"Mummy, it hurts," the child complained for the fifth time, within a span of fifteen minutes.
She was being gently cradled by her mother, who glared in the direction of a much older woman, shuffling through the nylon bag she held. "It's okay, sweetie. It'll die down."
At that, the older woman scoffed. "All these children of nowadays, a little pain and it's as though the whole world had come crashing down."
"Mama, please. Not now."
At that, she arched a brow. "All I'm saying is when I was her age, I didn't complain as much. And how could I?! One hot slap from Nwannyimma rivaled the pain from a thousand circumcisions."
The child whimpered again, and her mother looked down, worriedly, before glancing at the door. The nurse had promised to be right back with a doctor.
Well, where the hell were they?
It had been close to four hours, since they had arrived at the hospital and the perspiration on Rose's forehead was steadily building.
Was it just her or had her baby's temperature risen, within the last hour?
Mary Amara James had not pictured spending time at the hospital, when she begged her mother to babysit her daughter for a week.
A smart and attractive single mother of one, she had been excited when her boss had chosen her to be part of the team in charge of closing the China deal.
Normally, she had Grace, her close friend, babysit for her on week days, when she couldn't get off work early, but a week would have been asking too much, so she had gone to her mom, Mrs Nkechi James.
A decision she now regretted.
She wasn't against circumcisions, a long-aged tradition in her family, but couldn't her mom have waited for her to get back and asked her permission?!
"Mama, I don't like this. Did you even verify the woman's qualifications before letting her take a knife to my five-year old?"
Mrs Nkechi looked at her daughter. She has forgotten her upbringing, she thought sadly. All decked up in a fancy suit and heels, she nows questions my judgment. "Verify what qualifications? Eh, Mary, I'm asking you! Did I verify the one that cut you? Yet you're okay and grown enough to ask me stupid questions."
"Mama, that's not what I'm saying. Rose- "
She cut her off. "- is my granddaughter and I know what is best for her. Give it two days and she'll be running around, the way she used to."
The door creaked. "Miss Mary James?"
The person asking was a female pediatrician. Sh held a clipboard in one hand and had a slight frown on her face. "I'm Doctor Susan, and I'm so sorry for the delay. We're quite understaffed today. Now, if both of you would, please, step out, I'd like to examine Miss Rose."
Thirty minutes later, they were all invited to the doctor's office. She had a grim expression on her face. "Miss Mary," she began. "Are you aware that your daughter has been genitally mutilated?"
At that, Mary shook her head in horror. "No, doctor. I was only aware that she had been circumcised." Her mother nodded in agreement.
"Ma'am, I'm afraid that's one and the same. Rose suffered multiple injuries from that act, which was clearly done with a blunt object. What did the previous doctor say when you took her in for aftercare?"
Mrs Nkechi shuffled her feet, uncomfortably. "I...eh... I didn't take her to a hospital, but I gave her Paracetamol and the woman cleaned up the injury with water and plaster."
At that, Mary glared at her mother. "Are you telling me you never took her to, even, a pharmacist to check if she was okay?! Mama! Water and plaster!"
The doctor shook her head. "It'll do no good to apportion blame, right now. The truth is, the entire concept of female circumcision is outdated and wrong. Shortterm effects include infections, genital tissue swelling, excessive bleeding and severe pains, which, in extreme cases, may lead to death. Longterm effects include reduced sexual interest, which is more than likely to affect future relationships, urinary problems, increased risks of childbirth complications and keloid, among others.
The thing is, we can't determine, for now, if Rose would be hit with the longterm effects, but, right now, she has an infection from her injuries, oozing out pus. That's why she's been in pain. She's also running a fever, which we have under control. We'd like to keep her admitted, for the time being."
Mary's head spun. Could it really be that bad? Hers hadn't been like that.
Or had it?
Looking back, she realized she remembered little to nothing of her past. But now, it occurred to her that when her ex-husband had complained of her lack of sexual interest, he'd had been completely right!
What was that term he had always used to describe her? Ah... Yes. Frigid bitch.
He was an abusive, piece of shit but he'd been right. Humorlessly, she chuckled.
Had she unknowingly sentenced her little girl to the same fate?
"Oh, my God. What have I done?"
The doctor looked at her with pity. "Please, calm down. I assure you the hospital will do all it takes to ensure that your child is saf-"
The door flew open. It was the same nurse that had earlier been with them. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Doctor, but patient James is regressing."
****
Two hours later saw Mary and her mother pacing the halls. They hadn't heard anything since Rose had been rushed into the theater.
Mary prayed, harder than she'd ever done in her life.
I'll be a much better Christian. I'll be a much better mother. Just save my baby. Please.
Mrs Nkechi, on the other hand, felt a slight strain in her heart. She had meant no harm. It had been all she had ever known. It was a traditional act, aimed at preventing promiscuity in a girl. And now, her granddaughter laid helpless.
I'll never forgive myself. If anything happens to Rose, I'll never forgive myself.
She glanced at her daughter. And Mary would never forgive me, either.
A short while after, Doctor Susan came out to see them, wearing a tired smile. "It was successful. We lost her for a short while, but your girl's a fighter. Thank God."
At that, Mary crumbled on the floor, in tears. "Can we see her?"
The doctor smiled. "In a bit. She's being transferred to the pediatric ward." Then, she gave them their privacy.
Mary stiffened, as she felt her mom's touch on her shoulder. "Nwamm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any harm."
"Of course you didn't mean any harm, Mama, but you still caused it. I can't bring myself to forgive you, right now, for myself and Rose. You can see her, for now. But after that, I don't want you anywhere near us- at least, until I can face you without feeling the hate I do, right now."
As Mary walked away, Mrs Nkechi bowed and cried.
The End.
SAY NO TO FEMALE GENDER MUTILATION.
*mutilation of any kind, really. C'mon, y'all, it's got "mutilate" in it.*
- Vicki ❤️
