Maliah groaned as she rolled over in bed. From deep within her sleeping, she became aware of the fact that her telephone was ringing. Who would be calling this late? And just who thought it was a good idea to wake her up…

She slammed her hand on her alarm clock, making it light up in the dark.

….4:35 am…... in the godforsaken morning. It wasn’t even a holy hour yet. The phone quit ringing to Maliah’s relief only to start up again. With a groan she snatched the phone from the cradle.

“Wha…?” she muttered groggily into the phone.

She nodded absently to the voice on the other end but suddenly sat straight up in her bed, eyes wide, “What do you mean mom’s in the hospital?!” she shrieked.

Her father’s normally strong and steady voice had a bit of a wobble in it, “Just what I mean. She had a headache earlier in the day. We didn’t think much of it but then she woke up, nauseous and needing the throw up. But then she complained that it was hurting her stomach. The last straw was when she needed to go to the bathroom and there was blood. So I put her in the car and drove her to the hospital.”

Maliah listened on speaker as she flew around her room, putting on her clothes, “What hospital?”

----

Maliah was a bundle of nerves as she drove to the hospital. She wasn’t even sure if she followed traffic laws or not but she arrived safely and ran through the parking lot into the hospital. All the while, she felt her heart in her throat, praying that it wasn’t anything serious.

She couldn’t begin to think about anything that was serious. But her imagination was working against her, creating all kinds of scenarios.

“How’s mom?” she asked skidding to a stop in front of her father who was slumped in a chair, who barely had time to register that his daughter had arrived.

He stood up and Maliah saw that her father’s hair was clumpy from sleep. He looked like he had pulled on the nearest shirt that he wore around the house, one that had a hole in the bottom of it. He had pulled on some pants and to Maliah’s concern his shoes weren’t even tied. He had stuck the laces into the shoes.

He shook his head, “I don’t know. They are running tests right now.”

Maliah wordlessly directed her father to sit back down before flagging down a doctor. They had admitted her mother but as her father said, they were still doing check ups and they wouldn’t have news right away.

Maliah almost rung her hands, “But she’s okay right?”

“I’m sorry, but we need to run more tests before we commit to anything”, the doctor replied.

Maliah nodded allowing the doctor to skitter around her, escaping her clutches. She stood checking out, as she looked at the floor unseeing. Her mother had to be okay. It was going to be okay. She would be fine. Her mother was healthy. They always ate well and exercised and everything. It would be fine. Her mind raced before she finally snapped too and walked back over to sit next to her father.

To any passerby, Father and daughter looked like two vacant statues.

Finally Maliah looked at her father, “Tell me again from the beginning. What happened?”

When her father said nothing, she poked him in the arm, “Pops!”

“Hm?” he hummed but didn’t move.

Maliah tried to keep her voice steady, “What happened?”

Her father’s voice was rough, “I don’t know. She woke up with a headache yesterday. We didn’t think anything of it. She took some tylenol. She was fine and we went to bed. Then she woke me up, saying she felt nauseous so I gave her some apple juice. But her stomach seemed to get worse and she said it felt crampy. She didn’t want to go to the hospital but then suddenly, she was throwing up and she said it was hurting her stomach. But when she went to the bathroom and there was blood in the stoil I threw her in the car and brought her here.”

“You didn’t call 911?” asked Maliah.

Maliah’s father looked up at her and comically blinked, “I forgot.”

If it wasn’t so serious, Maliah would have slammed her head into her hand but instead she just looked at the tile of the floor. Now wasn’t the time to cry. Her mother would be okay and then life would continue.

But still her imagination wasn’t doing her any favors.

What if it was serious?

What if it was very serious?

God couldn’t take away her mother, right now. She needed her mother. Maliah blinked rapidly a few times. She couldn’t not imagine life without her mother. Who would she talk to? She didn’t have a social life. She didn’t have any friends. She didn't have a boyfriend. All she had was the ability to talk to her mother.

Maliah’s leg began to bounce up and down without much thought. She tried to calm her thoughts but they spun like a fast ride at a fair. The kind that would make you nauseous but not in a good way.

----

Abioye raised an eyebrow at the hospital.

He was curious as to why she was in such a place. He growled when he heard her voice in his head again. It had quieted for a few moments before starting again. He walked through the door into the hospital. For the past several hours, he began to hear whispers in his head that were not his own.

At first he ignored them. It was odd that such a sensation was happening but it wasn’t enough for him to investigate. But like a gnat that kept picking, the whispers grew strong until they were audible.

Please let mom be okay.

Please don’t take my mother from me.

I need her to be okay.

Please don’t let it be serious.

It’s okay. It’s not serious. It will be okay.

Don’t overthink. Overthinking is a road you can’t do right now. Itt will be fine.

It will be fine, won’t it?

