Not over yet

Mummy Juliana’s excitement knew no bounds as she awaits the return of her son from United State of America. Five years after her marriage, as every expectant couple was hopeful for a baby, theirs were also in the line but when it seems that the waiting was becoming everlasting, she did something about it. It was when she went to the hospital to find out whether the cause is from her, that she knew that cause of their childlessness; she was diagnosed of leiomyoma—tumor of the uterine muscles. The physiology of the tumor and where it was situated made it impossible for her to conceive. With her diagnosis made known to her, the next line of action for her was to remove the tumor, which she did two months later.

 A year after, she was delivered of a baby boy, who she christened Divine Okolo. Their joy knew no bounds as people in two and threes, where seen thronging to their house to felicitate with them. Twenty-eight years after, Divine became a medical doctor, having graduated from University of Arizona, United State of America. But that joy was sniffed out and squeezed awfully by the unforeseen eerily hands of life. Divine couldn’t make it on his way back home from the USA.

The flight he entered from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport heading to Enugu crashed and not even a pin escaped. Not yet known of what has become of her son, she was still in her excited mood, making the necessary preparations, waiting for her only child and son she has. But as the twilight started approaching and calls started making its way towards her son’s end which returned unsuccessful, her joy became troubled.  Something is not well, she mused to herself after having called often and on with some voice notes and messages which met no reply.

But she wasn’t only the one left on that path, her husband physiognomy looked more troubled. He was on that state of mind when a notification popped on his phone. He, at the outset, felt unconcerned but on a second thought felt to check it. The caption of the news caught his attention, without fleet of a second his middle finger tapped on it. His whole body was thrown into a pulsating state as his eyes rolled through the news. It wasn’t long, there was a scream, the decibels threw everything around into an uneasy state that his wife ran faster than her legs can carry her. The words stuck at her husband’s throat as he struggles to let his wife know what prompted the cry. His wife couldn’t wait any more as she stripped him of his phone. When her query eyes saw the name of her son among the deceased, she passed out. George Okolo’s despondency and fears toppled with the state of his wife. Sweating profusely in a pulverized state of mind, he scampered from pillar to post, running like a mad dog, completely desolate of what next to do. Suddenly, something strange happened that brought him into a still state. A soothing breeze blew and swept all over him and it was as if his troubles, were swept away by it, as it blows away faster than it came. Fabrics of his mind, pulverized initially, started coalescing into a whole, its effect manifested as he placed the wife in a right position and put the first aid technique he learnt into practice. Not long has he started the technique on his wife than her eyes popped open, much to his excitement. He dashed to his vehicle, returned, heaved her up from where she lay and carried her to the car. In a jiffy, the car was set into motion heading to the hospital.

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A month or plus later Mrs. Juliana situation was on a downward slope, irrespective of all the medicine and cares given to her, it was like boxing the air, what could heal a broken, severed heart? His husband sat beside her, arms entwined, staring blank at an angle of the room. He was in that perplexed state when an interruption came. Dr. Helbert, knocked at the door and when the door creaked open, a stranger was ushered in. The stranger, who introduced himself to them as a pastor, was welcomed with open arms, pleasantries were exchanged, Pastor Jery fulfilled his ministry with words of hope and encouragement, rounded off with heated prayers. Mrs. Juliana recovery shot up, few seconds after much to the excitement of all that were there. Few minutes after the Pastor has gone out, Mrs. Juliana wanted to make use of convenient room. With the help of the Nurse and her husband, she sat up on the bed, the husband wanted to carry her but she objected quietly, and as they set her in motion with the help of two Nurses who held her at both sides. Hardly had they gone few meters away from her bed when a tragedy struck. She slipped her feet and as her aids struggled to catch her, their strength betrayed them, so, she landed on her back with her occiput on the floor.  The next they saw much to the ultimate dismay of all and sundry was a pulsating rush of blood from her fractured skull. The air that ceased the room before the pastor returned was redolent of nothing but death, blames and unbearable anguish. The doctor, Nurses and her husband did all they could but it was a wild goose chase. The man of God, who stood planted at a distance away from them wanted to pray where he was but felt so empty. Not quite, tears started flowing from all eyes but the Doctor, whose physiognomy was like a voiceless voice. In a space of some minutes passed, a broken, torn, meshed voice interjected,

“Nurse why? Pastor,” he continued and refocused his attention from the Nurses to the pastor, “see what they did to my wife,” he concluded, whimpering, eyes buried in tears.

The Pastor managed to walk towards him, entwined his arm on his shoulder and cooed inaudible words to his ear. The somberness, tears, anguish coupled with the embrace precipitated something afterword. As the pastor disembarked and was about to leave, a voice spoke into his mind, “Not over yet”

The right angle turned was magnificent to behold. It was quick, sharp and impeccable. The steps towards the deceased were likeable to a wounded lion who suddenly got the rage to fight the fight till the end. The scream, was a replica of the one Jesus did beside the grave of Lazarus, if you will permit me to use these words. The aftermath, was a tale to tell another day for the Joy, euphoria that erupted knocked every trace of weeping, wailing to the world beyond. Mrs. Juliana came back alive, skull completely healed. Everyone in that room, was left in cloud nine. With praises and electrifying worship, they concluded the day.

Copyright © 2023 Rockling Anayo Einstein(R.A.E). All right reserved. The reproduction or utilisation of this story in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, xerography, recording, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is allowed if only is not for your own commercial purposes. And it must bear the author’s name.