Against All Odds

Chapter Fifty Four : Watching her leave again

Obi slipped into a dress for the sake of modesty especially after she realized who the help was. Thankfully he was in the medical line, so he would know what happened to Benjamin. Obi watched him lift her husband and she followed him like a zombie till they got to the garage. He turned to Obi and spoke softly to her.

"Obi you'd have to change into something else, if you'll be going to the hospital with us, he's still breathing. I'll get him there as soon as possible" Obiefune adviced as he slowly put an unconscious Benjamin into the vehicle.

His shirt that looked spotless earlier at the mall was stained with blood from her husband's nose. Obi contemplated on whether to listen to Obiefune or not. "I'll go with funmi instead, just clean up"

It was then that Obi realized how unkempt she must have appeared. She left the two individuals and quickly cleaned up before instructing the driver to take her to the hospital where funmi had texted her.
The ride to the hospital was quick, Obiefune couldn't help but stare at his helpless cousin as Funmi uttered prayers in her native tongue.

A thought about letting Benjamin die crossed his heart, he could just drive slowly to the hospital and he wouldn't get help on time. Afterall he was the one who had everything he wanted, his death would liberate Obi. He pushed the thought aside immediately, he would be killing his own family if he did that and hurting Obi as well. Besides it didn't guarantee Obi's love or that of his supposed children who probably already adored Benjamin.

When he walked in on Obi crying and holding Benjamin he saw that love in her eyes, the love with which Obi took care of him when he was diagnosed with appendicitis. Benjamin must have really earned it after all those years,no one was to blame.

As much as Benjamin turned out to be a recluse, he had been a very friendly boy who Obiefune was fond of at a certain point in his life. Obiefune had found out about his condition when his father told him about the pain Benjamin was going through as a little boy with series of transfusion that he received.

Obiefune had only witnessed one sickling episode and was terrified with how much pain his cousin was going through. He suspected that it was the same thing but only worse. But how had Obi managed with him after all these years? Even agreeing to marry Benjamin with his condition showed that she loved him beyond reason but how could she love Benjamin so deeply in few months? If she had truly  been in love with him. Was Obi cheating on him with Benjamin before that? Benjamin had loved in Enugu all his life and so the possibility of cheating was ruled out. Everything was always so complicated when it came to the things he wanted.

The only time he had gotten the complacency of getting his way easily was when he told his parents he would never study the course they had pressurized him into applying. Impotency came with a certain boldness and more attentive parents who he blamed for his misfortune.
Obiefune had enjoyed his stay in Lagos but after the fourth week he suspected that things were not so good as he thought. It was after two weeks that he realized his parents were not planning on going back to the village. When he confronted his father he had scolded him at first, telling him of the importance of being around family but Obiefune suspected there was more to it. His father knew how he felt about Obi, how comfortable he was in the village.
He was happier there and they decided to move their life to Lagos all of a sudden.

Obiefune began to seek means to get away from his parents, he had little savings and it could afford him a trip to the village just to tell Obi about the new development.

It was difficult to escape the house with all the attention his  parent's had on both him and his younger sister. All his life he had longed for their attention, for the surveillance they were given him but they were to busy with work. Now that he didn't need them,they were now suddenly too involved in his life.