"That just an act of God." Williams beamed looking all fresh and relaxed.
"God? How come I don't know this God?" Dr Krishna cocked an eyebrow.
"This God I'm talking about is the creator of the universe, He made man and gave us life, He alone can give life no other god can. He is Jehovah Rapha- God our healer,"
"Hmm, I'm not convinced." Dr Krishna shook his head. As far as he was concerned, life is as a result of evolution.
"You confirmed her dead isn't it? How comes she now lives if not for God? Have a deep rethink Doctor, I'd be so glad to lead you to the onlyTrue God." Willams rose to his feet, a genuine smile plastered on his face.
"I need to go see her, hope I'm allowed?"
"Yes...but just a minute...I need to show you something." Dr Krishna picked up a jar from his desk.
"We discovered, that a lump of clotted blood; half the size of a man's fist, was blocking her air passage-a little wonder she had difficulty breathing." he paused opening the jar.
"I told you she threw up this morning after she was fed milk right? We found this in her vomit" he pointed at a rusted nail,
"it's rusting caused severe injuries on her stomach walls, leading to a secretion which almost damaged her Kidney." he concluded observing Williams face.
"So you mean all this came out of my daughter."
The doctor simply nodded.
"You can go see her now...just that she won't talk to you yet, even her vision would be distorted-her hearing ability too...you know, her brain needs some recollection to do." He loosened his tie taking a deep breathe- it wasn't easy using plain words to describe Medical terminologies.
"Thank you." williams was already at the door, the joy of seeing his child alive was enough to make him jump 10000 ft into the sky.
::::::::::::::
Sasha opened her eyes lazily when she felt something squeeze her fingers, she prayed it wasn't those aliens coming to force something down her throat. She stared intently at the distorted figure standing by her side, another monster? When would she start start seeing human beings? All she keep seeing was aliens with large ears- this particular one was having large ears and a mouth the size of a sauce pan, with some bluish body.
Where on earth was she? Where is her family?
Slowly she shut her eyes as it was beginning to get strained.
She soon heard a female voice, -that whitish alien that always came to rub some cold substance on her body- she groaned inwardly.
"For how long is she going to be like this?" a familiar baritone voice boomed.
"from the report we took yesterday, she should be able to speak and recognise things in the next 18hrs" the whitish alien replied.
"Mr Williams she's as good as fine"
Mr Williams?- Sasha opened her eyes almost immediately. So Mr Williams was the bluish alien? What happened to everybody? She pursed her lips- she couldn't move her tongue to speak, each time she tried she ended making a bubbling sound or a baaa sound.
"Its like she's trying to recognise me, she's been staring." Williams noted.
"Yea she does that." the nurse replied.
Sasha rolled her eyes, what were those aliens taking her for? A slowpoke or what? Simply cos she felt weak all over her body or couldn't voice out her mind?
She wished her tongue would move so she would tell them how their ears looked like window panes, their eyes like plastic dishes , their nose like baggy jeans and their mouths like canoes.
The corner of her lips curved into a smile as she continued to stare intently at them, those cartoons characters or aliens looked funny.
"Look, nurse she's smiling?" Williams said excited.
"she does that almost everytime, it make me wonder what she's thinking or seeing." the nurse replied.
Sasha rolled her eyes again, her eyebrows knitted into a frown, can't she smile again? What kind of planet was she?
"Mr Williams, if you would excuse us, I need to clean her up." the nurse said politely.
"Okay...love you sweetheart" Williams kissed Sasha's forehead before heading out of the room.
What was that bluish alien thinking? Loving her? No! She aint an alien, he should go love his fellow aliens- Sasha tried to voice it out, instead of words a bubbling sound escaped her throat.
"that bubbling sound again?" the nurse smiled.
"Come over pretty girl, you need to wash up" The nurse reached for her.
Sasha's frown deepened, that whitish alien should leave her alone.
"that frown isn't for me? Is it?"
the nurse giggled softly squeezing water from a towel.
Sasha shut her eyes as she felt something wet rub her body.
*************
Kemi hissed angrily as she watched her husband pack some clothes into his travelling bag, he paused to look at her briefly before resuming his packing- a gesture which hyped her anger.
