CHAPTER 24 –
© OPEYEMI OJERINDE AKINTUNDE
I prayed like I had never prayed In those three days
that followed Reuben’s accident. His mother would
not leave his side. For those days, she didn’t eat or
drink. She turned it into a fast, praying round the
clock. It was therefore a good influence on me… We
prayed together, or better put I followed her in
prayers because she didn’t acknowledge my presence
most of the time. “Je…ss…sus!” We heard the word faintly…
Reuben’s Mum and I looked at each other before
looking back at Reuben. “He is alive! Thank you, Jesus!” He flickered his eyes and gradually opened it. I fell to
the ground worshiping God. I was happy he didn’t die
on my account.
“Mum,” he said on seeing his mum…
“My son…”
“Where am I? What happened?” he asked but
apparently, he quickly remembered. “Oh, the car! Yes, I lost control… Did I have an
accident?”
“Sh… Sh… Yes you did, but God has restored you”
“What of Nwala? I am sure she will be worried sick… I
need to call her because anytime I get back from her
school, I call…” Right where I lay on the floor, I couldn’t help my
tears. What kind of man was this?
Mum was right! He was a whole man…
“I am here” I replied before his mum did… I rose from
where I laid…
“Nwala… How did you know?”
I explained all that had happened and he was in shock
when he realized he had been in a coma for 3 days.
“Guess, I am resurrecting like Christ. The resurrection
power of God brought me back to life…” he joked…
“Can you help me sit up?” he said…
“Ok… let me call the nurse,” I said as it occurred to me
that we should have called the Doctor & Nurse’ attention to the fact that he was awake. “Thank you…” The Doctor & Nurses came in very excited, but in the
midst of the excitement, I saw a worried look on
Reuben’s face. He tried to hide it, but I saw it… As the
Doctors were leaving, he said…
“Doctor, can I have a minute with you alone?” he said
giving his Mum and I a pleading look…
That didn’t sit well with me, but we had to obey him. I
could see the tension in his mother’s eyes.
From where we stood outside the ward, I saw the
doctor listening to Reuben intently, and I saw the
doctor touch one of his legs, and I saw Reuben
shaking his head in the negative in response to the
touch… I watched how the doctor touched the second leg
and Reuben shook his head in the negative. I didn’t need any doctor to explain what was
happening. I saw Reuben touching his waist and
shaking his head. “God, is Reuben paralyzed from his waist down?” I
screamed in my heart.
To be continued….