Under Her Shadow – Episode 23

Under Her Shadow – Episode 23

© Bunmi B. Gabriel

#Five_days_later

#AJ ‘s POV

Why do I feel like my head is being pounded in a mortal? Why do I ache all over? My stupid eyes won’t open….just open you fools! Pinching my eyes mentally, I forced them open. My vision was really blurry so I closed and reopen them after a minute

Where am I?

I turned my head to the side but wince at the sharp pain. I whimpered loudly

‘You ba mawek!’ I heard someone exclaimed. I looked at the beautiful lady grinning at me. Wow! So pretty

‘Dorm stout’ a lady in white whispered. Am I hearing double? What country am I? I closed my eyes in confusion

‘Lucien, she’s mawek!’ That pretty lady exclaimed again and the white lady glared at her. The name she called made my head vibrate painfully. That name was familiar and it familiarity was causing me pain. I whimpered again. ‘Gwet Bled’

A hand stroke my head gently and the pain disappeared. The scent from the person was amazing and soothing

‘Softie’ a voice whispered. I gasped at the chill that ran over my body because of the voice. ‘Can you hear me Jefferson?’ He whispered again. His voice felt like a gentle early morning wind to me

Who’s Softie?

Me?

‘If you can hear me, move a little’ I moved my fingers and he sighed. ‘My love please relax and wait okay?’ I nodded loving the fact that he called me my love

Whoever owned the voice must be dead to me he was holding my hand and my heart was flipping convulsively. His voice was something else and he smelled like chocolate. Mmmm

Wait a minute! Who am I?

#Sardonyx’ POV

Ammy sat on the bed with a weird expression on her face. She was holding Lucien like her life depended on it.

‘She’ll be fine now’ Red said happily. Since Ammy woke up yesterday, she has been holding Lucien tightly. It was funny to watch

‘She’s not speaking’ I pointed out glancing at Lydia who was staring at Ammy thoughtfully

‘With time De…..liyahna will be okay’ he said nervously. He have been doing that for days, say de and change it to Liyahna, a poor cover up attempt. I’ll question him later hopefully

‘Is her brain still active?!!!’ Lucy yelled making Ammy flinch and bury her face on Lucien’s chest

‘Lucy’ Lucien called warningly

‘Sorry’ Lucy sang. Cynthia chuckled

‘D…Aliyahna, do you feel any pain here?’ He asked calmly trying to touch her temple. She moved away and scoohed closer to Lucien

‘Softie please relax’ Lucien whispered. She looked up and smiled at him. He pecked her forehead and she giggled. ‘Do you feel any pain here?’ He asked kissing her temple?’ She shook her head negatively

Funnily enough, I wasn’t a slightest bit jealous. All those trash disappeared but I still plan on going to Italy to stay with Alice for my own good

‘My heart hurts’ she said in a tiny voice. I smiled and Lucy giggled

‘For a moment there, I thought she lost her vocal cord’

‘Okay whose idea was it to let her in here?’ Lucien asked frowningly

‘I’ll shut up now’ Lucy smiled zipping her lips

‘She’s not okay’ Lydia spoke out for the first time since she got into the ward

‘Lydia?’ Red asked questionably

‘Something’s wrong with her’ she said standing up and walking to the bed. She sat down and touched Ammy’s leg, Ammy moved it away. ‘What’s your name?’ Ammy looked confused by her question while we all stared shockingly. ‘Lucien ask her?

‘Why?’

‘Just do it’ she snapped

‘What’s your name?’ Lucien asked calmly. Ammy shrugged

‘Red are you understanding what is going on like I am?’ Lydia asked professionally. Red nodded

‘It seems like she can’t hear anything but Lucien’s voice and her memory is…..’