"I said you aint going nowhere, you heard me right?"
He sighed heavily shaking his head, another night of trouble awaits him.
"You better postpone this journey till I put to bed o" She warned again.
"Baby...c'mon, I thought we've talked this over. I'm not going on a fancy trip; its an order from the top, we've got a new branch in India and I'm going there for some business purposes." Tunji explained crediting himself for the truthful lies.
"Maybe you should change another lie." Kemi eyed him.
"You don't believe me? " Tunji asked looking offended.
"Tunji, I can't forget you work in a bank, well banks sends their staffs on trips accepted. The bank you work in is owned by a Nigerian, how comes he opened a branch in India?" Kemi interrogated.
"C'mon we live a world full of business, India's economy is booming at its peak" Tunji tried again, praying she won't ask more question cos he might end up telling her he was going to see her sick sister- an action the Williams family won't forgive him for.
"So when did bankers start putting on native attires?" she asked pointing at the clothes he was packing.
"babes you forget I'm a Nigerian, I have to represent my country. Those coming from scotland would put on kilts." he managed another lie.
"Hmm, Maybe you should pack all your agbada and caps with an ox-tail to match." Kemi suggested, Tunji frowned trying his best to laugh.
"Whats that look for?" Kemi quizzed
"I never knew we had trust issues." Tunji stated with all seriousness.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning you don't trust me! All these questions just cos I'm about to embark on a journey? What are you even insinuating?" he looked highly offended
"Honey...its not like that..."
"What not like that? The other day you were going through my phone and now this?" Tunji continued
"Oh Tunji stop it! I never questioned your fidelity, its just that..." Kemi rose to meet him.
"Just that you don't trust me." Tunji backed her, it was his turn to be pampered.
"Please Oko mi...don't take it that far, I'm sorry " Kemi pleaded burying her face in his back.
Tunji turned to face her, his face lit with smile as he hugged her. Nothing is so easy to manipulate a the heart of a woman.
"Forgiven?" Kemi searched his eyes.
"Uhm.." he kissed her.
He just wished his journey won't be in vain, Sasha must live.
************
Micheal continued to press the the bell, even after he heard shuffling feets.
"Stop nah! You want to kill their battery?" his mother chided.
"Who's that?" Joyce asked turning the keys.
"Yes?" she asked irritated. The thought of Williams not calling her about the baby was making her hate everybody around, imagine? She depends on Barbra for even food to eat. These two strangers standing before might end up tasting a piece of her anger.
"Please is Mrs Williams in?" Ugo asked, trying her best to sound polite.
"we'd like to see her."
"I'm Mrs Williams too, how may I help you?" Joyce asked.
Ugo exchanged glances with her son, were they in the right house? Micheal summed Joyce up in a look
"You must be Joyce." He noted, Sasha told him all about her.
"Please can we see the real Mrs Williams,not the Mistress."
Joyce was about to slam the door when she heard Barbra voice behind them.
"Joyce who are those?"
"Wow...we've got Royalty in the house today." Barbra beamed as she sighted Ugo.
"I've asking about you from this woman, and she've been talking nonsense, is she your househelp?" Ugo asked gesturing to Joyce was already heading to her room.
A shadow passed acros Babra's face,
"Please come in, this is your son?" she patted Micheal who murmured some greetings.
"My sister, I heard all that happened o, my husband just told me about your daughter yesterday" Ugo started immediately she sat down, she and Barbra had met countless time courtesy their their husbands, just that Barbra was keeping her distance, else they should be close friends.
"So how's she now, any news?"
"we're still praying." Barbra replied quitely.
"We wish her quick recovery ma" Micheal spoke up.
"Amen, what do I offer you..."
"No, we're just fine." Ugo said quickly before adding
"that woman that just went in, is she the one that's pregnant for your husband?"
"How comes she's still here? You Yorubas are too soft, can't your children deal with her?" Ugo continued in hushed tones
"ah ahn! Mrs Amaechi, nawa for you o! Let me get you something to drink." Barbra laughed tactically changing the subject.
