Wednesday, February 12, 2014
To Do List:
- Survive school
- Supper
- Help Sarfoa with homework if she has any (make sure she studies for an hour if she doesn’t)
- Study
- Get some sleep
I’d managed to fall asleep just after 5 a.m. and woke up thirty minutes later. My head felt stuffy and I had a headache. It was one of the bad ones. I got out of bed and took two paracetamol tablets. I didn’t feel like going to school. I didn’t have the strength or the energy to go into survival or pretence modes. I was just too tired. I couldn’t deal with Afua Gyamfuah or the likes of Nana Kwame. I was too raw. Talking about Mom and Ntiriwa had brought all the emotions I’d buried too close to the surface.
My head was still pounding. I got a face towel, wet it with water from the fridge and went back to bed. I placed the towel on my forehead and tried to get my mind to go blank.
“Gyikua, are you sick?” Sarfoa asked when she woke up.
“I have a headache. Tell Dad I can’t go to school today.”
I heard her go out of the room. Two minutes later, Dad was by my bedside.
“What’s wrong?” he asked taking the face towel off my face and feeling my neck.
“I didn’t sleep well. My head hurts.”
“Should we go to a hospital?”
I began shaking my head but the motion made it hurt even more. “I just want to lie down in the dark for some time. That usually helps.”
“Okay, I’ll call the school. You let me know if you want anything, okay?”
I nodded. His hand remained on my forehead and the room went quiet. Without opening my eyes, I knew he was praying for me.
“Can I stay home too?”
“No. I have a meeting at church. There’ll be no one to look after you if you stay.”
“But I’ll be quiet. I’ll be good. I won’t even disturb anyone.”
“I already said no, Sarfoa.”
They left the house about an hour later. Sarfoa was still asking Dad if she could stay home. I slept in fits for most of the morning. When I woke up at 11 a.m. I knew I wasn’t going to get any more sleep but I lay in bed anyway for another hour.
Dad sent a text message asking if I was awake at noon. I sent one back saying I was. My phone rang immediately.
“How are you feeling now?”
“Much better.”
“Thank God.” He hesitated before asking, “Was this because of last night?”
“Dad, it was just a headache.”
“Okay. I’ll be home in an hour. I’ll get us something to eat.” I spent the rest of the day in bed finishing The Kite Runner.