Project Baby
‘Will you open the door for him?’ I ask Megan who is curled up on her favourite couch. ‘I do not think I can do that. How do I tell him that I am sick? What if he turns and runs away? I am so afraid. I cannot handle another setback. I think it was a bad idea to call him. You deal with him. Tell him anything but nothing about this,’ she answers back.
Before I can say anything, she waves the test results and bolts to her bedroom.
‘God give me the strength to deal with this,’ I say to myself. I open the door and find Tom’s arms wide open. Obviously, he must have been expecting his wife to open but I get the hug all the same. ‘Hey you, what are you doing here at this time of the day?’ He asks as he settles down. I take bouquet of roses and neatly arrange them in the flower vase as I strategise on what to tell Tom.
‘Am good,’ I manage a wavy response. He must have sensed my uneasy state because he follows me to the kitchen where I want to get some water for the flowers. ‘Where is Meg? I know she is in here because I can smell her perfume.’ Tom is becoming suspicious but I try to hold face.
‘She is okay,’ I mutter. ‘What are you girls up to?’ He asks with a coy smile. He must be thinking we are up to a pleasant surprise. How I wish this was the dinner we had discussed earlier with Megan. After a battle with my mind on what to tell Tom, I knock at Megan’s bedroom door and ask her to open.’Oh my God, is she unwell?’ Tom says as he too rushes to the door.’Honey, please open…’ He is now banging the door and asking me a million questions at the same time.
‘Relax Tom, nothing that cannot be handled,’ I tell him. ‘So, there is something wrong? What is the problem?’ He asks. I am not in a position to tell him about Megan’s new status and I pray that what I am working up in my mind will convince Megan to at least open the door for Tom. ‘Come. Let’s sit,’ I say that loud enough hoping Megan will hear that I am about to disclose her status and that way, maybe she will bulge. Tom is now all pensive. ‘She is breaking up with me?’ He asks as soon as we settle down. ‘Megan would never do that to you. She loves you dearly. But she received some news earlier which has devastated her.’ ‘What are you talking about?’ inquires Tom. To my relief, I hear the latch turn open and Megan emerges from her bedroom. She quickly collapses into Tom’s arms and starts to weep uncontrollably. He is confused and shocked at the same time. I guess the only other time he has seen Megan’s tears was the day he slipped the rock in her finger. She is always the tough cookie. ‘Whatever it is Megan, we will deal with it. Please stop crying,’ He tells her. She attempts to speak but all she manages is an incoherent whimper. Amidst sobs, she slowly slips her test results into his hands. She then slowly walks back to the bedroom and locks herself inside again. ‘Do you know what this is about?’ He asks still holding the neatly folded paper. ‘Yes I do. But I would rather you see for yourself.’
I hold my breath as he slowly studies Megan’s results. It must have taken a minute or two for it to sink. ‘Oh my God!’ The words barely come out. I look at him and see tears welling in his eyes. ‘For how long have you known this?’ ‘Since this morning,’ I answer as I wipe my own tears. Tom is silent for a while before slowly standing up. He reaches for the keys from the coffee table and I prepare to deal with another torrent of tears when Megan hears that door shut. But he does not leave.
He paces around the house breathing heavily as I watch his every move, my head bowed. Nobody is speaking and the silence is too much to bear. Megan must have been listening for she slowly opens her door probably to check what is happening in her sitting room. Tom slowly walks to her and wraps her in his arms so tightly that for a moment, I think he will squeeze life out of her.’I am so sorry Meg,’ is all he says before they both bust into tears. I sit back wiping out my own as the two cry their hearts out. Tears are indeed a natural therapy.
I am so relieved that he did not walk out. At least there is some hope. I reach for my handbag to leave. They deserve some time alone to deal with the emotions and the reality of their new situation. ‘I will call you guys later. Maybe I can fix dinner?’ They both nod and I am sure it will be a reflective afternoon. Later, over dinner, they tell me Tom has decided to go for testing. ‘HIV is not going to come between us. We believe we will get a way to deal with this reality,’ says Tom. I am so relieved. Tom is a true gentleman. I truly admire his character. I pray that whatever their results, they will make the right choices. Throughout the dinner, Megan speaks very little. She is clearly lost
in her world and nothing we do cheers her up.
After dinner, as we are doing the dishes in the kitchen, Megan tells me she is in double shock. That she is HIV-positive and that Tom is still around even after knowing that. ‘Could he also be positive?’ She whispers. ‘Get that out of your mind until the tests are done. And so what if he is? Will you walk out him?’ I prod. ‘Let us wait until tomorrow. Thank God my leave started today. I will at least be able to deal with this out of the office atmosphere,’ says Megan. I smile quietly. She is sobering up. It will be a long night for the two. Tomorrow will even be longer for them. But I promise myself to be there for them, whatever the outcome. I also promise myself to research as much as I can about HIV. Megan’s results have just made me discover how little I know about this disease.
END: BL 42/31