Sacrilege – Episode 27

Sacrilege – Episode 27

© Adeola Nissi

Laura waited for the nurse to push open the door for her and she stepped inside.

“5 minutes” the nurse said and turned away. Laura waited for the door to close before she moved closer to the bed in slow strides. She had been seeking the courage, just something to tell her that it was okay for her to go in to see Frank but she never really had the courage. She couldn’t bring herself to face the man she had disliked for the most part of her life.

She walked closer to the bed. He wasn’t all wrapped up. Beneath the white wrap around his head, she could see his face clearly. She could see his body and his wrapped up legs. Like Mark, he also had oxygen connected to his nose. Laura sat at the edge of the bed and took Frank’s hand. She had heard so much. Enough to make her dislike Frank all over again. But she couldn’t. now she knew… she knew the foundation of it all. She knew that pain and betrayal could move one to do crazy things. And although Frank had done too many wrongs, Laura could not help but feel guilty of all the wrongs she had done to that one man who only needed healing. All the wrongs she had done to someone who had been stabbed so deeply with the wound left hidden and untreated. And wound left untreated often gets corrupt, till it becomes a porous poison pervading the body.

Laura stared at her ‘dad turned uncle’ as he lay on the bed unconscious to her existence. Her tears trickled down her face as she searched for what to say. Damn it! She was not Tito the writer who always had words for every time and season, now, faced with the man she had always known to be her father, she had no words. No amount of words could apologize enough for years… years spent disliking her father. She turned over Frank’s palm, looking at it, watching as her tears fell on it. “I wish I could turn back the hands of time” she began shakily. “I wish I could have been more patient… more understanding, more loving… I wish I looked past your defenses and showered you with all the love you deserved. I have failed as a daughter, I’ve been so terrible. I’ve been so selfish… so ungrateful. I should have loved you right. I should have… I should have” her voice shook, “and I’m sorry dad… I am so… so so sorry. I should have loved you… I should have looked past it all and loved you unconditionally, but I didn’t. please forgive me dad, please… please forgive me” she cried. “I know better now… and despite all I’ve heard and all you did, a part of me believes there’s love in everything you did. I just… I just want an opportunity to love you. Give me an opportunity to love you dad, because though you are not my biological father, you would always be my dad… always…” she said forcefully. “please don’t leave us dad… please don’t leave me. I need you. I know you love me. I want to believe that beyond spiting your brother, you also walked me down the aisle because you wanted to be part of that happy moment in my life. But even if you didn’t, even if you wake up and don’t want to have anything to do with me, i… I know I totally deserve it. But… I just want you back… I want you to be okay…” Laura rubbed her hands against Frank’s drawing warmth. “That’s the only way I can be okay”

Breathing deeply, she stared at the hand. “I just made a stupid decision…” she said. “a really really stupid decision. And I know the pain would burn deep for a very long time. But I know that is what I must do” tears dropped from her eye. “And I need you. I need you to tell me that I’d be fine. I’m going through too much, dad, I can’t bear to lose you” she whispered. Bending fractionally, she kissed his hand. “I love you, dad…”

***** Teju pulled her legs towards her chest as pain seized her body. Tears of pain slipped out of her eyes as she willed the pain to go away. Her chest and arm joint seemed to be on fire as pain slammed into her in full force. She pushed out of bed, reaching for the bedside drawer but the pain was too much… too excruciating.

Swallowing, she pushed away from the bed, onto the floor. The pain was intensifying with each passing day, each passing minute she spent breathing… she had taken the drugs but it seemed to be becoming ineffective. The pain was probably being triggered by the excess stress she had been facing lately. Struggling to breathe, she dragged herself to the drawer and pulled it open, groping around for the drug until she found it. She paused for a moment to catch her breath, resting her back against the bed as she struggled for air. She closed her eyes, willing the heavy wave of dizziness to pass over her. Opening her eyes, she groped for the bottle of water that was always stationary by her bed.

