Towards the end of March 2003, I found myself stuck to my bed due to a serious illness, forcing me to take a three-day break from work. The manager of my workplace almost cancelled my request when I tendered it, but my recent dull moments in the office were all the evidence I needed.
My loving wife, Amara, stepped up to the plate, playing the role of a devoted housewife. She even adjusted her work schedule, leaving for the office around 10:00 a.m. after meticulously preparing my morning coffee and making sure I had it and the medications in her presence before she left for work.
One memorable morning, I saw Amara get up from bed at the crack of dawn, as early as 5:00 a.m., which was unusual. I thought she was just going to release her early morning pee, but no, she came out of the bathroom and left me in the room alone. I bothered a little, and I couldn't help my curious life, so I struggled to get up, and I staggered to the kitchen, where I met her moving here and there with a knife and plates on her hands.
"Honey, what's happening? Where are you rushing to?" I said this after clearing my throat.
""Ohhh! Please go back to bed." I could feel how disappointed she was to see me standing on the door. She walked up to me, removed my hand resting on the wall, and walked me away to the room as she gave me her reasons in a very calm voice,
"Today is the first of April, and I have some records to clear before 8:00 a.m. before my sector submits records to the management for approval of budgets". We got the room, she sat me down on the bed, "please stay and relax on the bed; don't get the sickness woken up by your weariness". She rushed off to the kitchen to continue her usual routine, ensuring that my coffee was brewed to perfection and my medications were neatly lined up.
At exactly 7:00am, she appeared, all well dressed up and with a sweet smile she informed me, "Honey, I'm set to go. Please make sure you enjoy your coffee, I brewed it into a flask, take your medicine, and there's some rice in the kitchen for you." After planting a gentle peck on my forehead, she hurried off to her workplace.
Around 10:00 am, I finally mustered the strength to rise from bed and walk to the dining room, craving the comforting warmth of the coffee. I eagerly took a sip, only to be met with a shockingly unusual flavour鈥攊t tasted more like steamed meat!
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"What's this taste?" I mustered as I kept stirring the liquid inside the cup with my spoon while I looked at it with my head adopting many angles as if I were performing a prism test in physics.
"Did she drop any of these tablets inside this coffee?" My initial reaction was pure frustration, believing that Amara had played a dangerous prank by sneaking capsules of my medication into my coffee. Angrily, I dialled her number, my voice laced with irritation.
"Hello!"
"Hahahahahaha!" Amara answered with infectious laughter that echoed through the phone.
Gasping for breath, she managed to say, "It's April Fool's, my dear!"
"April fool for what? Did you poison my coffee?" I got flared up and still can't imagine what she added to the coffee.
"My sick baby, calm down. You'll get your sickness intensed with your vibration, hahahaha!" She continued her laughter.
"Will you tell me what...!" The manner at which I voiced out got a vein in my head to strain me, I placed my hand on my forehead to relieve the pain.
"Okay, it's not serious, but you're not going to like it either. I used hotdog water to brew the coffee. That isn't poison, you know, or don't you like hotdogs anymore?" She laughed again, and she continued, "Please have your hotdog coffee in peace, and make sure you get ready like a dog before I come back because the bed is going to cry tonight. I love you, babe," She ended the call with a very romantic tone, exactly the voice we refer to as 'bedroom voice'
In that moment, my anger dissolved into laughter as I realised the elaborate extent to which she had gone to bring humour into my life. It was a touching reminder of her love and willingness to go the extra mile, even when I least expected it. This April Fool's prank, while momentarily infuriating, ultimately left us both in fits of laughter and strengthened the bond we shared.
Did I take the coffee afterwards? No, the taste was weird.
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to #spillthebeans prompt
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