MY MAID – MY HUSBAND’S EX-
CHAPTER 26
Right in Nelson’s ward, beside his bed, Mama stood unmoved, weeping profusely.
Doctor was speechless, discovering the suspect was Little Prisca’s father. He has been the family doctor to Late Chief Felix, Kayson’s family for twenty-two years, and he hasn’t seen such traumatic experience facing the household.
Doctor Mark sympathized with Mama and promised her Nelson’s consequences of all what he has done.
“My granddaughter wakes up everyday asking questions about her biological father. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her. Nelson has visited the village thrice when he was dating my daughter. He promised her marriage, which made her to bring him home. I never knew she was pregnant. As our tradition demands, my husband’s people told him to wait until she gives birth. When Nelson rushed into the ward and saw the baby, he ran out. That was the last time we saw him.” Mama sadly narrated.
“Why did he leave?”. Doctor Mark asked after listening to Mama’s narration.
“I can’t tell”. She replied distressingly. Kayson bumped into the ward breathing heavily.
“Doctor! My wife woke and later became unconscious!”. Kayson huffed and puffed.
“Abigail my daughter!”. Mama howled. They quickly dashed out.
Getting to Abigail’s ward, Doctor Mark carefully examined her. He called a nurse and whispered something in her ears. The nurse left and returned a minute later with some injections. He administered it and adjusted some equipment on Abigail.
“Let’s see in my office, Kayson”. Doctor Mark spoke afterwards as he adjusted his stethoscope.
“Is everything alright with my daughter, Doctor?”. Mama impatiently queried.
“Doctor Mark, what’s wrong? She was talking to me not quite long, then she passed out”. Kayson haltingly spoke.
“Let’s talk in my office”. Doctor Mark insisted as he took the lead.
As the walked through the reception, the nurse – Stella ran up to Doctor Mark. Ada was standing in the nurses’ station with files.
“The little girl is awake, Doctor!”. Stella announced.
Mama couldn’t hold her joy. Kayson and the rest hurriedly off with the Stella and Doctor Mark. Ada carefully looked round the nurse’ station. All the nurses hands were on deck. She tactically walked out and sneaked into Abigail’s ward with some life-threatening vaccines.
Right in Little Prisca’s ward, Stella took her leave immediately.
“Prisca, my daughter!”. Mama gladly fell by her bedside and hugged her. Little Prisca calmly looked round to be sure of her whereabout.
“I’m so happy you’re back, Darling”. Kayson forcefully smiled. He moved closer and pecked her.
Doctor Mark excused them and examined little Prisca. He meticulously examined her.
“She’s better now”. Doctor Mark told them. Mama knelt down and thanked God. Kayson was happy.
“A man saved me, Mama.” Little Prisca softly said turning to Mama and Kayson.
“He’s a criminal, Prisca. Once he wakes, the cops will apprehend him”. Kayson assured her with a smile and a slight nod.
“He’s not just a criminal. He’s Nelson – your biological father”. Mama suddenly spilt the beans. The doctor could read the bewilderment on Kayson and Little Prisca’s faces.
“That’s preposterous! Impossible Mama!”. Kayson’s eyes widened in shock. Little Prisca coughed. She turned and gazed at Mama again.
“Let me take you to his ward”. Mama proposed. Doctor Mark shrugged willingly. Kayson gave up the inner war within him. Little Prisca hid her tears.
“Doctor, can she walk?”. Mama inquired.
“Yes, that’s if she wants to go with you. I would live she takes enough rest”. Doctor Mark opined.
“I want to see him! My father!”. Little Prisca cut in – tearfully. She held herself up strongly. Mama and Kayson helped her.
They got Nelson’s ward. Little Prisca stood by bedside staring pitiably at him. Mama and Kayson stood by. Little Prisca recalled she was never told anything about her father, even though she asked. She recounted joe her mates mocked her in school.
“No matter how beautiful and intelligent you if you don’t know your father, you’re a ba**stard”. One of the students had told her after a quiz competition they had in school which she won. Other students’ parents came to celebrate their children’s performance, but hers wasn’t available. Mama was sick that period and Aunty Funmilayo was just newly married.
Little Prisca ruminated over everything and gently tears fell rolled down her cheeks. She wondered what happened between her father and mother.
