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A week after the wedding the house was free from guest and close family friends. Throughout that week i remained indoor with my phone. I was so tired and exhausted from all the journey i made before the wedding and all the things i did during the wedding.
Khole and Josh called immediately they got to their destination and it was so sweet to hear her voice again, tho it was over the phone.
During my period of been indoor, Jordan would call, message and sometimes he would bring me food or snacks for lunch. He was no more a visitor in my house. Mi dad also welcomed him whenever he was around, i gussed mi mom told him about Jordan already.
I had a week rest after the wedding and i had a week left before work. I decided to have fun with Jordan during the period of the remaining one week.
We went shopping together on a Wednesday afternoon when we came across Nelly. Truth be told after the wedding, i did not ask after her. She blamed me for not having time for her and i apologised. I promised to spend the week Sunday with her and she became happy, a decision Jordan frown at. He wanted us to be together always after the long break.
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It was Sunday, time checked 11:00AM, i dressed up in a simple outfit and had alittle makeup on. I took permission from my foster parent and left for Nelly’s house in my car.
Nelly was happy to see me, so was her parent. They told me how lonely she was and pleaded with me to come more often. Nelly’s mom personally told me to plead with Nelly to continue taking her drug, according to her, nelly was giving up on life.
I promised to do my best in keeping intouch and i left with Nelly to her room.I had fun with Nelly, she offered lots of video games, movies, gist and other interesting things.
Time checked 2:00pm, we were both hungry,since we were yet to have lunch. Instead of placing an order or buying food outside, we decided to make Jollof Rice ourselves, in order to have quality time together. Nelly informed her mom of our decision and after much mockery from her, she provided all the ingredient we would be need.
Nelly was slicing the beaf while i was frying the pepper for the rice. The kitchen atmosphere got thick due to the pepper on fire, i myself had to cover my noise after sneezing for sometimes. I was still talking to nelly when she sneezed at first. I told her to take care and she replied with a nod.She sneezed again,and then she started to cough.At first i went to get her water, thinking all she needed was water.I returned with the water and Nelly was on the floor already, coughing consecutively, that was when i remembered her health status. Before i could put off the gaz and literally drag her out of the kitchen to get fresh air, she was struggling for breathe. I became too scared and lost on what to do.I rushed to call her parent and her mom practically ran down stairs. She told me to hurry to her room and get her inhaler.I rushed to the room and i ran back without the inhaler, i had no idea of where it was. According to her dad she had alot of it,her dad rushed to search for her inhaler as well while her mom held her to herself on the floor.Nelly’s dad came back without the inhaler as well,he quickly bent beside Nelly and tried to make her tell him where the inhaler was.Nelly kept on pointing at her room,her eyes were blood red and her chest was going up and down as she made a wired sound, trying to struggle for breathe.
I could not take to see her in her present condition anymore.I stood up and ran to her room upstair, determined to get the inhaler and put an end to her present predicament.I flung her wardrobe open, i scattered all the books on her reading shelf, i searched her shoe closet and scattered all the bags.Finally i found a pack of inhaler underneath her bed. I took one from the pack and ran downstairs.Nelly’s mom was crying already,and tho she was in a bad situation then,i could see tears run down nelly’s cheek as well. I hurriedly gave the inhaler to Mr. Stanley and he placed it in her mouth immediately. Nelly opened her mouth for the inhaler and shut her eyes permanently, she took a deep breathe and her hand fell from the inhaler in her mouth. The inhaler fell as well and she stopped to breathe for a while as she became unconscious.
Just like a movie, i watched as her mom carried her to herself in tears as she screamed her name. Her dad shouted the names of the maids and driver and they all assemble to help carry Nelly to the hospital. I stood rooted to a point, lost on what to do and thinking of what might happen to her. ‘If she dies i will never forgive myself’ I said to myself, i should have cared more about her health, i should’nt have agreed to us cooking when she brought the suggestion, I should’nt have allowed her to stop using her drug,but i never knew she even stopped cos i cared less about her! I blamed it all on myself! I was never there for her!
