Delayed Diagnosis {Book 1 of the Rex Obasi Trilogy}

Epilogue

Her short legs carried her at breakneck speed, I could see her just ahead and I knew I would never reach her in time before she disappeared into the house, through the revolving back door.
At this point I gave up and bent a bit, placing both hands on my knees and panting.

I heard rich laughter and looked up, with a smile on my lips.

“You used to be like that not so long ago. Infact you were much quicker.."

I stood up straight, "Really?"

"Yes...now come and give your old man a hand"

My dad stood over the giant grill were he was busy with the roasting. As I made my way towards him, my niece came running again, she must have gone through the house so fast, this time she had her cousins and her brothers behind her.

"Uncle Rex...uncle Rex...you cannot catch me!"

I tried to grab each of them but playfully missed them as they sped around me and through the door again. The youngest, Nyesom's last son darted through my legs giggling happily as I somehow managed to miss him.

"It’s been a long time this house was full of life like this." My father commented when I re-joined him.

I nodded in agreement.

"Very soon I expect your own children to join the running"

I smiled. Olivia and I had flown in two nights before unannounced and we had told my parents we were engaged. We we're not going to rush anything. Olivia would need to grieve for a certain amount of time, which was fine by me. So long we were engaged.

My parents had been very happy and the very next day, my three sisters had all shown up with their husbands and children. My mother called it a family reunion, but it felt more like an engagement party.

"Where's Olivia?" My father asked drinking from a bottle of beer. The cooler lay by his feet and it was filled with beer only.

No more ammunition for him, and for Andy and I too.

I stood beside him, letting the delicious smoke attack my nostrils. "making some sort of salad in the kitchen," I replied his question.

"Hmm..." he handed me a jar filled with ketchup and a small painting brush, "it’s your turn to take over. Make sure you cover everywhere, this ram was a champion and should be prepared as such!"

I nodded with a sly smile, collecting the items from him and slathering the ketchup on the parts of the ram on the grill and turning it slowly. "I can't believe you decided to roast Rambo" I said for the thousandth time.

He shrugged, "when my son announces he is getting married...everything goes out the window." He took a long swig from the bottle. "I'm proud of you son. Now carry on. I need to make some noise in the house"
He went in and I whistled happily as I roasted the great Rambo.

I reflected on the events of the past week;

In just seven days, I had met with the Governor, I had toured the whole state with him, and had received a call from the president himself inviting me to Abuja. I had told him I didn't do everything the news said I did alone. It wouldn't have been possible and he had said; "bring them, being them all"

Olivia, Andy, Bami, Tonye and I had returned from the Aso villa just two days earlier and at that point I had been excited but tired of all the press.

Olivia had also said, "If I see the flash of a camera one more time!"

I had mentioned the trip to Benue again and we made a last minute dash to the airport.

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.
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"My baby brother...the hero himself." Utebo strolled over and my face lit up instantly. We had always had a special bond and been the closest and I always felt happy to see her protruding belly. She was about Six months pregnant with baby number 3 on the way.