“He carried me all the chase in the bush. He saved us. I never knew he is my father”. Little Prisca sobbed. Kayson and Doctor Mark shook their heads sympathetically. Mama sobbed along with her granddaughter. She remembered how she single-handedly fended for little Prisca.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you anything about him. I wouldn’t watch you cry”. Mama tapped her shoulders.
Suddenly, Nelson’s hands shook. Everyone repositioned. Doctor Mark hurriedly checked him. Nelson was resuscitated.
“My head hurts! I hear voices.”. Nelson groaned as he tried rolling on the bed. Doctor Mark held him still.
“Don’t force it. You’re not yet strong”. Doctor Mark informed him. Nelson became calm. He gently turned to his right. He saw Kayson, Mama and Little Prisca standing by his bedside.
“You! Prisca. I remember your name. Thank God you’re alive. How are you?”. Nelson softly asked with a smile on his lips. Little Prisca frowned. She could feign the smiles. They weren’t coming. Nelson critically looked again. He recognized Mama. His eyes blinked in awe.
“Ma-ma! Wha-t……. Ma-ma!”. He spluttered apprehensively. Mama looked at him steadily. She didn’t blink. She was angry and same time soft. She wiped her tears and took a deep breath.
“What’s going on here?”. Nelson pressed further agitatingly.
“You should have let me die in the bush. You shouldn’t have saved me.” Little Prisca yelled at Nelson.
“What is happening here? What are you talking about?”. Nelson was surprised.
“Nelson, this is little Prisca, your daughter that you abandoned twelve years ago”. Mama let it out. It was heavy. It was unexpected. Nelson gaped. He tried sitting up but he groaned. Doctor Mark held him.
“That’s unbelievable! This is the child my she had? Ooh!”. Nelson clutched his head in pains.
“It’s not true!”. He cried out. “So it was my daughter I wanted killi**ng in the bush? Ah, no! It’s not true! What if I had done it? Such beautiful and intelligent girl! She spoke reality into me there! She made us realize we are not the to deal on the past! She delivered me from the chains of my past!”. He wept on.
“I’m so sorry, Mama. I’m sorry Prisca. I thought Sarah would give me a male child. I thought it was a male child the day I came to the hospital to see her. I was supposed to inherit my father’s wealth with a male child. The wealth was under contest between my uncles and I. I ran away when your daughter – Sarah gave me the opposite of what I prayed for. I married another woman who gave me twin boys. Unfortunately, they were all burnt alive in my village due to my boss’s hunt to kill me. Indeed, nothing is worth at all. I lost my family and all the documents to the properties. I’m homel*”ess and hop**eless”. Nelson allowed the dripping tears flow. He sobbed grievously.
“I didn’t adopt them. I was only asked to ki!!? Them. I am so sorry, Prisca. I’m sorry Mama”. He tried hugging Prisca. He grabbed her. She didn’t refrain. She was happy to be held by her father – the man who saved her from de**ath. Mama didn’t withhold Little Prisca from him.
“This man who hurt your family. I want to know everything about it.”. Kayson cut in. He felt for him.
“Yes, Mr Nelson. Kayson here is currently the Executive Chairman of EFCC in the Federation. He will help you out”. Doctor Mark added supportively.
“How’s the lady we saved also?” Nelson finally remembered.
“That’s Sarah’s elder sister – Abigail, the one you saved along Little Prisca”. Mama told him. She added a complimentary smile.
“uhhh! I never knew!”. Nelson shook his head regrettably.
“That reminds me, I wanted telling you something in my office few minutes ago before this.” Doctor Mark called their attention.
“Yes, Doctor Mark. What is it? We are families here. Tell us. How’s Abigail?”. Kayson asked concernedly.
“I was meaning to tell you this, but I kept it, because I discovered you weren’t at peace with her.”. Everyone stood still looking at Doctor Mark. The curiosity was alarming.
“Abigail is four months pregnant”. Doctor Mark confessed and breathed in.
“What? How? I saw the contraceptives!”. Kayson was taken-aback.
“Yes, she got the drugs here. It’s a long story, Kayson. I don’t know how she terminated the first pregnancy, but I know that the contraceptives were got here. I gave her the opposite of her request”. Doctor Mark smiled.
