Ann suddenly felt dizzy and fell in her mother’s arms
**
Fiona and Lex kept staring at each other as they waited at the hospital’s reception..not saying a word to each other.
Lex didnt understand what was happening? Was this Fiona? Was she still alive? There was only one way to find out…he thought.
He walked up to the bench where she sat ‘hello…excuse me pls..’
‘yes?’ Fiona tried smiling..she still felt awkward around him.
‘can i see ur wrist?’
‘what?’ She rolled her eyes wondering what he wanted to do with her wrist..but she showed him anyway.
Lex saw the birthmark…the big ugly birthmark that Fiona had always hated right from childhood..he remembered times when she threw tantrums thinking it was a devil’s mark.
He had that birthmark too…at the same place.
He let go of her wrist and showed her his.
She gasped….neither of them knew who made the first move but they were both involved in a tight embrace shedding tears of joy.
Jovita looked at them and said a short prayer..if Lex had forgiven her..would Fiona forgive her? Its true what goes around, comes around…who could have thought that she was going to meet Ajayi’s children in separate ways…who could have thought that her past was going to come back to hunt her…who?
The doctor came in and the quickly disengaged.
Jovita rushed to him ‘doctor…how’s my daughter?’
He shook his head pitifully ‘maybe you should go and see her yourself’
‘okay…we can…we can go see her?’ Fiona stammered.
The doctor nodded and left after shaking his head pitifully.
***
Ann felt happy seeing her family enter the room…the only person missing was Emmy and it was Emmy she was going to miss the most.
‘Annabel….’ her mum called rushing to her side.
Lex and Fiona hesitated briefly at the door holding each other’s hands.
Ann smiled weakly ‘i see you guys are bonding quickly…Fiona, please come…’
Fiona looked at Lex and went closer…even Lex.
She held both their hands together as tears ran down her cheeks ‘i’m so sorry…i’m really very sorry…i was stupid and selfish! I wanted happiness but derived people of their own happiness…it wasnt my intention..to hide you from your brother Fiona…i tried telling you, believe me i did, but i was scared of you at that time…so i kept shut..even when you were having problems with Ogba, i should have informed Lex about it…Lex would have put him in his place..but i planned on telling you Lex…after our wedding..i wanted to give it to you as our wedding gift…’ she sobbed ‘i’m sorry for all the pains i’ve caused you Alex…’ she smiled ‘this is the first time i’m calling you Alex…but i want to do everything i couldnt do before…’ she coughed ‘i kept a secret from you guys…’
Her eyes scanned the room before contunuing ‘i…have cancer…cancer of the lungs’
‘what?’ everyone exclaimed…eyes bulged out.
‘i’ve had it for years but i managed to control it…the doctor said there’s no hope for me anymore…and i’m glad…i’m glad that i’m going to die now…because i need to go…my existence has caused people more pains than happiness…Lex…i’m very sorry for keeping this from you…mum…forgive me…but your wayward daughter has finally decided to leave this world..apologise to every member of the family…
Emmy…’ she sobbed at the thought of her ‘there were times when i thought of abducting that child…she was so cute and i loved her very much…i could die for her…she was everything to me…she was my laughter whenever i was sad…’ she removed a bangle from her wrist and handed it to Fiona ‘please give this to her…my spirit will always be with her…day and night….i will never allow harm come to her…i will always be there to protect her and i’ll block her from any danger…’
By the time she was through…everyone was crying.
‘why…why Ann? Why didnt u tell me about this?’ her mum cried ‘i would have prayed you out of this…prayer solveth all things’
‘no mum…i deserve to die…i’ve been a bad person…i’ve only caused sadness in people’s lives…now is the time to end it once and for all….’ she started breathing fast.
‘no! No! Ann, dont do this to us…’ Fiona screamed…she rushed outside and returned with the doctor…
By that time…Ann was already still…she had given up the ghost.
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TWO MONTHS LATER.
‘uncle Lex!!!’ Emmy screamed jumping on his body.
Lex carried her in his arms…she was such a beautiful girl…his niece ‘how are u Princess?’
‘i’m fine uncle…guess what?! Mummy and i went to see aunty Annabel today…’ she said.
