CHAPTER 23
SWB: Akinsehinwa Oluwaseun
I was on the ground weeping vigorously.
He was going farther and farther.
He didn’t bother to look back.
“If You have mercy on me, I will not disappoint You this time, I promise You that I will not waste this last chance”
He still did not look back.
“Tell me what You want me to do and I’ll do it, pleaseee.
Is there anything Your mercy can not change in heaven and on earth?” I was becoming weaker, I couldn’t follow Him again.
This time He turned back, He didn’t move from where He was standing but I could feel His presence overshadowing me. His breath into my nostrils and I was given a new strength. I suddenly felt joy overflowing my heart. The experience was awesome.
“I have decided to have mercy on you and just like your name Oluwanifemi, I have decided to show you the immeasureable strong love I have for you, but remember no unclean thing can enter into the Kingdom of God.
A father’s holiness will not take a son to heaven neither will a mother’s holiness, her daughter.
Their portion of grace can only rub on you here on earth.
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
My life I have given you, do not disappoint me this time Oluwanifemi, go and sin no more”
He suddenly disappeared and I jumped up for joy, within seconds I felt a powerful force pulling me back into the hospital, then into the theatre. I saw that body that looked exactly like me, I saw how distressed the doctors and nurses were.
Suddenly I felt that supernatural force connecting me back into that fellow that looked exactly like me.
Everything went blank again.
“Nifemi, Nifemi” I heard someone calling me, I wanted to open my eyes but they were too heavy for me.
“Madam don’t disturb her please, allow her to wake at her own convenience.
If you don’t let her rest, I’ll be forced to send you out” I guess that must be the voice of a nurse warning my Mom.
What’s going on? I kept wondering. I was trying to remember a lot of things but I couldn’t. How did I get here? What happened to me?
“I’m sorry Nurse , I’m just wondering why she hasn’t woken up since.
She’s been out of theatre since the day before yesterday, by now she ……”
“Madam you had better be grateful to God, it’s a miracle your daughter survived.
The God you are serving must really love you” the nurse told my Mom, I could hear their conversation but I was still very weak to open my eyes or talk.
“Nurse how soon will my wife be perfectly fine?” Oh! That’s my husband’s voice, Richard.
Just then the memory of what had happened came flashing to me.
Richard and I had an argument, I slapped him, he pushed me and I fell.
The blood! My goodness! I hope the worst has not happened? Did I lose this pregnancy?
“Soon sir but please help us tell Mummy not to force her to wake up, she’ll wake at her own convenience.
I need to attend to another patient, please call me if she wakes”
“Okay nurse, thank you so much” Richard said.
“Thank you my daughter, I will see you specially before we leave” my mummy said and the nurse thanked her before leaving.
“Mummy what do I get you now? You should be hungry by now”
“Uh, food? When my daughter has not opened her eyes, I dare not eat my son.
Her father has been calling since day before yesterday, you know he’s hypertensive, I just have to be keeping him calm”
“I’m so sorry ma. I shouldn’t have called you but I was really scared and confused. I didn’t know who else to call. I called my Pastor’s wife , she picked at a later hour. I also called my sister and she too took her time before picking”
“Ah! You should not have called me ke? If you had not called to inform me, it would have been worse. Because I call Nifemi everyday to hear her voice and if I’ve been calling her since day before yesterday and she isn’t picking, if I’m calling your number too and you refuse to pick, don’t you think my blood pressure will rise? I won’t even wait for another second before coming to your house, now imagine me getting to your house and not meeting both of you there. I will just faint” my Mom said.
“Mummy nothing will happen to you in Jesus name”
“Amen my son. But Richard you have not really told me what happened, did she fall or what?”
“Em..em, Mummy…….” Richard stuttered.
“I’m coming let me use the bathroom. I need to urinate. I’ll be right back” my Mom said bailing Richard out of his confusion.
“Okay ma” Richard answered heaving a sigh of relief. I was glad my husband has not told anyone about what really happened. I managed to open my eyes because I was really thirsty, I needed some water.
“Nifemi, whao! You are awake, are you alright? Do you feel pain anywhere? Let me get the nurse”
“Not yet Richard. I need some water”
“Water? Let me get you warm water Love” he stood up and poured some water from the flask, he helped me up as I took a little from the water.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am now. I was really scared Baby”
“I’m sorry for putting you through much stress” I managed to say.
“No darling, it’s all my fault and I’m really sorry. We can’t discuss much here, I don’t want you to get stressed out at all. We’ll talk better when we get home, there’s a lot to say”
I was surprised at Richard’s reaction. What changed his mind? I guess the incident humbled him. He must have been really scared. Well thank God his heart is turning towards me again. Will Richard give me another chance in his life? Will he cancel everything about the divorce?
“Richard”
“Yes Love”
“Did I lose the……” I wanted to ask if I lost the pregnancy but I wasn’t sure if it will go down well on him so I stopped abruptly. I don’t want him thinking I still have hidden feelings for Jude.
“I’m sorry Babe,you lost it” he said , he already knew what I was about to ask. I didn’t know what I felt but I knew I was not really happy to hear that news. Though I had once contemplated on abortion, I still wish my baby will live.
“Let me go get the doctor” Richard said before leaving.
I was discharged some days later. Mummy and Dolly came to our house to stay with us for some days. They were really helpful around. Apart from the household chores they did, they tried to make the healing process faster with their jokes and gists. I must confess I really enjoyed their stay that I didn’t want them to leave again.
Richard had moved to our matrimonial bedroom. He was really caring, buying me several things and not allowing me to do anything at all.
I have not seen Jude since I lost the pregnancy. He hasn’t even called and I wonder what happened to him. Not that I want him to come or call but I was wondering what could have happened to him.
Richard has not brought up the pending issues, he has not even talked about the divorce. We have not sat down as husband and wife to talk about the pending issues affecting us. He has been acting like nothing happened and I too didn’t ask him. Maybe not now, probably when our guests leave.
Eventually Mummy and Dolly left. I waited for my husband to say something, when it was taking forever I decided to take the lead. We had just eaten dinner, he insisted on clearing the dinning table. I followed him to the kitchen and stayed with him as he washed the plates. He gave me some gists about his work place and also cracked some jokes which I laughed at.
“Do you need anything ?” He asked me
“No Love”
“Okay, let me listen to the news at seven, I’ll join you in bed soon”
“Babe can we talk once you are through?” I asked.
“Yes we can even talk now”
” Nope it can wait, listen to the news, I’ll wait for you”
“Let’s talk now, news doesn’t end” he said and I smiled. We walked hand in hand to the bedroom. I was thinking of a lot of things, most especially about how to start the discussion. Where do I start from?
It is true that Richard has been friendly and nicer with me but he hasn’t been relating with me deeply as before. He doesn’t kiss me, he doesn’t hug me. He’s not even telling me anything about his recovery process, I don’t know if he is getting better. I don’t even know how soon his johnson will start to function. I don’t know what’s in his mind, is he still planning on working on the divorce?
Maybe we need to see a marriage counselor or man of God. About two days after I was discharged I remembered the encounter I had while the doctors were carrying out a surgery on me. I remembered how the Lord gave me a second chance and warned me strictly not to mess it up.
I want to make things right again but I don’t know what Richard’s plan is. I just hope he’s not waiting for me to recuperate fully before he commences the divorce proceedings again. I hope Richard will consider giving us another chance. We both need spiritual and emotional healing. I also hope Jude will stay far away now that there’s no baby anywhere again.
We got to the bedroom and sat close to each other on our matrimonial bed.
“Nifemi what is it you wanted us to discuss?” He asked.