In the first part of this true life story, Desmond, a dashing young man
meets Mercy, an innocent young girl, they started dating and ....
He was so committed to her that he stopped seeing all
the girls that used to hang around him.
She started dreaming of going down the aisle with him. She thought he
would propose and looked forward to that day.
But there was a break in contact when he had to embark
on an emergency trip abroad. She had no idea he was travelling and felt the
initial pangs of hurt when she called his cell phone one morning and had to
leave a message on his voice mail.
She called his brother who informed her that he was
abroad for a routine medical check up. Routine medical check up? She did not understand. Desmond was healthy and did not look like
someone who needed medical attention.
She did not see him again until two months and then,
he seemed a bit distant. All the previous heat of passion had burnt out of his
eyes and she could see they appeared hollow and dispassionate.
She dismissed
any contrary thought, putting it down to his illness and trip.
He gave sketchy information about the medical
emergency that took him abroad. But then, Mercy suddenly came down with high
fever followed by a bad cough. As soon as she got to the teaching hospital, she
was requested to run a blood sample test.
The test results came out three days later and she
tested positive to HIV. It was the last result she expected to receive. HIV?Where did she contract it from knowing Desmond was the
first and only lover she had? Immediately, she put a call through to him and
informed him.
She suggested he should run a test too. He did and
tested positive! Then, he confessed to her that he knew his HIV status before
travelling abroad. However, the doctor explained that the virus had receded in
Desmond’s system.
Mercy felt a flood of several emotions rushing at her.
She felt betrayed, lost and most of all, insignificant. “Why didn’t you did
tell me you were HIV positive Desmond?”
“I am sorry
but I did not know how to tell you. My parents insisted that I went for more
tests abroad. My dad’s doctor administered series of injections and treatments
on me,” he replied.
“So, what is going to happen to me? My parents cannot
afford an overseas treatment like yours,” she lamented.
“I know. I have
told my dad but he said the treatment was very expensive overseas. His doctors
advised that you start taking antiretroviral drugs immediately. Here is a
cheque for N300, 000. It’s for the treatment,” Desmond said.
Mercy collected
the cheque.
“I am sorry, Mercy,” Desmond
said and walked away.
Concluded.
Photo credit:
Google All names are fictitious
No comments:
Post a Comment