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The first thing he noticed was the silence. It was too quiet. Something was amiss but he could not say what it was. He put the car in reverse and parked properly in the exact spot he has always parked for the past five years since they had bought this house for them. He and his soulmate, Adaora. Even after twelve years of marriage, he couldn't believe that she had agreed to marry him. With all his flaws. He said a quick prayer and got out of the car, locked it, and walked to the house. But that feeling persisted. That feeling of something being wrong.
"Musa!", he called the gateman. "Yes Oga!", came Musa's reply as he ran towards his boss. "Why is the house quiet? Where did everyone go to?", he inquired. "Oga I no know o. Na madam sister I see when e carry the pikin them comot for madam motor for afternoon sir." Musa replied. That explains it. He looked at his wristwatch, a Presidential Rolex his wife had given him for his 39th birthday. It said the time was 3:14pm. The kids would have been making noises if they were at home. He smiled as he went into the house. Those rug rats! They were his miracles.
"Sunshine...", he called. That's what he calls her. She came into his life and there was a difference. Good difference. Getting no reply, he went up to their room. "Sunshine, how ar...", he stopped mid-sentence. Lying on the floor, eyes squeezed shut, tear-stained face, rolled up on the floor in nothing but her bathrobe, was his Sunshine. "Jesus! Jesus!!..", he was screaming. No! This can't be happening. He picked her up and, carrying her down the stairs, he screamed for Musa to open the gate. This can't be happening! Not yet. The doctors said that there was time and hope. With Musa's help, they put her in the backseat of the Benz while he went round to the driver's seat. He peeled off the compound like wolves from Hell were after him. He placed a call to the doctors simultaneously as he manoeuvred his way through traffic.
He made it to the hospital in record time. Two nurses were waiting with a gurney. He had barely parked the car before he got out. They had the back door of the car open and were already bringing his wife out. He joined them as they ran into the hospital as fast as they could. Straight to the Examination Room where the doctors were waiting. One of the nurses stopped him at the door to the Examination Room. He has been through this so many times through the past ten years when the first results had come out after diagnosis. And through that time, Adaora had slowly shrunk before him.
He was tired. Taking care of the twins had fallen on him and he has done his best to protect and provide for them all. Recently, the visits have become more frequent and he was scared. They had tried every treatment possible, yet no cure. He was really tired, but he could not stop fighting to save her; his wife, his friend, the mother of his kids, his soulmate. About ten minutes later, Dr. Ighodaro, who always has a smile on her face, came out of the examination room without any smiles. This is bad, he thought. "How bad is it?", he asked. "Please come with me to my office Mr. Jeff", she replied.
- The Lady
“Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:”
Job 4:15
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