Strong Emotions - Episode 4

 

      "Enny...come with me, I love you. Don't believe whatever he says". I heard a voice behind me called. I was in the middle of nowhere. It looked like a room but more of a tunnel. I could see the reflection of light rays right ahead of me with someone standing in front of me with his arms opened waiting for me to find comfort in them, I tried to recognise the face but his face was blurry and at the same I could hear a voice behind me.

      "Enny...Enny come to me. I'm right behind you" . The voice behind me said again, I looked behind me but I saw a figure standing in the dark, I couldn't figure out who the person was because it was so dark that I had to look away. I stood transfixed, confused and scared, I couldn't fathom the mystery that enshroud  how I got to the tunnel. The man standing in front of me with the light rays said nothing but kept his arm opened.

      "Enny...Enny...can you hear me". This time around the voice sounded familiar, I felt my head ache. I could hear the voice so close, suddenly the two figures disappeared and I felt myself moving to God knows where, I became so hysterical and I could hear myself screaming. 

     "Enny...Enny... "

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

. I heard the voice again but this time the voice sounded weak. I tried to open my eyes but it seemed glued and my head ached as if it was been banged against a strong metal.

     "Doctor, she just blinked her eyes. My baby is alive". I heard the familar voice say.

     "She needs to rest, calm down ma. She is alright". Another voice said to assure the other.
           

       I felt my eyes opened slightly  and I saw mum crying while she stroked my hair.
           

       "Oh Enny! You are finally awake". Mum said. Her eyes were swollen from tears, her face showed it all, she looked tired and scared and I could feel her frightness from the way she held my hand . I saw the syringe stand and drips which was fixed into my veins. I don't need anyone to explain to me that I was in an hospital.
         

      " Mum..what happened?" I whispered, I felt weak to say more. She stared at me and touched my lips to say no more.
             

       " You need to rest darling. We will talk better when you are finally awake. A doctor came in with a nurse. He carried a small file and walked towards me. He checked my eyes and adjusted the drip and wrote down his observation.
         

       "She needs more rest. Please leave her for sometime". I watched as mum walked towards the door, I could see Lola standing by the door and I wondered where Alfred was. Lola hugged my mum in an attempt to console her. The doctor nodded to the nurse who brought out an injection and induced me to sleep.
   
    ********************
          I woke up around 8pm in the night and I realised how the daylight had faded almost imperceptible into night. Lola sat beside me with a plate of sliced apple, she looked worriedly at me.
     

     "Where is my mum?". I asked when I didn't see her in sight because I know perfectly well she sat beside me the when I regained consciousness.

       "She went home to prepare your favourite meal for you." Lola said and smiled, "Try to eat these slices of apple dear". She placed the plate on my bed. I took the tiny pieces of apple one by one and chew them slowly.
     

      "What happened to me Lola?". I asked, she looked towards the door as if she was expecting an approval from someone before she could talk and when I followed her gaze I realised she was looking at the door but there seemed to be no one insight.

       "You fainted dear and Alfred had to rush you to the hospital." She said softly more of a whisper. The tears I had fought so hard to keep fell like raindrops. I remembered everything clearly now, I remembered how he pushed me to his sofa bristling with rage and how he confronted me with different allegations, I could remember the way he sobbed at the entrance of the apartment and the ring he had wanted to place on my desperate finger. Lola bent forward to cuddle me, she could understand the hurt I was feeling although she had no full details of what happened.
   

       " I'm sorry Enny. I caused all these...I shouldn't have..."
     

      "No it's not your fault." I interrupted. I know she was trying to console me by putting all the blames on herself but I had to let her off the hook because It definitely had nothing to do with her. It wasn't her fault that her brother loves me nor the fact that Alfred was a jealous boyfriend.
     

       "But.. where is Alfred?" I asked when I saw that he hasn't showed up. Lola took the plate she placed on my bed , poured the debris in a bin before she replied me" don't worry dear, he promised to come tonight. He was probably feeling guilty to show up earlier". She returned back to her seat.
       

       "And George?" Lola jerked at the mention of her brother's name. She held my hand and looked away, she was probably staring at the opened window or nothing in particular.
     

         "We told him not to come. We don't want him to exacerbate the situation". She said solemnly.
     

