Life Is Divine

Some stories encourage and build stamina.  Some stories touch and heal. Yet, some stories break hearts and forever refuse to be forgotten.  This is one such story.

It is the story of a love so intense, so our and blessed, that in the city of Chogoria where it took place, it is current news for any and all with a heart that feels.

Her name is Minne. A girl wellbroupt up but orphaned at fourteen. Both parents perishing in a fatal car crash that left Minne in a wheelchair for a solid year.  She recovered.  Using crutches at first but through sheer determination, she went on to walk and later to run.

It is her physiotherapist who owed gratitude for seeing her walk through encouragement long before the pain of the injuries had dulled.  She fell in love with the angel helper.

Five years later she wed him. Bliss. Heaven. Paradise.

Not nine months later when baby Roy was born.

The seemingly healthy child had jelly bones and could not support his head even at six months.  His droopy eyes said more to the father with the medical background than the young mother in love with her cherubic angel.

By eight months, even the mother sensed paradise was losing something.  Roy could not sit unsupported. He drooled nonstop.

The doctor’s report was devastating. However, it was not as devastating as the suggestion by the father that they give the boy up for adoption.

“What!”  The shocked mother howled at the husband’s suggestion.

“Baby,” he called cooly as many a doctor would react even in the face of bad news to a patient.  “We cannot afford to keep him. You aren’t even work. How do you expect we shall take care of an autistic child.?”

Minne’s heart shattered into a thousand shards.

She looked Roy senior in the eye and didn’t recognize him.

She looked him further and saw a stranger.

She wept. O how she wept, as she hugged her sweet innocent cild who for no fault of his own would have to depend on parents longer than other children.

That was not the worst.  A week to the day, Roy senior did not come home from work. Neither the following day nor the one after.

Minnie called him. She called the police. She called his only sibling, a sister. None had an answer for her.

At the end of the month she received a letter.  She was to vacate the doctors’ quarters since her husband had deserted his duties at the hospital. Shock and disbelief and finally belief as she moved out of the house a fortnight later.

To where? To whom? With what means?

She wept silently at first and then she wailed.  When Roy junior joined her in this unfamiliar who, she had to gather strength and calm for his sake.

She sold cheaply what she could, gathered what she could carry and went back to the old deserted home where she was born.There she sang sad lullabies to her son. She great chickens and tomatoes in the yard.

Roy walked at four years of age. Roy went to school at seven. At thirteen he could ride a bike. At seventeen he could read and write. At twenty-on he fell in love for the first time and did a painting of his girl. He was a great artist.

At twenty-four he married Wendy in the local church.

Roy missed all this. He missed the twin boys born of this beautiful couple.

Love conquers all.

Originally published in Autism: An Advocate Initiative

© 2019, Nancy Ndeke

NANCY NDEKE is the Associate Editor of Liberated Voices,  a Poet of international acclaim, and a reputable literary arts consultant. Her writings and her poetry are featured in several collections, anthologies and publications around the globe including the American magazine Wild Fire, Save Africa Anthology. World Federation of Poets in Mexico. Ndeke is a Resident Contributor of the Brave Voices Poetry Journal since mid-2018. African Contributor to the DIFFERENT TRUTHS, a publication that sensitizes the world on the plight of Autism edited by Aridham Roy. SAVE AFRCA ANTHOLOGY, edited by Prof. Dave Gretch of Canada and reviewed by Joseph Spence Jr., has featured her poetry and a paper on issues afflicting Africa and Africans.