Dark Night!
Episode 33
Matron Agnes gave Blessing everything she needed. She had even put Hope in school. Blessing was so happy and was always appreciating the matron. One day they sat outside talking.
Blessing: Ma please don’t be offended by my question.
Matron: ask anything Blessing.
Blessing: Why did you decide not to get married? I can see you love children. Why did you then make such a decision. Didn’t you want to have your own children?
Matron Agnes: Blessing, it is a long story
Blessing: I have nothing to do other than listen. So please tell me.
Matron: okay! I will tell you. This is a secret I have kept for more than twenty years. When I was still a young girl around your age. I had a boyfriend whom I loved so much,he came from a very rich family in fact they were based in abroad, they only come home during holidays. we were planning on getting married. But before I knew it I became pregnant. He took me to his parents to inform them that I was the girl he wanted to marry but one look at me and the English I spoke they rejected me.
Blessing: But why? You are a very beautiful woman even at your age. Though I didn’t see you with my eyes but I can feel it
Matron: Then, my dear, I was not beautiful, because I didn’t have the means to take care of myself. My parents were poor and I wasn’t educated. Charles and his parents abandoned me and left the country. I was left to fend for myself. I didn’t know what to do with my pregnancy so I travelled out of the village to give birth to my baby. I gave birth to a baby girl.
Blessing: wow! So you have a daughter?
Matron: Had, I had a daughter. I didn’t know what to do with her or what to do for her , I didn’t even know how to let my parents know and so I ran away from the hospital where I gave birth. I abandoned my baby there and ran away. I dropped a note that I won’t be coming back and I just disappeared.
Blessing: oh; that’s a terrible thing to do ma.
Matron: (crying) I know, I know Blessing.
Blessing: so you never checked on your child anymore?
Matron: I did. When I left that day I decided I will go to school and become somebody in life so that no man will ever mess with me again. And I went to school and I became a nurse. I went back to the hospital and to the matron with whom I left my baby. She never recognised me all the years I worked with her as the little girl who ran away from the clinic and left her child. But I didn’t see my baby with her. I even worked with her for some Years and never for once did she talk about an abandoned baby. So I assumed my baby died. I decided to move on with my life and forget about men forever.(she started crying again)
Blessing:I am so sorry ma.
Matron: And then you came and you gave birth to your boy and then you held him close and I felt terrible, if a blind girl who has nothing is willing to hold onto her child, then I would have kept my baby years ago.
Blessing: Where is this matron now?
Matron Agnes: she stays in the other part of town. Though she is old now.
Blessing: why don’t you go to her. Talk to her and tell her the truth. You never can tell maybe your daughter might just be alive. And even if she is not you would have settled with your conscience. It is not good to hold secrets in the heart.
Matron Agnes heaved a big sigh before talking.
Matron: thank you Blessing, I will give it a thought. Let me go inside and rest for now.
Blessing: okay ma.
She stood up and left the blind girl sitted outside enjoying the cool of the night. The more she stays with her the more she regrets ever stealing her child from her.
Episode 34.
Mr Johnson sat in the garden reading the daily news paper, when he suddenly heard the house boy saying welcome sir! Welcome sir! As he wondered who might have entered the house, he heard his sons voice.
Gift: Dad! Dad! Dad! Where are you?
Mr Johnson was shocked because he was not expecting Gift, he quickly stood up and walked to the living room. Gift and Dave were standing in the sitting room. When Dave saw Mr Johnson he ran outside of the house and packed a handful of sand and came back and poured the sand on Mr Johnson.
Dave: I return you now to the land of the dead where you belong. Depart and don’t trouble us who are still alive.
Gift: Dave! What is wrong with you? How can you pour sand on my father?
Dave: Gift stay out of this. (To Mr. Johnson) I’m chasing the ghost out
Mr Johnson: Ghost?
Houseboy: Ghost?
Mr Johnson: who is a ghost?
Dave: it’s you. You are the ghost. You died about eight years ago. You were shot in the head by armed men and you died at St. Louis hospital. So depart and rest in peace.
Mr Johnson: (he silently picked up his phone and brought out Dr Greg’s number.
Mr Johnson: son you remember Dr Greg of st Louis hospital? That is his number, call him and ask him.
Dave: no Gift, don’t touch that phone, he wants you to disappear with him, don’t touch the phone.
Gift looked at Dave and then picked the phone, he collected the number type it on his own phone and dialed it.
Dr Greg: This is Dr Greg of st Louis hospital, how may I help you please?
Gift: (puts the phone on speaker) good day Dr Greg, this is Gift Johnson, son of your friend ”extra length”
Dr Greg burst out laughing
Dr Greg: oh Gift! How are you? I heard you travelled are you back now?
Gift: yes sir,l! I’m back, I just returned not quite long.
Dr Greg: oh that’s good! That’s good! How is your father my friend?
Gift turned and looked at Dave before answering.
Gift: my father is fine, he is standing here in front of me.
Dr Greg: Oh that’s good! That’s good! My regards to him. What is it you want me to do for you?
Gift: Please sir don’t be offended, I just want to ask about something that happened about 8years ago if you don’t mind.
Dr Greg: okay! What is it son?
Gift: I heard my dad was shot in the head 8years ago and he died.
Dr Greg: oh that! (He said laughing) yes it’s true o, your dad was shot in the head by gunmen and he died. (Gift took a step back from his dad.) But then while in the mortuary he woke up again. It was a big testimony and we’ve never heard or seen anything like that before. It was indeed a miracle.
Gift: so you mean to say he died and rose again? How is that even possible?
Dr Greg: That’s why I say it was a miracle.
Gift: It’s alright doc, thanks a lot.
Dr Greg: okay bye.
Gift: Dad can you please explain all this to me, why am I hearing this for the first time?
Mr Johnson: Son, I am so sorry for all of this. I wanted to see and tell you face to face. How would you feel if you were told I died and now I am alive.
Gift: I still don’t get the whole picture.
Mr Johnson: even I can’t tell you how I am alive, all I can tell you is that I am grateful to God that I am alive. (He turned to Dave) son you can come and sit now at least you now know I am not s ghost. Dave who was still in shock took his seat beside Gift.
Gift: Dad where is Blessing?
Mr Johnson bowed his head down in silence.
Gift: Daddy please don’t lie to me I just want to know the truth, where is my sister Blessing?
When mr Johnson raised his head, he was in tears.
Mr Johnson: I’m so sorry son, I should have told you Years ago, but I couldn’t, I’m so sorry.
Gift: Tell me what?
Mr Johnson: Your sister is gone. She is dead.
Gift and Dave: What?
To be continued!
