ABUSED
Episode 42
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Ella’s health is deteriorating each day;. seeing her wreathing in pains. It’s been devastating ever since the doctor told us she has little time to spend with us yet I hoped for a healing from God.
I prayed, fasted, did everything I was supposed to do to see my friend well, but at each passing day she gets weak and pale… She breaths with with the oxygen tube. The hospital has turned to my home. I tried all I could to give her hopes about getting better but Ella had given up hope๐ฉ.
The amazing thing was that in all she smiled through the pains, she sings, teased me and all who were around. Her siblings flew in to be with her. They were all tearful each time they see her winced in pain but my ever cheerful friend would smile and say
” Everything is going to be fineโบ๏ธ.”
It was truly a difficult time for everyone, my in-laws were around to pray for her and encourage her. Maxwell, with his busy schedule made out time to be with her. She would tease him
” Make sure not to make Ruth cry. I won’t spare you’ she would say jokingly at times
I am pained each time she says those words even though it looks like a joke, I warned her not to repeat them but strong-headed Ella would continue and say other painful words.
I had high hopes that some sort of miracle would happen and Ella would bounce back, but each passing day made it seems hopeless.
Mother was there for us through it all. She prayed for her and told her confess health upon herself, but Ella always smile each time. She is hopeless, she has come to terms with living.
” Ruth, I have made peace with my creator and I am ready to leave. Remember, don’t forsake my siblings. I entrust them to you. ” She painfully said to me that fateful day.
I admonished her to stop saying those words but she kept repeating it.
She managed to eat something that morning,
” Call everyone for me”
” Why?” I asked as I fed her
” I want to have my family around me today” she said faintly
I summoned everyone. Soon, the whole room was filled up
She smiled at us, I was crying as looked at her. Linda couldn’t hold it anymore she cried loudly. Oliver held her, he was trying to be strong but he was shaking. Looking at your loved one dying slowly is a bitter experience.
I sat by side holding her hands
” I love you all. Please don’t cry. Don’t weep for me. I am going to a better place”
” You are staying with us!” I retorted
She shook her head and exhaled
” Maxwell, you are a good man. Take care of Ruth” I shook my head
” Ella keep quiet”
” Mother, thank you for all you did for me. God will repay you. Oliver, Linda, Obinna, Ogo, always stay united no matter what. Take Ruth as me. Accord to her everything you will accord to me. We were called outcast by own people, do not cast anyone who comes to you for help.” She was speaking with her whole strength
Everyone is wailing as she spoke, I held her hands tightly
” Ella, there is still hope”
” Ruth, I want to go home. I want to meet with my parents. Anita spoke to me… She said it’s peaceful over there”
” No! No” I shook my head violently
Maxwell held me as I cried
” Ruth, have you read Proverbs 18:14?” He asked
” I just want her to live”
” She is broken. Her spirit is crushed, we can’t do anything. She has prepared for this day” he said with a sad tone
” He does miracle, why can’t He heal her?” I wailed
” It takes two to agree”
The whole room was hot, no one could console the other. Our faces are soaked in sorrow
” Sister Ella, our parents left, Kelechi left us and now you want to. Who will stand by us? Mother was an orphan, father family rejected us, it was you who carried us. You gave us everything we could ever asked of. It’s time for us to pay you back but you want to leave.” Ogo cried out
” Sis Ella, who will I call when I feel down. Who filled the place of mother for us?’ Linda cried out
She smiled at us as we all reeling out our heart to her.
” I will always watch you”
” Ella, our journey has been a long one…. You want to drop the baton here?”
” Ruth, you know have another person to complete the journey for you. Sister, at this junction I need to rest. I want to go home”
We wailed, mother couldn’t say a word. Tears spoke loudly from all corners
” I love you all. Always be happy, now I want to sleep so I can wake up strong”
Those were her last words before she killed the bucket. She placed her left hand on mine and breathe her last.
That day was terrible for us. Everyone was crying, the men cried too.
Doctors and nurses tried to calm everyone down but we rebuffed.
