TARBABY (A difficult or sticky situation especially one where people's attempts to make it better only makes it worse.)

   TORN  (To lose some kind of unity or coherence.)

The night had an eerie feeling, the fearful silence was so loud, it was deafening and intensely disturbing. I was huddled up with mama in the only corner of our thatched mud that the roof hadn't tore open. Mama was shaking vigorously with the mean cold slicing through every part of her, the hairs on her body were all standing. I was cold too but I had to be strong for mama, I was all she had.

She was in her mid forties but looked well over sixty. She knew nothing but suffering and I shared generously in it. I could feel her slipping away, even though she desperately struggled to hold on, clutching my palms so tight, I thought they would break. I didn't mind at all as long as she still stayed with me.

At about three in the morning, mama gave up the ghost. She had a half smile on her face, a smile that described her life, a futile effort to be truly happy, even death scorned her. I let out a screech that sliced through the horrible wholeness of the creepy night, a night that will forever make a difference in my forsaken life.

AWAKENING  (Rousing from sleep in a natural or a figurative sense, rousing into activity or action.)

I woke up with a jump, I had this dream again. I had been seeing mama in my dreams, she was beautiful now and looked all angelic, she seemed troubled though like she had something to say to me. She never got to each time. I heaved a sigh as I stealthily crept out of the tiny bed that was situated at the center of a high walled dusty room with only a tiny window that now let in parallel rays of light from the outside.

The room had a putrid stench of  concocted mix of body fluids. I slipped into my scanty clothing and gave a long look  at the man I had the previous night, he was snoring heavily  like a log. I muttered some incoherent words that I didn't even understand.

The night before played in my head as I made my way out of the inn that housed others like me, with my cheque neatly tucked in my bra,  but today was different, I was never coming back there. 

He had picked  me just by the entrance of a club, on his way out. He was really drunk, though his appearance said better of him. He was clean shaven, wore a nice cologne that sifted through my nostrils, I could bet he was adorned in designers from head to toe. I did a quick mental calculation of his worth while I scanned his looks. I knew I had a big fish in my net. We wobbled to my room and just as we got to the bed, he hungrily launched at me.

REBIRTH   ( Revival, new birth, spiritual renewal, reincarnation, reinvigoration)

I sat in the waiting room of the hospital, my hands crossed below my bosom, my head against the wall as I silently observed my surroundings. There was a young couple with a baby of about six months, the child had been crying uncontrollably, the mum had to leave the waiting room ceaseless times to appease the baby. The young mum was visibly stressed and the baby seemed to be in pains.

There was an elderly woman with a younger lady who could pass for her daughter. It had taken them ten minutes to walk from the door to where they sat. The older woman's strides were very slow as her face contorted visibly in pain each time she raised a foot, she breathed out sharply and rested a while before raising another foot, while the younger lady held her for support. There were others in the room, a lean pregnant woman whose bump seemed it was weighing her down, a man who coughed intermittently at the far end of the room, two young ladies who would likely be in their early twenties.

I closed my eyes, lost in thought as l recalled the details of my dreams the night before. I had seen mama again but this time she spoke to me,we had sat opposite each other in separate concrete benches on both ends of what looked like a beautiful garden. Mama was smiling beautifully at me as she said, "I never left your side, I'll always be there for you". I smiled too, even though I  didn't understand.

I woke up exceptionally happy that day as I felt some inner peace within me. I had been feeling unwell for some time and had decided to  take a day off my little business to run some tests that day at the town hospital.

A nurse walked into the waiting room, just as I blinked off the thoughts in my head. " Miss Ngozi Igwe", she called, I raised my hand in response. "Follow me", she retorted.

 BABY  ( A very young human particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered.)

I stared at the delicate bundle in my arms, wrapped in mama's remaining wrapper I still had. The face that peered at me was an embodiment of innocence, peace and love. Everything I had lost was back as one. I studied every detail on her pretty face as she cheerfully purred.

In that moment, I knew I had gained all at last. It wasn't just about the beautiful baby that was all mine, the only thing I owned in my life because I knew for sure that I had been born anew too, we both were babies, akin by nature, rid of guilt, pain, anguish, full of joy, love and freedom to learn afresh everything with the ease of our blind trust for each other till we could both walk without stumbling.

"Nneoma" I whispered, as if in recognition of her new name, she smiled that toothless smile at me, I smiled too. I knew mama was back with me, but this time we would be happy, even though I didn't know how.

P.S: This piece is original and fictitious as the character doesn't bear any semblance with a real life experience except by coincidence.