Chapter 14: The Roots That Bleed.
Ezinne sat quietly, the sound of her breath filling the room as the darkness of the evening pressed in on her. It had been weeks since the letter from Chinedu. Weeks since she had made the decision to take control of her own life, to let go of the fear that had haunted her for so long. She had come a long way since that moment at the church, where the woman in white had whispered the words that had sparked a fire inside her. And yet, despite everything, there was still one thing that haunted her—her past, her family, and the damage they had done to her. The phone rang, pulling her from her thoughts. She hesitated, unsure of whether she should even answer. The number was unfamiliar, but there was a strange, nagging feeling in her chest that made her reach for the phone anyway. "Hello?" Ezinne's voice was wary, guarded. "Ezinne…" The voice on the other end was trembling. Ezinne's heart skipped a beat. It was her mother. Her mind raced. After all these years, after the pain, the silence, the abandonment—why now? What had changed? "I… I need to talk to you," her mother said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I know I don't deserve to ask this, but I need to tell you something." Ezinne stood frozen, a lump forming in her throat. Her hands shook slightly as she held the phone, unsure if she was ready to hear what was coming next. Her mind flashed back to the countless memories of her childhood—of a mother who couldn't see past her own grief, of a woman who had scorned her, who had chosen to drown in sorrow instead of embracing her daughter. But this time, her mother wasn't speaking like that. There was a sense of desperation, of regret in her voice that Ezinne hadn't heard before. "I'm… I'm dying, Ezinne." The words hit Ezinne like a physical blow. Her breath caught in her throat. Dying? The woman who had abandoned her for so long, who had never once tried to reach out, was now telling her she was on the brink of death? "I've been diagnosed with cancer," her mother continued, her voice growing weaker with each word. "I didn't want to tell you like this, but I'm running out of time. I know I've hurt you. I know I've failed you as a mother, and I can never undo the damage I've caused. But please… Please, I need to see you. I need to make amends before it's too late." Ezinne felt a rush of emotions she couldn't control. Anger, confusion, pain all swirling inside her. Her mother had chosen this moment, this time, to finally confront the past. But why? Why hadn't she done this years ago, when Ezinne had needed her the most? "I know you have every right to be angry with me," her mother said, her voice cracking. "But I want you to know that I've lived with this regret every single day. I've failed you, Ezinne. I've failed all of you. And now.… I don't know how much time I have left to make it right. Please, come see me." The words hung in the air like a heavy weight. Ezinne's hands tightened around the phone as her heart thundered in her chest. Her mother was dying. The woman who had hurt her, who had scorned her, was now begging for forgiveness. Was this real? Was this the moment she had always wanted, or was this just another cruel twist of fate? "I'll come," Ezinne finally whispered, the words slipping out before she could stop them. "But I need to know this isn't just about you." Her mother's silence on the other end of the line stretched for a long moment before she spoke again, her voice soft but clear. "It's about you, Ezinne. It always has been. I was so lost in my own grief, I couldn't see what I was doing to you. But I see it now. I see you now. And I want to make it right." Ezinne closed her eyes, letting the tears fall freely now. This was more than she had ever expected. More than she had ever wanted. But she had no choice but to confront the past now, to face the woman who had given her life but never given her love. The doorbell rang, and Ezinne's heart leapt in her chest. She wasn't sure if she was ready for this. She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready. But there was no turning back now. When she opened the door, her mother was standing there, frail and fragile, her eyes filled with the kind of pain that only comes from years of regret. She was a different woman now, but the woman who had destroyed Ezinne's childhood still lingered in her gaze. Ezinne stood there, unsure of what to say. The silence stretched between them, heavy and uncomfortable. And then her mother spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry, Ezinne. I'm so sorry for everything." Ezinne's heart broke in that moment. The woman who had abandoned her, the woman who had been so cold and distant, was now asking for forgiveness. And part of her wanted to scream, to lash out in anger and demand all the years she had lost. But another part of her, a deeper part, knew that this was the beginning of something new. A chance to heal. A chance to let go of the past. "I know," Ezinne whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "But I've lived without you for so long….. I don't know how to let you back in." Her mother reached out, her hands trembling, and Ezinne stepped forward, meeting her in the middle. And for the first time in years, the two women stood together, the weight of their history between them, but with the possibility of forgiveness, of healing, finally within their reach.