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I hurriedly got into my car and followed Mr. Stanley’s car to the hospital. Throughout the drive i was scared and i had a shaky hand. Immediately we got to the hospital which i gussed to be their family hospital, The workers accepted the Stanleys immediately and Nelly was rushed to the emergency room. We had to stay behind at the reception. Nelly’s mom wouldn’t stop to cry, i knew how she must have felt, i knew how loosing someone dear to you was, and loosing an only child would be the worst feeling ever. I moved close to her and said some peaceful words to her in a bid to console her but she held my hand and said “Nancy, where is Nelly, promise me she will come back to me, promise me she won’t leave me like this, promise me you will make sure she takes her drugs when she gets better, promise me Nancy! She is your twinny right? You should know that she will be fine, she will be fine right?” Nelly’s mom asked and i could not help but cry. I left her when i could not stop the tears running down my cheek. Since i could not console Nelly’s mom, her dad composed himself and took his wife into his arms, as she continued to weep. I thought it was necessary to inform Jordan of the situation at hand, so i excused myself and went back into my car to place the call.
Jordan picked my call at the first ring and from his voice i could tell he was happy. I knew i was about to ruin his mood but it was something i had to do. I took a deep breathe and said “babe Nelly had an attack, we are in the hospital”. I could hear Jordan scream “What?” from the other end. I repeated myself and he asked for the name of the hospital. I gave him the hospital details and he promised to be there in a while. I went back to the reception and tried to console Nelly’s mom again, i was scared on what might happen to her but i had to be strong just as my mom told me before her death.
Jordan arrived shortly after my call, i rushed at him at sight and he took me into his arm. Jordan released me from the hug and asked how i was feeling before we both walked up to Nelly’s parent. They were familiar with Jordan and Nelly’ s mom did not hesitate to tell Jordan all that happened when he asked.
Time checked 5:30pm the doctor incharge of nelly’s operation, came out of the ER and we all rushed at him. Mr. Stanley immediately questioned him on his daughter’s health. The doctor told everybody to be calm and he promised nelly would be fine. The doctor said she had been moved out of the ER and taken to the intensive care and her condition was not as critical as before. I was relieved and so was everybody else. The doctor asked to see her parent privately and they followed him to his office. I remained with Jordan at the reception.
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Nelly’s parent did not tell us what the doctor told them but i could see worry and sadness on their face when they returned, I did not expect them to feel less, she was there only child.
Time checked 6:45pm, mi mom called and asked of my whereabout, i told her i would be home shortly. I remembered i had to resume work the following Monday. I informed nelly’s parent of my departure and they thanked me for my time. Jordan saw me off to my car, he was moody during the walk and he told me he would stay till Nelly would be discharged when i asked him when he would be leaving.I left the hospital for home with a scared body and a scared heart.I was scared of what would happen to nelly.I was scared of loosing her.
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Immediately i got home, i told my foster parent about nelly when they asked about my outing, they wished her a quick recovery and i went into my room.I could not eat neither could i sleep. I kept on tossing on my bed, i would go on my kneels and pray, then i would walk to and fro and sing, sometimes i even lay on the floor to pray for Nelly.I kept on praying for her wellbeing till past 3:00am. That was when sleep took me away.
I woke up 6:00am the following day.I called Jordan immediately i woke up but his line was not reachable. I took my bath and prepared for work after which i had breakfast.I informed my foster parent of my departure and left for work. Mom packed wedding gift in my car for my co workers before i left.
It was good to resume work, my co workers asked for their wedding gifts immediately I resumed and i shared the prepared gift among them. My mind was still not at rest during work. I could still not reach Jordan, i took permission from Mr.larry and i rushed to the hospital. I prayed my greatest fear was yet to come to reality during the drive.
The sight that graced me at the hospital was terrible ,from the gate i heard crying everywhere,i prayed it was not nelly people were weeping over, i really prayed. I looked around for Jordan but he was no where to be found, i tried his number over and over again but it did not go through.I summon courage and went into the hospital. What i saw was a rude shock!
