Kameela

Chapter 26 - Annex

Kameela had been helping her mother out in her store for the past few weeks she'd been at home. But her mother always ended up sending her back home because Kameela always complained of either headaches or fatigue. Hajiya Fatima believed it was because her husband had spoilt her to the point that moving clothes from one rack to another deemed like a tedious task to her.

On a sunny Friday, after Garba had dropped her at home at the request of Hajiya Fatima of course, Kameela rushed to the kitchen to see what lunch was. To her pleasant surprise, she saw tuwo. She rushed upstairs despite the slight ache in her back due to sleeping in the wrong position the previous night.

She changed out of her sweaty clothes and took a cold shower. She wore sweats and a t-shirt and ran downstairs while wrapping a pashmina around her head. She entered the kitchen and got a bowl from the drying rack. She sat on the island and pulled the flaskets close to her. She served herself a large spoon serving of the tuwo before moving onto the flasket of the soup. She opened it and smiled at the miyan kuka looking at her but the smell of the soup rose up to her nose and a sickening feeling came up from the pit of her stomach. Rising up fast and before she got to the sink, all her guts spewed out. The breakfast and snacks she had that day was all over the floor and under sink cupboard. Kameela was surprised, she'd never vomited on a random day unless she was really sick. She assumed it was the kuka that had a funny smell that caused it and went on with cleaning up the mess.

By the time she was done, the food no longer appeased her so she covered her bowl with a plate and made some cereal for herself. Later in the evening, after several episodes of Veep, she came back to the kitchen to try eating lunch again. Entering the kitchen, the scent of kuka had filled the air making Kameela swallow back down the bile rising up. She met her mother in the kitchen too, eating her own late lunch. Kameela served herself again and sat opposite her mum.

"I know this is your second bowl of tuwo." Kameela just smiled. She didn't want to tell her mother about what had happened earlier. She pulled the flasket of soup to her fore front, contemplating whether she should open it or not. Hajiya Fatima looked up at her.

"Is there something wrong?" Kameela shook her head.

"No. I thought I forgot something." She held her breath as she lifted the lid. She served herself and closed it back quickly. She shoved a big serving of the tuwo into her mouth and forcefully swallowed it. All in the while, her mother had her eyes on her. It seemed to Kameela the moment the food touched the bottom of her stomach, it sky rocketed back up and she rushed to the sink, this time making it before emptying the content of her stomach. Hajiya Fatima rushed to her side and held back the loose pashmina on her head while making soothing circles on her back.

"Are you okay? Did you eat something bad? Is this the first time you're throwing up?" Hajiya Fatima filled her up with questions while she rinsed her mouth.

"I'm fine Mama."

"What do you mean you're fine? You just threw up!" Kameela kept mute as she washed the sink while her mother watched her. She couldn't say anything because she felt like the moment she opens her mouth, the rest of the cereal and biscuits she had earlier will find its way up and out.

"Why are you quiet? Can't you talk?"

"Mama I said I..." Kameela swallowed again before she rushed out of the kitchen. Hajiya Fatima followed her earnestly till they got to the main living room.

"Wai what's wrong with you?" She put her hands at akimbo.

"Mama it's that smell." She said as she placed a curled index finger over her nostrils.