Chapter Seven - The First Visit
by @khalie436
A month had passed since Tiara arrived in Ikeja.
She had learned that settling into a new place was not the same as feeling at home.
Some days were easy.
Others were not.
She had learned which hanger Mama Bose wanted the dresses placed on and which one she complained about every single time.
She knew where the extra shopping bags were kept, which customers liked to bargain until Mama Bose’s patience disappeared, and which ones only came to look around before leaving with nothing.
She had also learned that Mama Bose was not as patient as she had first appeared.
And Mama Bose had learned that Tiara could be stubborn.
Very stubborn.
There had been arguments.
Small ones.
Sometimes over money.
Sometimes over the way Tiara arranged the clothes.
Once, Mama Bose had spent almost ten minutes looking for a dress before discovering that Tiara had moved it to the back because she thought it looked better there.
“You’re not the owner of this shop,” Mama Bose had said.
“I know.”
“Then why are you rearranging everything?”
“I was helping.”
“Help me by leaving things where I put them.”
Tiara had muttered something under her breath.
Mama Bose had heard it.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
“Good.”
They had both gone back to work.
Neither had apologized.
By the next morning, they were talking normally again.
That was how most of their disagreements ended.
Not with dramatic apologies.
Just another day.
Tiara was learning too.
She was no longer afraid to approach customers. She had become better at bargaining and had even started recognizing some of the regulars before they entered the shop.
Her temper, however, had not disappeared.
When a customer once accused her of trying to cheat her over the price of a dress, Tiara had nearly snapped.
Mama Bose had stepped in before she could.
“Go and sit down.”
“But she—”
“I said sit down.”
Tiara had glared at the woman, then walked away before she said something she will regret.
She had complained about it for the rest of the afternoon.
Mama Bose had ignored her.
Somehow, they were finding their own strange rhythm.
It wasn’t perfect.
But it worked.
That morning, Tiara was folding a pile of clothes when she suddenly paused.
She placed one hand against her stomach.
Mama Bose noticed.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You stopped.”
Tiara continued folding.
“It’s just a small pain.”
Mama Bose put down the dress in her hand.
“Since when?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“It comes sometimes.”
Mama Bose looked at her for a moment.
“Have you started antenatal?”
Tiara became quiet.
“No.”
Mama Bose stared at her.
“You’ve been here for one month.”
“I know.”
“And you’re four months pregnant.”
“I know that too.”
“Then what exactly are you waiting for?”
Tiara shrugged.
“I was going to go.”
“When?”
“I don’t know.”
Mama Bose sighed.
“You don’t know anything.”
Tiara looked up.
“I know some things.”
“Like?”
Tiara opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Mama Bose shook her head.
“Get your things.”
Tiara frowned.
“Why?”
“We’re going to the hospital.”
“Now?”
“Yes, now.”
Tiara glanced around the shop.
“What about here?”
“I’ll find someone to watch it.”
Mama Bose picked up her handbag.
“Come.”
Tiara hesitated before following her.
The hospital was already busy when they arrived.
People filled the corridor, some sitting quietly while others spoke in low voices. A child cried somewhere behind one of the doors.
Nurses moved from room to room with files tucked against their sides, while footsteps echoed across the tiled floor.
Tiara slowed down as they entered.
Mama Bose noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re doing that thing again.”
“What thing?”
“Looking like you want to turn around.”
Tiara glanced at her.
“I don’t.”
“Good.”
They walked toward the reception desk.
“Good morning,” Mama Bose greeted.
“Good morning.”
“I brought her for antenatal registration.”
The receptionist looked at Tiara.
“First time here?”
“Yes.”
She handed Tiara a form.
“Fill this.”
Tiara took it and stepped aside.
She stared at the paper for a moment before beginning.
Name.
Age.
Address.
Her pen paused when she reached her age.
She wrote it down.
The receptionist glanced at the form.
Then at Tiara.
