EPISODE 31 – THE BRIDEGLOOM
XANDRA: good morning, sir
MANAGER: Morning, doctor Xandra. How are you?
XANDRA: I’m fine, thanks. Just wanted to ask if you could plea-se approve my annual leave.
MANAGER: from when are you looking at?
XANDRA: from the 20th, sir
MANAGER: Really ti-ght this time. We are so short staffed this time. Could I ask you to move it to the first week of March, if you don’t mind?
XANDRA: sir, I’ve alre-ady booked my flight ticket to London for the 22nd. Here it is (shows him her ticket)
MANAGER: ermmm, doctor Xandra. May I ask why you want to spend your leave in London?
XANDRA: that’s where I normally spend my annual leave, sir. Besides, I have the right to choose where I spend my holiday!
MANAGER: of course you do and I’ll approve your leave. You are entitled to it. Ermmm, be aware that I am aware of the conflict of interest between you and Madam Nnenna’s son.
I am also aware that she has been flown abroad. London to be precise and you gave them every supporting do¢v-ment for their visa application
That is all okay, but what is not okay, is for you to disclose any of your patient’s health history to a third p@rty without the due cons£nt of that very patient
Without decorating the s£ntence, the punishment for that is that you will lose your licence to practice. I’m sure you know this but I felt I should remind you just in case they are starting to escape from your memory.
XANDRA: There is nothing more than doctor patient relationsh!pbetween us. I don’t know why people are as-suming there is! My sister lives in London and it’s not the first time I travelling to London. I would appreciate it if I am not reminded of my professional ethics daily.
I committed it to memory five odd years ago!
This is driving sanity out of me!!
MANAGER: alright, Xandra I’ll approve your leave.
XANDRA: Thanks!
*************************************************
NINA: wow! I haven’t been here for a long time. Did you do some renovations?
CHARLOTTE: No, we only changed the curtains. What would you like to drink?
NINA: wine, plea-se
CHARLOTTE: red or white?
NINA: red, plea-se. So what’s up? Has Deric called to say they landed safely? I don’t even un-derstand why he is spending that much money on a woman who is well into her seventies!
CHARLOTTE: my dear, Deric is tied to his mum’s apron strings. I think the midwives forgot to cut the umbilical cord between them at birth. You nee-d to see how panicky he gets whenever he gets a call from that hospital.
He said they landed safe anyway.
NINA: So, how was he able to raise the bill?
CHARLOTTE: Hmmm! He went to a colleague of his who is now a politician and cried to him. He gave him up to six million naira for bill.
NINA: and you didn’t bother to get the politician’s number from him so that I’ll give him some living water ????
CHARLOTTE: hahahaha! You are wicked! How many people have you pas-sed your living water to?
NINA: I’ve lost count, my dear. And I don’t feel bad about it. The one that made me a bit sad was this man I sle-pt with two nights ago. He has such a lovely family but his wife just put to be-d and I think she bec@m£ more focused on the baby. He told me he feels pushed out. I told him I will make him feel pushed in??????
CHARLOTTE: hahaha! You are wicked!! How do you sleep at night!??
NINA: Like a baby?
CHARLOTTE: There is this man down our street that has been disturbing me for a long time now. We are going on a d@t£ tomorrow and guess where he is taking me? To a h0tel!
NINA: make sure you get enough money off him and then bless his life with the living water???
So, does Deric have it now?
CHARLOTTE: hmmmm! Girlfriend! He doesn’t. I did my best. Twice we were nearly at it when he was called from the hospital and he ran off.
One night I spent the night with them at the hospital and When everyone sle-pt and the ward was quiet, I tried my luck, dude took me outside and seriously warned me. Even accused me of not having any respect for his mum. He was right anyway!
NINA: You didn’t try ha-rd enough! Meanwhile, I’ve got an interview on Monday in this nursery and primary school. Only kids whose parents are super duper rich attend it.
Can’t wait to gr-ab myself a sugar daddy??? more wine, plea-se!??
***********************************************
NURSERY TEACHER: I am Tatiana’s teacher and I heard what happened and decided to come and sympathise with you. plea-se sir, accept my de-epest condolences
MR AMBROSE: thank you, my dear. plea-se have a seat.
NURSERY TEACHER: I learnt she pas-sed away giving birth
MR AMBROSE: not really. She was ran over by a car. The baby luckily survived but she couldn’t…??
NURSERY TEACHER: where are the kids?
MR AMBROSE: my mum took them. They’ll be with her while I run around for the funeral preparations . She pas-sed away in Abuja so I go there once a week to see her b©dy. We are looking at next week for the funeral
NURSERY TEACHER: awwww! I had thought I would see them to say goodbye to them because I’m leaving and another teacher is coming
MR AMBROSE: are you serious! Why??
NURSERY TEACHER: I’m getting married sir, and my husband to be wants me to move to portharcourt so he found me a job there
MR AMBROSE: oh! They’ll miss you. She doesn’t st©p talking about you. Well, I wish you well in your marriage.
Always listen to and believe your spouse above any other person.
Don’t believe any rumours even with compelling evidence.
Shut the entire world out of your marriage.
God bless your new home.
NURSERY TEACHER: awwww! Thank you, sir. I will remember all you said and I pray you heal soon. I hope the new teacher they get treats them well.
