Wanjiku came to the City Council facility's ward twelve as she had done before, and for the same reason. Once again she filled out the paperwork with ease. This being her third time, she was used to it.



After being ushered into the interview room, she sat and waited, but instead of the usual gentleman she was used to seeing this time a lady came in. She was rather taken aback. She knew that whatever she was doing wasn't right, but the problem had to go away. Her husband too had said so, claiming that, at 25, he was still young to have babies.



'So, what is the problem?'� the doctor asked, after running her eyes over the medical record which she had in her arm.

There was a moment of silence through which shuffling of feet went on unceasingly on the busy maternity corridor at that hour when well wishers come to catch up with the fate of mothers and would be parents.



'Is it the baby?'� She enquired again.



No answer still, so the doctor grew impatient. 'Alright'� please do speak up so that we can get this over and done with. I have some other patients to attend to you know.'�

'I'� need'� to remove a problem from my stomach'�'� Wanjiku stuttered.



"Have you taken some time to really think about it?"



She glared at the doctor. "Look! My marriage isn't safe, alright? And I need my husband, so we better get done with it. After all, this wouldn't be the first time. It's bad enough as it is! Now'� can we get on with it?"



'Oh'� I see'� but you realise that your baby is in its final leg, and seems to be doing fine."



"So the nurses say'� but a problem is a problem'� no matter how big or small it is," she huffed.

'So I see'�" the doctor said, stunned at her attitude, then looked at the records."'�and has the father been consulted about this choice of yours?"

"I'm sure that the father isn't concerned. In fact he might be celebrating with his pals in the pub right now."

"And is there anyone else who'll help sort you out in case of any incidences?"

Wanjiku took a deep breath and turned her eyes in a way to suggest that the doctor did not understand a thing she was saying. 'Was anyone willing to have a family would I be here?'� she said, her voice terse, then turned to face the window.

The doctor checked off another block on the interview sheet, looked up. "Well, then I suppose we should get started. You know what comes next?"

She got up, tears welling her eyes. "Yeah, I know. I am supposed to go in there and pick up a gown from the dresser, undress, put it on, and get up on the bed. Then you are to come in, put on some rubber gloves and take out a tool with a metal rod with a handle on one end and a sharp loop on the other, have me sniff some gas, and I'll go to sleep, and wake up without this problem, simple as that. Should I go in now?"

The doctor opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it, and smiled. "Alright! So you know the drill," she affirmed. "Go ahead."



Five days later the door to ward twelve creaked slightly open and a short stout middle-aged man squeezed himself in, said, 'Habari yako?"hello, and then moved towards the front desk.

"In which room is my wife in?" he asked in a hesitant manner, his eyes either shifting this way and that, or looking down. "Her name is Wanjiku, Anita Wanjiku Kamande. She came in last week."

The lady at the front desk typed something on the computer screen then said. "Yes, Anita'� she was here." She looked up, a sad expression on her face. "But I'm afraid the boat capsized just as it was about to reach the shore."

"Boat!? What boat? She came here by a matatu, and not some boat. There's no lake around here'� is there?"

The lady came around the counter and showed the man to an empty seat and followed him then sat next to him.

"You don't seem to understand me,'� The nurse said. 'Though the boat capsized, you still have three oars. Meaning, your wife lost the battle but at least she left you with triplets, a boy and two girls. You can take her body from the morgue.'�

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