*EPISODE 17*
(MY SOULMATE)
Arriving at the hospital, Chris and his father rushed up to the doctor who had just finished performing a CT scan on Collins.
“Doctor. Where’s my son?. How is he?.” Chris asked looking around with weakness in his eyes and pains in his heart.
“Are you the father of the patient that was involved in a hit and run?.” The doctor asked.
“Yes sir. His name is Collins. How is he?.” Chris’s father questioned totally running out of patience.
“Well, we just finished performing a CT scan on him. And we discovered that he sustained internal injuries which has led to internal bleeding.” The doctor said.
“Jesus Christ!.” Chris exclaimed placing his two hands on his head.
“Doctor, what is that supposed to mean?. Does it mean there is no hope for my grandson?.” Chris’s father asked.
“Well, we will have to perform a thoracotomy surgery on him. This surgery is meant for bleeding around the heart or lungs. We will make an incision along his rib cage or his breastbone. So we can gain access to his chest. Only then can we identify and stop the bleeding and as well, protect the heart and lungs from pressure caused by excess blood.” The doctor said.
“Then what are you waiting for?. Go ahead and conduct a surgery on him. If that’s the only way to keep him alive.” Chris urged.
“I’m afraid. This type of surgeries usually takes risk. So there’s a 50 by 50 percent chance of survival. And If this internal bleeding is left untreated, it might lead to organ failure, seizures, coma, external bleeding, and eventually death. Even with treatment, severe internal bleeding is often fatal.” The doctor said.
“God have mercy on my poor son Please.” Chris cried helplessly.
“If you want us to carry on with the surgery, then you have to come with me to sign the consent form.” The doctor said.
Back at home, Eric was restless. He couldn’t shut his eyes in sleep. He kept turning from one end of the bed to the other. He felt haunted. He felt guilty and devastated. He quickly left his room and stepped into the sitting room. He was about drinking from the glass cup that he filled with alcoholic wine when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Jesus!.” He shouted turning with full speed. His glass cup fell and shattered on the floor.
“What’s wrong with you?.” Vanessa asked totally amazed.
“Mom it’s you.” Eric said realizing it was his mother who touched him.
“Yes it’s me. Why were you startled earlier?. What’s going on?. I’ve noticed that you haven’t been yourself eversince your grandpa made that phone call. Is there something you are not telling me?.” Vanessa asked.
“Mom?.” Eric called softly with fear and tears in his eyes.
“Yes Eric. What is it?.” Vanessa asked.
“I think I might have killed someone.” Eric said with tears dropping down his cheeks.
“God forbid!. What nonsense are you talking about?. I reject it for you in Jesus name.” Vanessa said.
“Mom, I’m serious. I was the one behind Collins accident. I purposely hit him with my car.” Eric confessed.
“Which Collins are you talking about?.” Vanessa asked totally confused and curioused.
“Collins Oguike. Dad’s son.” Eric revealed.
“Ahhhhhhh!. Eriiiiiiiiic. What have you done?. Why would you do a thing like that?. Do you even know him?.” Vanessa asked totally heartbroken.
“Mom he was going to take Janice away from me and I had no option than to forcefully take him out of the way. I wasn’t thinking straight when I did that. I didn’t even know that he was dad’s lost son. Mom what do I do now huh?.” Eric asked.
“How exactly was he going to take Janice who has been engaged to you?. Does it even make any sense to you?.” Vanessa asked.
“Mom, Janice employed him to be her driver and they gradually got closer with each other. I saw them embracing each other mom. Janice had never smiled at me the way she smiled at Collins and that got me really jealous. In order to secure my territory, I went to Janice’s house to inform her parents about my intention to proceed with our marriage plans. But guess what mom, she told me to my face that she would never walk down the aisle with me. She practically humiliated me in front of her parents throwing my engagement ring back at me. Then I picked offence and went after Collins.” Eric said.
“Why does this whole story sounds familiar to me?. What’s actually going on?. Is fate trying to repeat itself again in our lives?. Why the sudden appearance of Gloria’s son?. What in God’s name is going on?.” Vanessa questioned totally confused and worried.
“Mom?. Please help me. I really do not want to go to jail.” Eric pleaded.
“Then you shouldn’t have taken laws and vengeance into your own hands. Now see what your rash behavior has brought upon us. And from the look of things, I’m afraid. Your dad will not stop until he finds the culprit behind his son’s accident.” Vanessa said.
“Exactly mom. What should I do?.” Eric asked totally scared and anxious.