‘Scrambled’ Lydia completed. ‘She don’t know who she is or what is going on, all she knows is that she knows Lucien but still don’t know him’

‘How is that possible?’ Lucien asked shakily

‘Her mind have created a shield around her memory and somehow Lucien’s memory isn’t completely blocked out, is it because they are in love with each other?’ She asked Red hopefully

‘Yes and no. The scream must have jump started and then froze her brain but before it froze and went into a complete shock, Lucien’s voice was all she heard. Even tho she doesn’t remember anything, she is comfortable around him’ Red said thoughtfully. ‘Interesting’

‘Sardonic is also in her memory because she seemed calm around her as well. Maybe because she was waking up before she went into shock’ Lydia added. ‘She is terrified and anything can make her go into another shock mode so Lucien will have to take her home away from strangers and noise’

God! She’s smart!

‘Aunty Strawberry!’ A voice shrieked. It was Kenzie. She jumped on the bed and hugged Ammy, Ammy hugged her back and smiled confusedly then pouted

Its gonna be hard for Lucien

__

#Lucien ‘s POV

I held AJ’s hand lightly pulling her along with me. She healed faster then we expected, in less than five days she was discharged. She has gotten really close to Kenzie and it brought back a little memory of her and Idris

‘Come on aunty Strawberry, walk faster’ Kenzie who was all hyped up said impatiently. AJ smiled and nodded but still walked slowly simply because she didn’t want to let go of my hand. She stopped and looked around the living room hazily

‘I know this place, I’ve been here’ she said hazily. I smiled. ‘Lucien where is this?’

‘This is my house. We used to live together’ I lied not even knowing why I did in the first place

‘Am I your wife?’

‘Yes’ I said sharply making Idris who was leaning on the exist door frame cough at my lie. I rolled my eyes. She examined her left hand and frowned

‘Where’s my ring?’ She asked frowningly

‘I….I…er…I kept it’ I stammered and Idris snorted

‘Can you be quiet’ I snapped. He burst into laughter holding his stomach. It’s not funny!

‘Why is he laughing?’

‘He was exposed to laughing gas, he’ll be fine’ I said calmly staring dagger at him. He winked at me and walked to a sofa majestically

‘What a comfortable sofa you’ve got here “in-law” where did you get it from?’ He asked smirkingly making air quotation at the ‘in-law’

‘Aunty Strawberry, ignore those two babies’ Kenzie said sweetly wiggling her small legs which were floating on air because of the height of the chair she sat on

‘Why is my name Strawberry and little fish?’ AJ asked puzzledly. ‘Kenzie calls me Strawberry, Iris calls me Little fish, you call me Softie, Lucy calls me Sister in-law and Sandy calls me Tweeny, why? What’s my real name?’

‘Delancy Xena Bricks’ Idris and I said sharply. ‘And it’s Idris, not Iris. How many times will I have to tell you that?’ He added frowningly, she giggled and shrugged.

‘But her name is Strawberry!’ Kenzie yelled poutingly. ‘Right daddy?’ She asked Idris expectedly

‘Right honey cake’ Idris smiled. Kenzie grinned victoriously

‘See! Told you’

‘Kenzie we need to leave now so this “couple” can fix their problem. Your mom needs you at home’ Idris said humorously and chuckled

‘You’re not funny’ I said emotionlessly. He winked at me as a reply

‘Daddy, when Is my little brother gonna come out from mummy’s stomach so we can both fight the wicked queen?’ Idris scratched his head sheepishly

‘He still have four months to go honey cake’

‘The fairy queen is wicked, why won’t she let my brother go’ Kenzie said annoyingly

‘Fairy queen?’ AJ asked amusedly

‘Yes. Daddy said that the wicked fairy queen trapped the real Prince in mummy’s stomach so we have to wait for him to harness his full powers and burst free then me and him will destroy the queen and take back his kingdoms’ Kenzie said excitedly. AJ cocked her hips and smiled amusedly

‘You don’t say’

‘I have powers too but daddy said my powers will only come when baby brother is born’

