“A Mother’s Touch” (Part 8)

Lisa was 16 and she never experienced a mother’s touch. She could not remember if there was ever a moment of kindheartedness from her mother. Everything she did or say, a rebuff would follow. One day she was so upset by the slighting that she said, “For once in my life, I would love to hear you say, “Thanks Lisa. You did good.”

“What did you say?”

“You heard me.”

“Don’t you ever speak to me like that!” A slap followed that moment and as usual Lisa walked outside and sat under her tree.

Lisa avoided her mother as much as possible. One day she felt thirsty so she stood in the laundry room waiting until no one was in the kitchen. The moment it was empty she went in, took a glass and poured some juice in it. As she was about to drink the juice, her mother walked in the kitchen.

“Who did you ask for that juice?”

“Nobody. I was thirsty.”

“Next time drink water!”

“Okay.”

On those days when Lisa took water, her mother would sometimes look to make sure that she did not take juice. This has been happening for many years and she was tired of it. She decided to drink water at school and on Sundays when she was at church, but not at home.

Weeks went by and Lisa did not know that she was not taking in enough fluids. One day when she went to urinate, she felt a sharp pain in the abdomen. During the day she felt regular urges to urinate and the pain was ever present. She told her mother what was happening to her.

“Tell your father when he comes home from work,” Joanne said.

When Michael arrived home Lisa told him so he phoned her doctor. When the doctor heard the symptoms he asked the color of the urine and if she had sunken eyes. Michael told him the urine was the color of amber and her eyes were sunken. The doctor said that Lisa was dehydrated and she needs to drink 8 glasses of water daily. Give her a glass of water immediately... preferably, coconut water.

Michael went outside and picked three coconuts opened them and filled a jug with the water then handed Lisa a glass. He stayed home from work the next day to take care of Lisa…