“Wait let me speak with your grandma.” Vanessa said bringing out her phone.
She quickly dialed madam Agnes’s number and it went through.
“Good evening mother.” Vanessa greeted.
“Good evening Vanessa. How are you doing?.” She asked.
“I’m fine mother. Just that there’s a little commotion going on here.” Vanessa said.
“Commotion?. What commotion?.” She asked.
“Your husband just revealed to us that Chris has a son with Gloria.” Vanessa said.
“What?. Since when?.” She asked totally dumbfounded.
“Since 25years ago. I guess she was pregnant before I and Chris got married.” Vanessa said.
“Unbelievable. Yet he didn’t mention it to me all these years.” She said.
“That’s not the problem. The problem now is that he was involved in a hit and run car accident.” Vanessa said.
“What?. Who dared to hit my grandson?.” Chris’s mother questioned.
This broke Vanessa’s heart. She felt betrayed.
“Are you taking their sides right now?. Maybe you didn’t hear me well. I said the child belongs to Gloria.” Vanessa reminded.
“And so?.” Chris’s mother asked.
“And so?. Really?.” Vanessa asked totally amazed.
“Look Vanessa. The fact that I wanted you for my son and not Gloria, does not mean that I will reject my grandson. Whether he was born by the worst sinner in this world, I will gladly accept him with open arms. Because he has Chris’s blood running through his veins.” Chris’s mother said.
“Well then, guess who was responsible for the accident.” Vanessa said.
“And who was responsible?.” She asked.
“Your grandson Eric was responsible for the accident that sent Grace’s child to the hospital. What are you going to do in such situation?.” Vanessa asked.
“The right thing that should have been done many years ago Vanessa. That’s the only thing that needs to be done. The whole truth should be told.” She said.
Vanessa’s heart skipped for a moment.
“What are you driving at?.” Vanessa asked.
“Don’t you think it’s high time you told Chris who the biological father of Eric is?.” Chris’s mother asked.
“Mother what exactly are you talking about?.” Vanessa asked trembling in fear and disbelief.
“Do you think I’m a fool?. I can easily Believe that Gloria’s son is Chris biological son but definitely not your Eric. Do you know why?. I was certain that you didn’t have s*x with my son on the day we took the pictures. And my son has never spent quality time with you except Gloria. So where the heck did Eric’s pregnancy originated from?. Look Vanessa. I secretly ran a D.N.A test on Eric and the results proved that my son is not in any way related to your son Eric. I knew the truth all these years. But I was so ashamed to reveal it because I personally chased Gloria away and made you marry my son. I framed my own son just to get you married to him. But what did you do?. You brought in another man’s pregnancy and framed it on my innocent son. I kept quiet and allowed you enjoy the benefits that came with marrying my son. Yet, you couldn’t control the bastard son of yours. Now he dared to hurt my grandson?. If you know what’s good for you Vanessa, just pray that nothing bad happens to my grandson else, I will expose all your dirty secrets for the whole world to see.” She said and ended the call.
Vanessa could not believe her ears. Her body was trembling In disbelief and shock. Her son had to hold her to stop her from falling.
“Agnes Ogbuefi. How dare you threaten me?. You ruined my life and now you want to discard me for your true family?. I swear to God Agnes. The battle has just begun. I will make sure you have a taste of everything you’ve made me go through. You wicked, cunning and two faced witch.” Vanessa cursed clenching her fist with tears rolling down her cheeks.
The surgery was successful but Collins went into Coma. Gloria and her parents arrived in the morning through an emergency flight booked for them by Chris’s father.
Arriving at the hospital, Chris whose eyes were heavy with tears and lack of sleep, cause he had been awake all through the night watching over his son, raised his head and his eyes caught with that of Gloria.
“Gloria?.” He called out completely lost of words. All he could do was let tears flowed down his cheeks.
Gloria looked at him with her eyes filled with anger, hatred, pains, curiosity and love. Her heart was literally heavy as she walked up to Chris who quickly stood up completely speechless.
He thought Gloria was coming to embrace him but the next thing he received, was a sound slap on his left chin.
“Gloria?.” Chris called out holding his left chin. But Gloria didn’t say a word. She slapped him again on his left chin. And before Chris could utter another word, she still raised her hand to slap him again but this time, Chris held her hand up in the air and pulled her into a warm embrace. They both broke into uncontrollable tears in each other’s arms.
Their parents couldn’t help but sobbed silently.