Gah, now I’m overthinking again.

Stop thinking about that, she will be okay.

She will.

It will be fine.

We are going to be fine.

Nothing to worry about.

What’s taking so long?

Why isn't there any news?

What if?

Stop, we overthinking again.

She will be okay.

Please let mommy be okay.

Please.

I’m not ready yet.

Let’s not think about that.

Let’s not think at all.

I should think about something else….

And then at some point, it was as if it was being shouted into Aboiye’s ear making him suddenly knock over the folders on the desk in frustration. He was dimly aware that the new soul in his office had jumped from fright. Honestly he hadn’t been paying much attention to the middle aged woman from Shanghai, China because of the distracting voice.

Maybe later he would be annoyed that he would have to figure out what papers went with what folder but right now that was the last thing on his mind. With a growl he marched out of his office, not sparing the soul glance. Who was making all that racket?

And more importantly, why was he hearing it?

It took him a while to realize that he recognized the voice as Maliah’s. Why was he suddenly hearing her? He followed her voice, leading him to the hospital. Walking down the halls quickly he turned the corner to an office with the door closed. Abioye walked up and leaned on the wall, hearing Maliah’s audible voice.

Maliah and her father had finally been called into a doctor's office to be given the news. Both were both staring wide-eyed and taunt at the doctor across the desk.

“We ran the tests and discovered it was salmonella poisoning.”

“Salmonella?” echoed Maliah, “ Is that the one in food?”

The doctor nodded, “It’s a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract through contaminated water or food. But Ms. Anderson will be fine in a couple of days. We will keep her on fluids and medication to relieve the cramping.”

Mr. Anderson couldn’t help but to reach over and pick up the doctor’s hand and kept giving it a firm shake. He kept repeating thank you, over and over and eventually, Maliah had to pry her father off the doctor.

Abioye frowned. Maliah’s mother got sick? At least it now explained the words that she was shouting in her head but it didn’t explain why he was able to hear it. Though now, blessedly, it was silent. Gone as if it was like a popped bubble.

“However, Mr. Anderson, can you ascertain where you might have contracted it from? It would be in the last couple of days.”

Mr. Anderson cocked his head and stroked his fading goatee, “I’m not sure. We tried a new restaurant the other day but we also brought groceries a few days prior. It wouldn’t be the groceries.”

Maliah’s eyes narrowed, “Why not? Do you know that?”

“Maliah, we’ve been buying those groceries for ages and never had a problem.”

“Doesn’t mean it wasn’t a bad batch, which reminds me….” She looked at the doctor, “Should he get tested or something?”

The doctor squintized and asked, “How do you feel, Mr. Anderson?”

Mr. Anderson looked down at him himself before looking up at the doctor with a shrug, “I’m fine.”

“No headaches, stomachaches, chills?” The doctor questioned all the while Mr. Andrson was shaking his head.

The doctor reached and got the thermometer, putting it in a new plastic before handing it to Mr. Anderson who put it in his mouth. Maliah watched. After a moment of silence, and a beep, the doctor gestured for the thermometer. He looked at the temperature as he absently threw away the plastic and put it up.

“98.8”. That is normal range. Alright, Mr. Anderson, it seems you may not be affected. Although if you feel bad or see anything like blood or anything else weird when you go to the bathroom, you need to come back and let us check you out.”

Mr. Andersoon bobbed his head.

“Hold on, you don’t have to test him or something?” asked Maliah.

The doctor shook his head, “Believe it or not, not everyone who gets salmonella poisoning even shows symptoms. Many don’t as their bodies take care of it on it’s own. If they both ate the same thing, it could very well be that your father isn’t affected.”

Maliah bobbed her head slowly, assimilating all the information.

The doctor looked between the two, “Are there any more questions?”

Both Father and daughter shook their heads.

The doctor gave a reassuring smile, “Alright, give us about half an hour and then you can see Mrs. Anderson. If there are any other questions, please let the desk know.”

Maliah and her father stood as they both thanked the doctor before walking to the door.

Maliah grumbled, “I’m still throwing out all those groceries.”

Mr. Anderson opened the door and let his daughter go first but cried, “What? You ain’t gonna waste all that good food!”

Maliah spun around to her father as the doctor exited behind them turning off the light and walking down the hallway.

“You don’t even know what caused it! Better to be safe than sorry. Besides, you don’t have to worry about the food. I’ll buy it.”

“You don’t have to do all that.”

Maliah pouted, “I’m doing it.”

“If you are going to be this onary about it, fine. Let me know the bill and I’ll pay you back.” Mr. Anderson said.

Maliah said nothing. She had no intentions of having her parents pay for this batch. This was the reason she needed her mother. Her mother would take her money even if her father did not. Mr. Anderson didn’t even need to know that Maliah paid for the money out of her pocket.