“You’re quite young.”
Tiara’s fingers tightened around the pen.
“Yes, ma.”
The receptionist looked as though she wanted to say something else, but a nurse nearby spoke first.
“Let her come with me.”
Tiara followed her.
The nurse led her to a quieter part of the ward and pulled out a chair.
“Sit down.”
Tiara sat.
The nurse placed the form on the table.
“I’m Nurse Amaka.”
“Okay, ma.”
“Is this your first antenatal visit?”
“Yes.”
“Have you registered anywhere before?”
“No.”
Nurse Amaka nodded and began going through the form.
“How far along are you?”
“Four months.”
“Any complaints?”
Tiara hesitated.
“Sometimes I feel weak.”
Nurse Amaka looked up.
“Anything else?”
“Sometimes I feel pain around my stomach.”
“What kind of pain?”
Tiara explained.
Nurse Amaka listened carefully.
“Some discomfort can happen during pregnancy, but don’t ignore anything that is severe, persistent, unusual for you, or suddenly gets worse.” Nurse Amaka explained calmly.
She looked at Tiara, who nodded in understanding then she continued.
“If you have heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, fainting, difficulty breathing, or a severe headache with vision problems, seek medical attention.”
Tiara understood perfectly but looks like she needed more clarification.
“So I shouldn’t just wait for it to stop?”
“Exactly.”
“What about the weakness?”
“We’ll check you properly. That’s part of why you’re here.”
Tiara looked at the form.
“So what exactly happens during antenatal?”
Nurse Amaka smiled.
“Ah. You have questions.”
“I want to know.”
“And you should.”
She explained what the visits were for and how they would monitor Tiara’s health and the pregnancy.
She also reminded her to follow the instructions given to her and to report anything unusual instead of simply hoping it would disappear.
Tiara listened carefully.
“What if I don’t understand something?”
“Ask.”
“Anything?”
Nurse Amaka raised an eyebrow.
“Within reason.”
Tiara smiled.
“So there are questions you won’t answer?”
Nurse Amaka laughed.
“There are questions you may have to ask somebody else.”
Tiara laughed too.
The nervousness she had carried into the hospital slowly loosened.
She asked another question.
Then another.
At one point, Nurse Amaka looked at her.
“You’ve been storing these questions somewhere.”
Tiara smiled.
“I’ve never done this before.”
“And that’s why you’re allowed to ask.”
The examination and registration continued.
By the time they were done, Tiara no longer felt like she was simply sitting there waiting for someone to tell her what was wrong with her.
For the first time, she felt like she was being taught how to understand what was happening to her body.
Nurse Amaka handed her the antenatal card.
“Keep this safe.”
Tiara collected it carefully.
“When should I come back?”
Nurse Amaka gave her the date.
Tiara repeated it under her breath.
“Okay.”
“And Tiara?”
“Yes, ma?”
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you come back.”
Tiara nodded.
“I won’t.”
She stood and walked outside.
Mama Bose was waiting on a bench.
She looked at the card in Tiara’s hand.
“How was it?”
Tiara sat beside her.
“Fine.”
Mama Bose looked at her.
“Just fine?”
Tiara thought about it.
“The nurse was nice.”
Mama Bose nodded.
“Good.”
Tiara looked down at the card.
After a moment, she said quietly, “I should have gone earlier.”
Mama Bose glanced at her.
“Yes.”
Tiara looked at her.
“I expected you to say that.”
“Then you know me already.”
Tiara rolled her eyes.
Mama Bose smiled.
They sat there for another minute before standing.
As they walked toward the exit, Tiara looked at the card again.
It was just a small piece of paper.
But it carried a date.
A reminder.
A beginning.
And for someone whose life had recently become one long stretch of uncertainty, having something to look forward to—even something as ordinary as another hospital appointment—felt strangely reassuring.
She slipped the card carefully into her bag.
Then followed Mama Bose out.