‘oh really? Do u still miss her?’
‘she is my aunt and i’m going to miss her everyday…i still think of her uncle…she showered me with so much love when my own mother didnt have time for me…at a time, i became fond of her more than i was with my mother…i was broken at the news of her death Uncle…she shouldnt have died…good people dont deserve to die’
Lex smiled…he still missed Annabel….and anywhere he went, he still saw her face…crying, smiling…he knew he contributed to her death…one way or the other…she was very special to him and her death had hit him real bad, she might have done terrible things but she was still his Ann…his Annabel whom he had disvirgined…spoilt…thought how to smoke and drink…led her into prostitution…taking her away from her parents thereby putting a momentary stop to her education and destroying her future…he looked away.
‘Lex?’ Fiona said as she walked towards him…she was glowing in her yello sundress and flat sandals…
He turned and smiled as he dropped Emmy.
‘Emmy is talking again…talkative..’ Fiona said playfully pinching her daughter’s ears.
‘but mummy…aunty Ann says that talking prevents one’s mouth from smelling…talking is life mother’ Emmy said grinning.
Fiona frowned a little…then smiled back… ‘Lex come in…someone is here to see you’
‘who?’
‘come first’
They went into the house together and Lex gasped at who he was seeing…Ogba.
‘Ogba…’
‘Lex, my man!’ Ogba stood up and they hugged tightly.
‘where have u been all these years Ogba?’ Lex couldnt believe his eyes…was this really Ogba?
‘i’ve been around you know…doing business and you? No one heard from u again after you quit drug business…’
‘well…’ Lex said sitting on the sofa, his leg crossed ‘i had to change my life mehn! Drug business aint good business….’
‘yeah, yeah…i understand but that doesnt mean you should severe ties with ur besties u know…’
‘yeah…sorry about that…’
‘hold on hold on!’ Fiona cut in ‘i think i’m being left out on this…bro, u know him?’
‘yeah…Ogba is my man…we were friend right from when i came into Asaba…he was the one who introduced me to business’
‘what kind of business?’ Emmy’s forever inquisitve eyes rolled.
‘shut up and go in…how many times have i told you not to interfere whenever adults are speaking huh?’ Fiona scolded.
‘sorry mummy…’ she said a bit sad and ran up to her room.
‘so…Ogba, you never told me you knew my brother?’ Fiona said smiling.
‘well….i know him…right from time…and i also knew you found him when u ransacked my briefcase looking for what wasnt looking for u…’ her eyes bulged ‘yeah…thought i didnt see you…i’ve known for such a long time Fifi that your brother is Lex..so when u saw the file, i just let you have your way…because it was time for u to finally meet your brother…besides, i wanted us to quickly get married and i couldnt get married to u without informing him…’
‘excuse me?’ Lex looked around in confusion ‘someone isnt telling me something here…Ogba, u and my sister are…’
Ogba rubbed his palms smiling ‘maybe its time for me to do this…but before then i’ll like to say something…Fifi, i just want you to know that you can never hide something from me…i know Emmy’s my daughter…’
‘what?’ both Lex and Fiona exclaimed at the same time. Lex was confused…obviously, he had been kept in the dark about so many things.
Ogba suddenly went on one knee in front of Fiona ‘i was a bad man, i treated you badly, i hurt you so many times…i’ve caused you so many pains…boo boo, i’m sorry…i’m not very good with words…i’m in love with you Fiona…and i’m a changed person…i’m not that violent man you used to know….recently, i checked myself in a rehabilitation…center…i’ve quit drugs Fifi…if that will be good news to you…i’m no longer into that business and that shi.t, i’m going to take over my father’s company…legal things…and i want you to be by my side helping change into a better person…there’s no one who can do that apart from u Fi…no one but you…allow me be a part of my daughter’s life and your life…i’ve equally renounced the occult group, i am no longer a part of them…i need u in my life Fiona…help me turn into a better person…’ he reached for his b—-t pocket and produced a ring ‘will u marry me?’
Fiona looked at her brother in tears, she couldnt believe all this was happening…
She flung herself on Ogba ‘yes…yess…i’ll marry you’
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LAST EPISODE COMING UP SOON
TBC