I yelled at the nurse who tried to close her up
” She is sleeping” I exclaimed
Maxwell held me tight, mother held Ogo and the others were on the floor helplessly crying for her.
She was buried two weeks later. It’s the worse day of my life as I watched the undertaker’s put her down. We paid our last respect to her, I was shaking as I spoke about her.
” A sister like no other. I thought we did grow old together. Ella, your space can never filled in my heart. Ella if tears could bring you back, I will cry an ocean and if sorrow would bring you back I will turn my name to Mara. I think this is a nightmare….” I couldn’t finish up as the tears kept pouring in torrents. Maxwell came to my rescue and pulled me out.
Maxwell father officiated the funeral. Fr. Anthony, Mr Udok and this wife came as well. She is pregnant I noticed
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” Ruth, it’s been four months. How long do you want to grieve?” said a sad looking Max
I kept looking at her picture. I look miserable I know. I have indoors most times licking my wounds like a wounded dog. Her death is a deep wound that can never heal
After she was buried, her siblings spent a month before departing overseas. Mother has been in charge of my businesses.
Life meant nothing to me anymore, I can’t focus on anything
” You are loosing yourself”
” Let me be! Allow wallow in my misery Max. Let me mourn my sister” I yelled at him
” Look at you! You want to join her”
” Yes, I want to”
” What about me?”
I kept quiet.
” I know Ella means so much to you, what about me your husband?”
” It’s not easy Max”
” I know! It’s not easy for me too. I leave for work, come back to meet you at the same spot crying. I can’t have my wife by my side when I have a bad day. I leave home with a gloomy face, come back to meet a miserable wife who barely shifts or look at me. I have to bathe you forcefully. He barely eat, you stay indoors most times ” He yelled out
He was panting as he paced around our bedroom
I kept crying
” Ruth, I know how you feel but it can change anything. She isn’t going to come back. Look at us, we are drifting apart, it’s four months and we haven’t…
” You can’t be serious Max. Just hear your self..’
‘ I am because I am human. Ruth, I have given you time. Common on its four months already. How much more do you want?”
I looked at him like he was some sort of a crazy fellow, I bow my head as wept
” I want my wife back. Your mother has tried to help you out of this pool – me too but you have shut us out. How long do you want to continue living like this. Why mourn like one without hope”
He sat beside me, lifted my chin and hugged me
” Do you think Ella would be pleased to see you drown in misery. She entrusted her siblings in your care… If you love me you won’t keep pushing me away. Where else do you want me to find succour Ruth if not in your arms”
I sobbed loudly as he spoke
” I’m sorry. It’s just hard…”
” I know, it’s hard on everyone but we can’t stand still forever. We have to move”
He dried my tears, pulled me up to himself
” I love you Ruth, don’t forget that’
I nodded. I undressed, entered the bathroom and had a long bath.
I pondered on everything, I decided to be strong and move on. My marriage is too young to suffer and Max deserves better from me. I can’t afford to loose him.
He came out of the bathroom, I met him dishing out food. I creamed myself and changed into something light .
We ate in silence. I ate much, it’s been long I ate this much.
Our house aid cleared the dishes after we were done.
Maxwell went to had his bathe. I looked myself in the mirror, I looked pale, my eyes swollen from tears.
I picked up the her picture and for the first time I smiled at the smiling image of Ella.
I exhaled deeply and held it on my chest
” You are forever in my heart sister”
The bathroom door creaks open, I quickly kept the picture in a book. I sat on my dressing table looking at Maxwell through the mirror
” I think we should stroll out a little. What do you say?”
” Yes”
I have been indoors most times, this room has been my sanctuary since I lost my dear sister.
He dressed casually. We strolled out, we walked through our neighborhood. The night was dark but the street lights shined brightly
” I miss you Ruth”
” I do too” I said as leaning on him
‘ I am glad to have you back. You know what I will appeal to my colleague to cover up for me this weekend.”
” Hmm. Why?”
” We are having a weekend gateway together. Just you and I, let me show you how much I miss you.
I smiled. We chatted happily and returned home, we had a beautiful night together.
To be continued..