“Oh no…” she gasped as she lifted the empty bottle. Her eyes blazed over as she stared in pain at the kitchen that was just a few steps away. She bit her lips hard, closing her eyes. a knock thundered through her muddled up brain, making her force her eyes open. No! this was not the time to entertain guests. Teju blinked away the wave of dizziness, swallowing heavily as she stared perplexed at the door. The knock came again, resonating round the room with its intensity. She leaned her head against the bed, closing her eyes, trying to bear the pain ravaging her body. Hopefully, if luck had mercy on her, whoever it was at the door would leave on his own.

*****

Deolu knocked again. Something was not right and he knew it. Nothing was right! He had seen it in Laura’s eyes. he had felt in her skin as he held her when she started the speech that almost maimed him. He had heard it in her words. She hadn’t been crying. She hadn’t been emotional. There had been this strong determination in her eyes that he couldn’t quite figure out. And that… that sheer determination was what scared him the most. He would have preferred it if she had been emotional. Emotional Laura was still easy to reach… easy to convince but once Laura set her mind to something, convincing her otherwise was nigh impossible.

There were too many puzzles and sensible as he was, Deolu could not just piece them all into place. If Laura thought he’d just give up on their marriage and their love, then she didn’t know him as much as he thought she did. But there was something about Laura giving him up and over to Teju that made him wonder if she was holding out something. He wondered what she had heard last night before they left the hospital. What exactly had Teju said last night? And that exact question had brought him here.

Deolu knocked again. He was becoming impatient. Teju was probably not home. He had to see her, know what was going on. Somewhere inside the stranger Teju had become, he believed he could still find his friend. The one who had had his back for the longest time in his life. The one whom he had confided his secrets in and called his sister for a very long time. Somehow, he had to reach her, but how could he when she wasn’t even home?

After one fruitless knock, Deolu took out his phone to do what he should have done from the onset. He called Teju. Turning away from the door, he sank his free hand into his pocket, wondering why he hadn’t called initially. After waiting for about five seconds, it started ringing. He paused, frowning. He turned back to the door, his ears at alert as the Teju’s ringing tone became faintly audible. Then he started hearing faint shuffling sounds. He knocked again. “Teju?” he called, then he tried the door. It gave at his insistence and he stepped in.

He stared at Teju on the floor in alarm. She looked so pale and sapped as she looked up; a pure look of fright was on her pale face. She had never looked so sickly. “Teju” he rushed to her. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” there was too much pain visibly written on her face.

She managed a weak smile that did not in any way eradicate the pain she was certainly feeling. “I’m fine” she said.

“No, you’re not. You are not fine; Jesus! You’ve lost all colour” Deolu’s heart banged. There is that feeling you have when you are about to discover something you never knew existed. Deolu was having that feeling. He tried to lift Teju off the floor. “I’m taking you to the hospital”

“No” Teju said sharply. Maybe too sharply. She tried to smooth it out with a smile but she knew Deolu would have none of it, especially not with her face carrying the testimony of her pain. Try as she may, she couldn’t hide it. The pain was just too much this time. She should have taken her drugs; it might have brought it down a notch.

Deolu’s frown engulfed his face. “Why not? What is going on, Tee?”

Teju blinked. It’s been so long she heard him call her that. “Nothing. It’s nothing, I’m just… it’s just a minor pain, Deolu. It comes with the condition” she lied. “I just need to lie down and I’d be fine” she just needed him to leave so she could use her drugs and get rid of this killing pain.

Deolu paused. “Is something wrong with the baby?” the alarm in Deolu’s eyes made Teju feel horrible.

“No, no… the baby is fine” she swallowed. “Please leave, Deolu” even as she said it, she knew she was wasting her time if she thought he would do what she asked.

Something crossed Deolu’s face as he bent and scooped her up into his arms before she could anticipate it. Her yelp of surprise turned to one of pain as she tugged at the wig she was putting on; she couldn’t risk it falling off. “I’m taking you to the hospital whether you like it or not” Deolu said amidst her protests.

“Don’t… I’m fine” Teju was saying but Deolu would have none of it as he marched out of her apartment. She bit back a groan of pain as Deolu climbed down the small stairs that led up to her apartment. “What would you say if Laura walks in now to find me in your arms?” she asked, trying to distract herself.