       "We?". I asked, gawping at her. "Who are the 'we'?". Lola looked at me surprised, her drooped face reminded me of my childhood, how I will look innocently at mum and promised never to be rude to her again whenever she raised her hand ready to spank my little buttocks and I worked like magic, she will smile and threaten to beat me the next time I disrespect her.
       

       "Enny! my parents and I of cause, they have spoken with your parents and they will be here to visit you very early tomorrow". She looked up flustered, wondering what I meant by 'who are the 'we'." Mum and Dad felt bad at what happened yesterday and they warned him not to show up here. He is traveling back to Canada tomorrow". She explained and stared at me to see my reaction. She saw the hurt in my eyes and the way i bit my lips but the flinty stare I gave her got her befuddled as to how to decode my reaction. I wanted to talk to George, I wanted to ask him some questions or rather many questions but now that he won't be allowed to get closer to me,I might never have the chance to do so. These questions kept burning in my heart and I know I have to let them out. 
   

       " But why will they say that? He didn't offend me, he caused nothing. I...I ... should be given the chance to say goodbye to him." I was trying to act indifferent and hide my emotions if not from anybody but from Lola. I don't want her to see me as a confused fellow. But come to think of it, I think I'm falling in love with George. He had been my childhood friend and we had shared alot together. Why didn't he tell me he loved me before I met Alfred. He had always behaved like a friend to me. 
     

       I was taken out of my reverie when mum came in with dad. He wore a pathetic look which I had never seen in atleast not for the past 23 years I had been staying with him and working in his company, Dad is the CEO of Genius company situated at Victoria island somewhere very popular in Lagos and he appointed me as the general manager of his company after my youth service a year ago. At first I thought there was no use in working in his company, I love been independent and I wanted the freedom I got when I was in school to continue. As a man of his words, Dad understood my plight but he has a way of doing things, a way of convincing people in a polite way. He made me see reasons why I had to work in his company. Not only because I was his only child but because he has no one else to inherit the company except me so he wanted me to get familiar with environment and as the brilliant child I was , I was able to adapt and cope wonderfully.Dad walked towards my sick bed and smiled, he was very good at hiding emotions and always put his strict pretence at play even when the situation doesn't warrant such.
     

      "How are you Enny? It's good to see you are getting better, We missed you at work. I have discussed with the doctor and you will be going home tomorrow. We need to talk about this when you are back home. Goodnight, your mum and your friends will stay with you tonight. Bye".
     

     "Wait...dad". I called as he turned to go. 
     

     "I want you to stay with me. I want.. you and mum to stay with me. I feel safe having you by my side". I coaxed and I  could sense he was taken aback by my request. He glanced at my mum who stared gloomily at us and without uttering one of his flimsy excuses, he agreed to my request without demur. Mum looked at me and all of a sudden she bursted into an uncontrollable laughter, I knew she laughed because I was able to convinced dad to stay which was something he rarely agrees to and contagious as it was they all laughed while I smiled.
         

      "Enny!...". I heard a voice called at the door. All of a sudden everywhere seemed quiet like a graveyard. George walked towards me with a rose flower, he smiled and as if he wasn't aware of the presence of my parents, he bent towards me to kiss my forehead. 
   

     "How are you Enny?". He asked, as if conscious of his eenvironment, he looked towards my parents and prostrated like a good gentlemen he was meant to be. 
     

      " What are you doing here George?" Lola shouted while she pushed back her chair, bristling with rage. She looked at him balefully and folded her arms. George didn't deign to answer while mum and dad watched us like a movie.
       

        "Calm down Lola, he is here to see me". I said calmly, I was happy to see him again and wonder why Lola was putting on an idiosyncratic attitude all of a sudden.
       

       "Enny!..." I heard my name again, all eyes went towards the door. He had been standing by door for God knows when. He brought a rose flower too , he dropped the flower and walked away while Lola trailed after him. My parents and I looked on flurried. I felt my head hurt, I held it in a bid to stop the pain but it hurt me more. Why did he leave in an anger? Why did Lola had to run after him? Why was she so angry at his brother for coming here because after all she had wanted me to marry her brother. Hmmmmm....I have many questions yet to be answered.