COME WHAT MAY

CHAPTER SIX

Wailing shadows encircled her, ringing noises filled the air and darkness seemed to have pierced inside her soul. Her stomach felt hollow and her breath became labored. Her name was chanted over and over again. Was someone trying to bewitch her? Suddenly a flash of light hit her. She could not open her eyes as the light was intense. 

"Lolly. Lolly pop. Lol!" That was a familiar name. Who does it belong to?

For three nights David slept in his sister's hospital room at Johnson private Hospital. The pills were flushed out of her stomach but she sustained a head injury that needed stitches done. As a result her long dark hair was shaved off.  Her mother too was there every day to check on her but Lolita did not wake up from her sleep.

David sat down with a book next to his sister; her favourite titled Redemptive Love by Karen Kingsbury. He looked around at the quiet room, listened to the beep from the heart monitor and began to weep all over again. He regretted never standing up to their father to fight for her. He regretted the times he had called her a weakling and a coward. He prayed earnestly that God heals her and gives her a new start.

He could understand why she wanted to take her own life. Their father was the love of her life and like any bad break up, she was hurting and wanted the pain to stop.

 "Thank you God for saving her life." He whispered and stood up. The time was eleven minutes past midnight. He took her right hand and began to rub it. 

"When you wake up, I will show you a video game I'm working on. You will love it." The Doctor in charge had told them that she might suffer a concussion and that although things look okay, she might suffer amnesia. Anything could happen. The thought of his sister waking up and not remembering anything was daunting but he kept praying that God brings her back to them fully.

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Grace sat down on a sofa in their living room to watch Lolita's university graduation party's video. She just arrived from the hospital after donating her blood to Lolita. Imagine what could have happened if they didn't have the same blood group and had to depend on hr presently "insane" husband.  As she clicked "play" on the remote control of the Dvd player, her heart grew heavy at their present predicament. Who would have thought that her only daughter could attempt to take her own life? Where did she go wrong as a mother and wife to end the feud between Father and daughter? She had tried and failed to reconcile them several times. Things changed about three years ago when Dele came with his brother to Botswana after their mother's funeral. After his departure, Dayo had endlessly scolded Lolita for every little mistake. He refused to tell her the sudden cause of change of affection towards his daughter. He just wouldn't bulge and open up about everything. 

Prof. Badmus came out of the bedroom angrily. His precious sleep was disturbed because of an insensitive person watching TV. He got to the living room and saw the source of the noise.

"Grace, switch that off." He said softly.

Grace looked at him and fought for the control of her emotions but failed. She was tired of this hostility and will not allow it to continue anymore,

"What kind of father are you? Why are you doing this? For three good years you emotionally and psychologically abused Lolita. What secret are you hiding?"

"Don't start with me woman! I will not dignify your useless question with an answer. If I knew what I know now I would have gotten rid of her a long time ago. Just because Lolita looked like my..." His voice trailed off.

Grace stood up and dramatically clapped her hands.

"Please your most royal highness, tell us why. Tell me why you want me to bury my child! Tell me why you have turned a happy home into a place of mourning! You are a big excuse for a human being and a father!"