Adesuwa - Episode 6

 

Adesuwa:

"Where have you been?!" Kola blocks my entrance into dad's room before I can even take a step inside. I nervously drop eye contact and chew on my fingers.
"She's here?" I hear mom ask from inside and Kola moves out of the way. My heart rate accelerates when I look into the room and notice the bed is empty.
"Wait where dad?" I push my way past Kola and hurry to the bed, like if I get closer my father would suddenly appear.
"Mom?" I turn to my mom who sighs audibly. My heart lurches with her sigh . What happened?
"Calm down. Your father just went into the operation room." Mom says and I say with visible relief.
"I don't know why but the doctor suddenly had a change of heart late last night and told the nurses to transfer your father to a better room. We're just packing up our things from this room." She explains.
"Oh." I mutter as I lean against the wall. Mr Femi has done his part of the deal. The ball is now in my court. Even in this hot room a shiver racks my figure and I try not to start weeping in the room.
"Where have you been, Ade? You just disappeared last night." Mom I interrupts my scary thoughts.
"I just needed a breath of fresh air with everything that was going on last night. Was just at the back of the hospital." I lie through my teeth and watch mother for any sign of disbelief

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/adesuwa

. She just nods and goes back to packing her bag.
"How long would dad's surgery take?" I ask quietly when Mom finally finish packing up and stands to leave the now empty room.
"He should be out within the hour. Dara and Gideon are standing by the OR. Let's go meet them." Mom hands her bag to me and I quietly fall into step with Kola.
"Hope you didn't do anything stupid?" He suddenly whispers beside me and I stiffen.
"Stupid?" I feign ignorance and shrug.
"Kola don't nag your sister, she was just getting fresh air at the back of the hospital last night." Mom breaks our conversation.
"All night?" He eyes me and I let my eyes trail from his to look ahead of me.
"Leave me alone." I mumble to him. I hear him grunt silently but he drops the interrogation.
 Maybe I should not have remained out in the street till this morning but I just needed some space after signing the contract with a devil.
"Mom! Dad's out!" Dara comes running from the corner and all thoughts of contracts fly out of my mind.
"Dad!" I follow behind the male nurse pushing dad's stretcher but get pulled back by a hand on my arm. Mom and Kola continue after the stretcher but I turn to find Dara eying me.
"What?"
"Come with me." She says and starts to pull me with her.
"Hey, I want to see daddy!" I yell at her. When did she become this strong?
"He's not awake yet. It would only take a minute." She tells me as she leads me through the hospital's small lobby and out the back door.
 I have to rub my wrist soothingly when she finally lets me go.
"That hurt yknow? When did you become stronger than me?" My laugh turns into a nervous chuckle when I don't get a smile out of my twin. Her narrowed eyes don't leave mine as I try to avoid eye contact with her.
"What did you do?" 
"What?! Why do all of you keep asking me that?! I just needed some air!" I snap at her. She's silent for a beat before she starts to shake her head.
"No. No. No! Adesuwa why!" She yells at me like I've said my deepest secret to her. I think my eyes have.
"Why what?" I say in a small voice.
"Don't play dumb with me okay! What have you done?? Why have you always been so impulsive as to ruin your life?!" She points her finger at me and I feel myself getting angry at her.
"You don't get to yell at me okay?! I did what any daughter will do for her father okay?! Dad was going to die on that bed last night!"
"And he won't have another heart attack if he finds out that his favorite child sold her life to an evil man just to keep him alive? What father would want that life bought at the price of his child's future?!" She yells and I break down in front of her.
"He has to live, Dara. He has to live" I sob into my hands.
"Ade..."I don't let her finish, I just pull her into me and bury my face in her chest.
"Don't say anything. Please. Please." I sob into her shirt.
"What do we do now?" She mutters. I pull away from her and take her hand.
"We don't tell father. We just have to keep everything a secret from everyone at least until dad recovers fully." I tell her firmly but she shakes her head at me.
"What do you mean no?! We can't give the man another heart attack!"
"That's not it. I think mother already knows." She says and my eyes goes wide.
"What?!" I gasp.
"I overheard her speculating to Kola about the sudden change of the hospital staffs. She mentioned you and Mr Femi. She says she's happy you're matured enough to make the right decision."
"She thinks marrying that man is the right decision?! For who?! Her?! You guys?! She's going to sell me to what?! Save the family from poverty? Does she think she'll finally get the life she couldn't have with father if I marry someone with money?!" I yell, my temper flaring up. How could my mother be so unreal?! She's supposed to be warning me against this mistake I've already made!
"Calm down, Ade. She's just thinking about our best interest." Dara tries to calm me down as usual.
"Whose best interest huh?! Whose?!"
"My children's!" My head snaps to the side and I find my mother standing there, her chest rising and falling with labored breath.
"Liar." I grate.
"Ade!" Dara chastises.
"What?! Am I wrong?" I ask her.
"Leave her. Let her talk to her mother like that! She doesn't know all I've been through to get all my children to where you all are right now! My suffering! My sacrifice!"
"What sacrifice?! Father has always been the one going out to work every single day while you stay at home nagging everyone!" I snap at her. Her hand surprise me when it comes down to backhand my mouth. I yelp in pain as I clutch my face.
"Ade!" Dara comes to my side but I brush her off me.
"Don't be selfish for once Adesuwa. Your siblings need this marriage. Your precious father needs this." Mom tells me before she storms back into the hospital.
 My lips quiver with the raw emotions in my chest as I stare after my mother.
"I'm sorry." Dara says quietly from behind me.
"For what exactly?" I ask without looking back at her before walking into the hospital.