her house, basking in the sun with her morning gown on.
“What a surprise, Albert, is there a ceremony I’m not aware of that you’re hosting? Waking up this early is not your thing,” Anele said with a surprised voice.
“No my friend, I’m in need of your help urgently,” Albertina responded. “Last night, Wendy was admitted into hospital, and she’s in a critical condition. I warned her many times about always reading her books and researching things that are above her IQ all the time. At the same time, I cannot find Lebohang anywhere, and he just received his pay. They did warn me about getting married into the Matseletsa family, but I guess I am reaping what I sawed. Anyways, enough of my problems! Would you be humble enough to lend me about two thousand Rands? That is the outstanding balance at the hospital, and the doctor is threatening to discharge Wendy if I do not pay the bill. I’m sure I’ll pay you next week, after receiving my stockvel money.”
“It’s okay, friend! I will always have your back, no matter what. Let me write a cheque for you so you can rush before they discharge her,” Anele responded with tears flowing from her eyes.
A few hours later, Albertina Sefiti Matseletsa arrived at the hospital with a look of relief on her face. “Dr Masilela! I paid the bill in full, so can my daughter receive full treatment now?”
“Indeed, she’ll continue receiving the medication as promised, Mrs Albertina!” Dr Masilela responded. “Please do follow me to ward six. I have some good news that might put a smile on your face. Wendy woke up thirty minutes after you left the hospital,” the doctor continued with a smile on his face.
On hearing the news, Albertina started weeping like a ten-year-old craving for a candy. Her tears expressed the joy that she had though, but in the blink of an eye, her face expression turned dark and cold.
“What’s bothering you Mrs Albertina? I thought this news regarding your daughter was going to put …
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