A few days before Chipo’s second birthday, Runako decided to take her daughter to the bridge so she could watch the water flowing and enjoy the fresh air. She stood there admiring the beauty of God’s hand, Chipo was distracted by the ladybug that was on her mother’s blouse.

All of a sudden, a women screamed, “My baby, that’s my baby.”

Then she rushed and took Chipo from Runako’s hands. Chipo started crying and Runako straggled with the lady so that she could get Chipo back.

“No, no, no, she is my baby. No she is mine, No!!” Runako said as she woke up, screaming and sweating from another nightmare although it felt so real.

Takunda rushed to the bed from his bedroom corner office, “What is it Runako? Another baby dream?” he said as he sat on the bed.

“They took my baby, I want my baby,” Runako responded.

Takunda took anti-depression pills and a glass of water from the dressing table and gave his wife, who kept saying her baby had been taken.

Runako took the pills accompanied by a few sips of water then rested her head on the pillow.

“Come lay next to me Taku,” she said.

“I know you won’t come, I disgust you now. Why wouldn’t I, I have more drugs in my system than our local pharmacy.”

“Don’t say that, you know I have to a deadline to catch, if I don’t…” Takunda didn’t finish that statement because Runako had fallen asleep again. He took a deep breath, covered his wife with a bed sheet and walked back to his desk.

He tried getting back to work, but his thoughts could not let him focus, “Is she right, I am disgusted by her?” he thought out loud as he stared at her.

They had not shared a bed ever since Runako got into deep depression, this was about twenty-three months ago. He felt their marriage was dead, but he couldn’t leave her like this. The only thing that kept him there was guilt, he felt he had put too much pressure and focus on having a child to the extent that Runako got depressed.

It wasn’t long before Takunda fell asleep with his face on the desk just a few hours before sunrise.

The sun finally rose and its penetration through the bedroom white lace curtain, flashed Takunda straight in the eyes to the extent of waking him up. He woke up and went straight to the bathroom to freshen up. He returned only to realise the bed was neatly done and his wife was not there.

“Runako, Runako”, he called out as he searched for her in other parts of the house.

When he got to the kitchen he saw a note on the kitchen table that read,

Good morning honey
I prepared breakfast. Preheat it, it’s in the microwave.
I thought you would be up and we could eat together but I am sure you slept late and you must be tired, if you need me, I am in the garden.
Enjoy your breakfast.

After reading this note, Takunda checked the time, “It’s twenty past ten, how could I sleep for that long?” he thought out loud.

“Did Runako take her medicine, how could I be so careless?” he ate himself up making his way to the garden.

He found Runako planting mushroom seeds in plastic vessels in the greenhouse, “Did you take your medicine? I am so sorry for being this careless.”

“Come down, I took the medicine. You hadn’t slept for days — you needed the rest. Good morning, have you eaten the breakfast I made for you?”

Takunda took a deep breath of relief before responding, “Good morning, I was about to when I realised you might not have taken your medicine.”

“Alright, please go eat as I finish off here, I need you to take me to the market, I need to buy a few things.”

“Sure,” Takunda said as he walked back to the house.

In no time, they were both done and were ready to go to the market.

***

Tell us: Have you ever experienced a dream that felt so real?