My Sisters Keeper

82

MY SISTERS KEEPER

EIGHTY TWO

It's been 168 hours, 10 080 minutes, 604 800 seconds since Nomonde was wheeled into ICU. But who is counting. It feels like with each passing minute I'm losing her. I know she's here, alive and breathing, but i cant help feeling like we are just holding on to dreams and hope. But then again they say hope has never killed anyone.

The baby is doing well. Although she was born underweight she's improving every day. Doctors have had to watch her heart and liver growth. For a while her heart had complications because of the preeclampsia, but doctors have been quite great, making sure she fights. And boy is she a fighter. I just hope she didnt suck all the fighting spirit from her mother.

I stood by the glass window watching her. She was now out of the incubator, she has been transferred to a crib. Although she still has the tubes on her body and the oxygen one inside her mouth, she's gained some weight and she's looking normal again.

"She needs a name." Someone says behind me. I turn and find Nate standing there. I turn back to the window and he joins me.
"Nomonde will kill me if I give her an ugly name. So I'll wait for her to wake up."
"Fair enough. But a baby can have more than one name. We can't be calling her baby Radebe." I chuckle. Maybe her name should be Baby Radebe.
"I dont know man. I was thinking of naming her Iminathi."
"Nice. It's a beautiful name. I'm sure Nomonde will love it." Its a beautiful name. And it fits her birth. The Lord was with us, that's the only way to explain her and her mother making it out of that operating room still breathing.
"I hope so. She can give her another name if she wants."
"Yeah. By the way. I'm bringing in a neurosurgeon to check on Nomonde."
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just need to make sure everything is okay. Remember her heart stopped twice. The longest being for ten minutes. And that's ten minutes with little oxygen to her brain."
"Didnt she have a ventilator on?"
"She did. But this is just to make sure we are on the safe side."
"Let me guess, the neurosurgeon is Ngcebo?" He laughs. That's my answer.
"You know he is one if the best. He'll be here in an hour."
"I know. Thanks man. I owe you my life."
"Its cool man. You know I got your back."
"Let me go check on Nomonde."

We parted ways and I went to Nomonde's ward. She was still in ICU but in a private ward. The beeping sounds welcomed me in as soon as I opened the door. She laid in the same position she was in when I left her an hour ago. I really wish she'd just wake up. I pulled the chair up and sat down. My elbows were resting on the bed. I took her hand into mine and they were so warm. Almost like she would tell me my hands are cold. I kissed her hand and just stared at her.

"You have to get up now MaGumede, put banies need their mummy. I named our daughter Iminathi. I hope you like it. And if you dont you'll just have to live with it. Or better yet, give her your own name too. Until then, my name wins." I chuckled alone like a retard. And my smile turned to tears running down my face. "I cant do this without you Nomonde. You have to come back to me. I need you. I really really need you." I kept planting kisses on her hand. I laid my head down on the bed with her hand still in mine, until I fell asleep.

When I woke up a nurse was busy checking something on the monitors. Iifted my head up and she smiled at me.
"I'm sorry I didnt mean to wake you." She said as she wrote something on Monde's file. They have mastered the art of working in silence. I've fallen asleep in here and woke up to find her sheets had been changed, her drip filled and I thought I was a light sleeper.
"Its okay. Listen I need to go home and take a proper shower. Will you call me if anything changes, no matter how small?"
"Of course. I will let you know. And I'll keep an eye on her." I kissed Monde's hand and walked out.

I remembered soon as I got out of the hospital that I didnt bring my car. When I came here I was in an ambulance with Nomonde. I would request an uber but I left my wallet at home. I text Muzi and ask him to come pick me up. Ten minutes later he is here. I get in the car and he drives off.