The look he sent her told her that her attempt at escape was an epic fail. “This is not Bollywood.” He said shortly.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Teju’s mouth as she closed her eyes briefly. They got to the car and Deolu fumbled with the door. “I have legs, Dee” he ignored her, successfully placing her on the passenger’s seat. Teju watched him rotate the car until he was successfully seated beside her. The pain which had subsided a bit seemed to intensify and she bit on her lips, tears coming to her eyes. she admitted that going to the hospital was the best bet right now. “At least…” she forced, “take me to Havida, would you?”

*****

Laura rubbed a finger against her eyes. they felt heavy. Looking out of the window, the evening glow told her it would soon get dark. She really should have slept when Deolu requested she did. But how could she? She looked around the waiting room, a part of her hoping to see Deolu. If only she could lean on him for a while, maybe she would be able to make some of his strength hers. But she had clearly made a decision and she had to stick with it.

Gloria sat beside Laura and studied her. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Laura glanced at her and smiled. She nodded. “Just tired”

Gloria nodded, still studying her. “I haven’t seen Deolu here today” she said carefully.

Laura blinked. Deolu had come back to the room for her after the darkness had lifted to take her to the hospital. ‘I would not break yet another promise’ he had said. The drive to the hospital had passed without a single exchange of words and after he had dropped her, he had driven off and hadn’t shown up since. Laura swallowed, looking away.

“What’s wrong, Laura?” Gloria asked, looking concerned.

Laura sighed, looking away as tears stung her eyes. “I gave up my happiness mum” she said. “I…” unable to continue, she blinked furiously at her tears.

“Come here” confused, Gloria wrapped her arms around Laura. Laura wiped at her tears. “What did you do, Laura? When I saw you both yesterday, I thought you were sorting things out already”

“How can we?” she pushed out of Gloria’s arms. “There is a child? Don’t you see?”

Gloria frowned. Haven’t they gone past that? “But…”

“Teju is your daughter, Gloria. She has suffered so much, she deserves some happiness”

Gloria frowned, shifting in her seat to face Laura fully. “So you did what?” Laura swallowed. “What did you do, Laura?”

“They have a child together”

“You gave your husband up for another woman?”

“The other woman is your daughter, mum; your biological daughter. You’ve given us so much love and happiness over the years, but what of Teju? She has had to go through so much pain in her life. It has been from one level of sadness to another. I just want to give Teju the happiness she has never had, mum, she deserves that much” Laura was blabbing rubbish. She knew it!

Gloria stared at Laura like she was an alien. “So you’d give up your own happiness to achieve that?”

Laura swallowed. “If that’s what it takes” she answered, staring at the floor. “I need some air” and she truly needed it. Her hand was shaking so violently. She stumbled out of the hospital into the cool evening air and it could not begin to sooth the pain she was feeling. Her breath came out unevenly as she steeled herself from crying. Why did everything have to be so difficult? She turned when someone emerged behind her.

Tito got out of the hospital and stared at Laura. “What did I just hear you say, Laura? You asked Teju to marry Deolu; are you nuts?”

Laura shook her head, staring at Tito as her eyes brimmed with tears. “Oh Tito…”

“I think all these are making us all crazy” she shook her head.

“Tito… Teju has cancer” Laura dropped.

It took some seconds for Tito to assimilate what Laura had just said. “What?”

Laura turned away, swallowing. “Didn’t you hear what she said yesterday? She told you dad was responsible for your pregnancy to destabilize you and to distract you so you won’t find the secret she was hiding. She said it was in one of the documents you took from her house with the diary.” She turned to Tito who seemed to have gone a little pale. “That’s why I told Deolu to take me home yesterday. On our way, I asked him to stop over at your place so I could pick something up. Then I checked the wardrobe and saw the documents. There was also an hospital report” Laura swallowed. “She has leukemia, Tito…” she blinked back tears. “Teju has cancer of the blood”

Tito stared white-faced as Laura’s face filled with tears. Of everything she had anticipated, she never expected this. “And did I tell you Teju is Gloria’s missing daughter?” Laura dropped. “She just found her and now… now she is going to die”

Laura raised her hands and let them fall carelessly as she turned away, inhaling deeply. This was the real reason why she had told Deolu what she had told him. Teju deserved a little happiness, even if it meant sacrificing hers.

To be continued

 

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