Nadine, Chapter three

The European mid wife said, “Congratulations! You have a beautiful baby girl.”

“No! Not a girl!” Chandra shrieked.

Chandra cried, she did not want to have anything to do with the baby. She did not want to look at the baby. The midwife told Patel to come into the theatre to hold the baby and reassure Chandra that she had given birth to the most beautiful baby in the world. But Chandra could not and would not be consoled.

Chandra was discharged after three days, she went straight to bed. Poor Patel, he had to tend to the garden as well as the baby. He asked his two neighbors Manchala and Kim Lawgun to keep an eye on the baby and the mother whenever they could.

Manchala was a stay home mum with her three little children. Kim had a small fruit and vegetable store where people could park their cars and buy her fresh produce. She lived at the back and she assured Patel that Nadine was no trouble to her.

These two ladies were the best thing for the mother and child since sliced bread. They came and bathed Nadine, fed her and even took her home to give Chandra a chance to rest.

Chandra refused to eat, she refused to go out, she forgot to feed the baby or change her nappies until the filth stuck to her Nadine’s bottom and she got such a terrible nappy rash. Chandra deteriorated and had post natal depression. Only people at that time did not recognize there was such a problem.

She kept saying and weeping, “My son Kamlesh, my son Kamlesh.”

It was as if she had a son Kamlesh who had died at birth and she was grieving for him.