Barbra inserted both littles fingers into her ears to block the noise around her, she needed full concentration and a quite environment to study her Bible; but the loud roars of laughter emanating from God knows where won't let her- she've been repeating a single verse in five minutes. She glanced at the wall clock wearily, it was past five already,she had to break her fast by six.
Without much ado; she stamped out of the room in order to shut the mouth of whoever was laughing.
Barbra charged towards Joyce's room, who else would laugh in that house if not Joyce? She fumed.
Her hand froze on the door knob when she discovered the laughter was coming from the dining section. So Joyce had the guts to bring in guest and serve them food on 'her' own dining table? - she fumed. Her anger slowly faded when she saw the laughing guests. They weren't Joyce's guests but her own kids. Their face wore the excitement she hadn't seen for weeks, when last did her kids smile? That was before Sasha fell ill. They spoke to each other in hushed tones only to laugh when something sounded funny.
"Gross! You won't believe what I have on my list." Cassandra said recovering from her laughter, she held a notebook and a pen.
"we aint even done yet, we're definitely gonna suprise her" Kenny snapped his fingers.
"But we need money for all these." Kola noted going through the list.
"I have not less than twenty thousand naira." Kenny put up his hands.
"thirty thousand" Cassandra put her hands up.
"five thousand" Kola covered his face to the amusement of others.
"We need more money, but I have an idea" Cassandra noted
"Kenny beg your dad for some, I would take some from my daddy's study.."
"I'd explain things to him when he gets back" she quickly added when the rest gave her 'the look'.
"Now I know the thieves in this house." Barbra spoke up.
They turned to face her, startled.
"Pass that book on." Barbra ordered as Kenny tried to hide the notebook.
"we aint thieves o" Kenny said innocently giving her the book.
"Hmmn, so this why you won't let me pray in peace ehn? Aren't you supposed to be praying too?" Barbra scolded flipping the pages.
The children only exchanged looks.
"Bag of rice, a cow...a cake with eighteen steps...A green coloured customized Ipad...a gold plated customized..." Barbra read through the list.
"whats the meaning of this?" she asked looking visibly irritated.
"Cassie, you're the eldest, you should lead these kids in prayers, but no! Here you are listing unimaginable things. Cassie need I remind you that your sister is offshores battling for her life? "
"Mum we're sorry to disturb you..."
"for the last time, what's this rubbish list for?" Barbra snarled.
"Errm..." Cassnadra looked confused.
"we're actually making arrangements for her welcome party." Kenny helped her out.
"her? Who's this 'her' ?" Barbra asked
"Sasha... should incase she comes back alive." he replied making emphasis on 'alive'.
Barbra felt weak, without a word she turned to leave.
"Mum...the book." Kola whined
"You don't need it. Kenny where's your mother?"
"She went out with dad to get fresh bread."
"Good, Cassie take them inside and lead them in prayers." Barbra instructed before going back to her room taking their precious 'list' with her.
"It was your fault," Kenny pointed at Cassandra accusingly.
"Liar! Is it not Kola that was laughing so loud? Are you not the one that gave her the book?" Cassandra defended herself.
"like I have much of choice?" Kenny shot at her.
"oh shut up!" she shot back.
"You aint gonna fight me, you don't got the ability." Kenny warned.
"oh you forgot your other half is off shores, so lets see how you'll cope alone. " the words fell out to quickly. The look on Kenny's face made her regret every bit of it.
"I'm sorry." she whispered.
"I'm leaving." Kenny grabbed his wallet.
"But we're breaking the fast here, your parents..."
"I'm breaking my fast in my father's house." Kenny moved away from her grip.
"You wanna know why that girl is dying?" Kenny paused
"You-her family caused it! She was treated like an outcast, you called her an oddball, a demon...and eiissh. Thanks for using her present state to mock me, sister indeed!" He ran out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
Cassandra lighted the stairs, tears blurring her vision.
"Mummy" she banged the door.
She threw herself at her mother as soon as the door was opened, she wept sore hugging her mother convulsively.
Barbra tried not to stagger under her daughters weight, she led her into the room while listening to Kola who supplied the 'info'
TBC TOMORROW AT 11AM