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My step became slow, i saw two women trying to hold Nelly’s mom, i saw the guy nelly was betrothed to and i saw nelly’s dad sitted in a chair in the reception, two men were patting him on the shoulder. Without been told, i knew nelly was gone, far away from this world, far away from where i could see her again, far away from everybody that loved her. My mind went blank as tears started running down my cheek. I felt dizzy and I leaned on the wall of the reception, something struck my heart and i felt a great pain. I felt like a part of me had left me, i felt like i had lost something very important to me. I allowed the tears roll freely down my cheek as i remembered all about nelly. She came to me like a rushing wind and she left me like a burning fire. She burnt a part of me down and went with the ashes. I wept like a baby as the memories of Nelly flashed through my brain. It was a great loss, i did not want to cry but i ended up weeping.
“Nelly!” i heard someone scream her name, i looked up and it saw Nelly mom. I could see the state of pain she was and i could feel her loss. Less than 48hours ago, she was a happy woman, but the woman that stood infront of me then was a sad mother. Nelly’s mom rushed at me and gripped my arm, she looked up at me and said “Nelly, is this you? Is this you my baby? Are you back to me? I knew you will never leave me, the doctor said you were dead but i never believed him. I knew you will come back to me my child. Promise me you will never leave again, i need you to promise me you will never make me cry, promise me Nel, i need you to promise me” she shouted and brooke down in tears again. I was so confuse on what to do. “How will i console this mother that just lost her only fruit? How will her tell her i am not the daughter she lost when she choose to ignore the truth? How will I tell her that Nelly will never come back to her? How will i tell her that she should weep for her child and give her a final respect?” all this thought ran through my mind and i could not stop my tears. If only tears could wake the dead, nelly would have woken up. I knelt on the floor beside Nelly’s mom and took her into my arms. I ran my hand over her hair and said “Mom, don’t be sad. I am here for you”
My words comforted her a bit and she stopped to weep. The other women around came to her and took her away.
I stood up and went to Nelly’s dad. He was stronger than his wife and he was quiet but lost in thought. I offered my condolence and he said “Thank you my daughter” i could feel he was trying to find a daughter in me. I moved closer to him and hugged him before going in search of Jordan.
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I met Jordan in a corner of the hospital, the place was quiet and i could tell he was trying to avoid the public. I tapped him on he shoulder and he raised his head. His eyes were blood red and for the first time in my life, i saw Jordan cry. I took him into my arms and he wept like a child, calling nelly’s name every five minutes in the middle of his tears. I consoled Jordan and told him to be strong, he only noded without uttering a word.
We heard wailing in the hospital and we rushed inside. We met Nelly’s mom weeping and screaming her child’s name on top of her voice. Nelly’s body was been discharged and was been taken to the burial ground for a final burial. I understood how Mrs. Stanley must have felt. She rushed to the front of the ambulance and stood there, stopping the driver from moving the car. All she kept shouting was “My child is not dead, give her to me!”. Her reaction made me remember my mom’s death and i could compare the pain she was feeling with the pain i felt when my mom died. Mrs. Stanley was practically dragged away from the ambulance and she was taken to her car.
Jordan could not drive,so i did the drive to the burial ground. Nelly’s mom was stopped from witnessing the burial of her child and Jordan was also too fragile to see Nelly been lowered to mother earth but i withnessed everything.I felt it was necessary to stand by Mr. Stanley like a daughter,i held his hand throughout the final right.
Dust they say will always be dust.Nelly was lowered six feets below the ground and just like a bad dream, she was gone and never to come back.I hid my face in my face towel and wept for my belove friend.Tho we had our differences she was one in a million.Again i was happy i forgave her and i spent alittle time with her before she finally died.
After the burial i could not witness all the weeping again, so i took Jordan home and went home as well.
Immediately i got home, i went into Mi mom’s arm and said “She is dead, my look alike is no more” she took me into her arms and allowed me to cry. I cried for a long time and when i had no strength to cry no more i went into my room. Dad and mom also went to offer their condolences to the stanleys.
I called Khole and brooke the news to her.
IT WAS A BAD DAY
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To be continued