‘Of all the things Idris, fairy queen?’ I said laughingly. It sounded so funny knowing he bragged about him never liking fairytale or even dare to talk about it

‘You don’t expect me to tell her the stuff right’ he said sheepishly. AJ was laughing seriously as she sat on the floor

‘What’s funny?’ Kenzie asked suspiciously

‘It’s a victory laugh honey. You will surely win the battle’ Idris lied sharply

‘The battle he already won in bedtopia’ AJ laughed. Idris went crimson

‘Daddy, what’s bedtopia?’ Kenzie asked curiously

‘It’s a…’

‘Pleasure paradise’ I cut in and he gasped

‘Goodness sake Lucien! She’s just four’ he exclaimed

‘Pleasure paradise can be anything’ I said shrugging nonchalantly

‘If Benedictine hears of this I’m dead so shut up please’ he pleaded lowly.

‘Weirdos’ Kenzie muttered and walked to the door. ‘Bye aunty Strawberry’ she shouted. ‘Do you want me to tell you to move before you move?’ She asked Idris naggingly while tapping her foot impatiently

‘Benedictine this second’ he murmured and stood up. ‘Kenzie I’m your father so do what I say and stop imitating your mother’ he said sternly

‘Sorry daddy. Please carry me’ she said cutely. He smiled and carried her

‘You’re so cute’ he cooed pinching her cheek. She giggled. ‘Bye Little fish and brother in-law’ he said jestingly and walked out

‘Wow! That was funny’ AJ exclaimed, I nodded in agreement. Idris and I really got close, he’s like a best friend to me. ‘Do we have a daughter?’ AJ asked calmly standing up from the floor

‘N…n…n…no’ I shuttered. She nodded and averted her eyes to David who was jogging into the living room

‘Her things are upstairs now. Please don’t lose control’ he said warningly. I nodded understandably. He smiled pinched her cheek and jogged out

‘Creep’ she muttered. I took her hand and led her up upstairs. ‘Your house is beautiful. Did you design it yourself?’

‘My mom did’ I replied sadly

‘Why are you sad?’

‘My mom’s dead. Don’t let that bother you’ I sighed. He pouted and looked at the silver ceiling

‘Why don’t we had a child yet?’ She shocked me yet again with another unexpected question.

Note to self: never lie because it only leads you to even bigger ones

‘We haven’t had sex yet’ I blunted out stupidly. She halted on the stairs

‘I thought I was your wife?’

‘You are not’ I said truthfully

‘I know’ she smiled sadly moving her hand from mine

‘I’m sorry I lied okay, I was just…I don’t know’ I said exasperatingly

‘What really am I to you? Please be honest. I’m trying hard to get use to this. Everything and everyone is so new and it’s terrifying. I don’t know who or what I am, how I used to live my life. Am I a bad person? Did I like pink? What’s my favourite color? Do I like music? Am I a dancer? Did I love you?’ She said tearfully. ‘I’m scared’

‘Hey listen to me. You’re not a bad person, you never were and never will. You were my beautiful kindhearted stubborn girlfriend, the second most cheerful person I’ve ever met. You were smart, strong and above all, sophisticated and those are some if the many reason why I love you’ I said sweetly holding her cheeks

‘Really?’

‘Really really’ I smiled. She giggled and hugged me. Giggler.

‘Promise you won’t lie to me again?’

‘I promise’ she stood up straight

‘Good because I want to know everything you know about me, how we met, how we started dating, what our relationship was like and how I ended up in a hospital’ she said seriously. I swallowed. ‘Remember, no lying’

‘Okay. Just take your bath and eat first then I’ll tell you everything’

‘Promise?’

‘Cross my heart’ I said playfully crossing my heart. She smiled

‘Now carry me to my room dear boyfriend’ she squealed jumping into my arms almost making me lose my balance.

Can I really tell her the truth? Won’t she hate me?

God help me

To be continued

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