MR AMBROSE: give me a minute plea-se.(goes upstairs and writes a cheque in the sum of one hundred thousand naira)
Erm, if things were not this horrible for me, my entire family would have s£nt you off properly and attended your wedding.
Though I didn’t have much contact with you, my late wife, kids and their nanny spoke so highly of you. plea-se take this little token on behalf of my entire family. ?
NURSERY TEACHER: oh No, sir! You can’t do this! Not this time around. Madam was such a down to earth woman. She would wait for me to get done so she’ll drop me home. This n£¢klace I have on me was given to me by her for a birthday pres£nt last year. She was an angel. May her soul rest in peace.
MR AMBROSE: Amen. plea-se take this from me.
NURSERY TEACHER : (Takes the cheque ) thank
you, sir. God bless you abundantly. Thank you!?
EPISODE 32 – THE BRIDEGLOOM
MR AMBROSE:???? hello, Judith. I’m five minutes away from your house. If you could plea-se wait for me at the gate so I don’t have to drive in.
JUDITH: plea-se come in and have a cu-p of coffee before we go. I beg of you.
MR AMBROSE: I had one at the h0tel before leaving. Sorry, I would come in some other day.
I nee-d to go back to Abuja this morning. My mum called to say that Tatiana has been unwell and having nightmares….
(When Ambrose got the the gate, Judith was alre-ady waiting, so she got into the car and they made their way to the hospital where Chioma pas-sed away)
MR AMBROSE: sorry, I couldn’t come in. I’ll do next time
JUDITH: sir, I nearly did not recognise You! I un-derstand what you are going throu-gh but you really have lost weight drastically!
MR AMBROSE: (smiles) I wish I lost weight and not Chioma. There’s never a night that she isn’t in my dreams being the normal her with me. And when I wake up and realise it was all a dream, reality disgusts me!
If not for these poor kids she left behind, I would have done the nee-dful and bring it all to a halt!
JUDITH: plea-se don’t even think it. Every time I’ve seen her in my dreams, she looks absolutely beautiful and happy.
MR AMBROSE: has she said anything to you in your dreams?
JUDITH: not really but each time I’ve seen her, she had a letter in her hand. The last time I saw her which was two nights ago, she told me she was going to the post office to post a letter.
I asked after her baby, she said you were looking after him.
MR AMBROSE: hmmmm! Must be the letter we are getting today then. Gosh! Can’t believe my wife can only be seen in dreams now! (Starts crying???)
JUDITH: plea-se sir, take it easy and stay strong for your kids. How is the boy doing?
MR AMBROSE: doing very well. Such a strong little man full of smiles like Chioma
(They finally got to the hospital and asked to see the doctor who has the letters. The receptionist asked them to take a seat while she contacts him. After about seven minutes, the doctor c@m£ to the reception)
DOCTOR: I kept looking at you from the corridor and doubting it was You! What’s going on sir! You look a mess!
MR AMBROSE: good morning, doctor.
DOCTOR: I’m worried about you, sir. Are you eating and slee-ping at all?
MR AMBROSE: sometimes…
DOCTOR: that is not good enough! You must look after yourself, sir. You really must! Aside getting really badly depressed, you may come down with anorexia if you carry on like this. You really don’t want that to happen.
MR AMBROSE: I’m doing my best. I’ll be fine. Well I hope.
JUDITH: good morning, doctor
DOCTOR: morning, Judy. Hope you are looking after yourself?
JUDITH: I’m doing my best, doctor
DOCTOR: perfect! Ermm, to the business of the day. I have to strictly stick to the rules of this very wish. We don’t and shouldn’t joke with someone’s death wish.
Mr Ambrose, your late wife instructed I re-ad the letters to you and Chioma differently. They are two different letters anyway. So if you could plea-se come with me. Judith, it will be your turn after him. Alright, guys?
MR AMBROSE: sure!
(Mr Ambrose followed the doctor into his office, sat down and he brou-ght out the letter)
DOCTOR: once again, let me sympathise with you on the death of your wife. plea-se accept my condolences and may Chioma’s soul rest in peace.
MR AMBROSE: Amen. Thanks, doctor.
DOCTOR: here is the letter and I shall re-ad it out for you and then hand it to you. Is that okay?
MR AMBROSE: sure.
THE LETTER
Dearly beloved husband, by the time you’ll
Be re-ading this letter, I will be flying with the
Angels but be sure I will be smiling at you
From heaven. I will be brief because I can
Feel life gradually going out of me. I am
Getting weak but my spirit is getting strong
I know you will realise that I never cheated on
You. I hope our son evidences that. I hope he is
The spitting image of you.
I gave Deric that money just to help him with
rent. Something you would have done for
anyone anyway.
I apologise for not telling you
You were so loving. The little problems we had
Never changed who you are to me
So dear husband, do not feel guilty at my death
You gave me a great life
But if you truly love me like you told me the night
I possibly got pregnant with Tatiana, plea-se marry Judith my friend. Do not s£nd Kate away
But make Judith the mother of my children.
I trust her more to look after my kids. This is
The only thing I want from you. Give me this last gift and let me rest in peace.
St©p the tears
It does no good
St©p the blames
You are blameless
St©p hurting
I hurt no more
Give me a very quiet and simple funeral
plea-se do not let the kids see my b©dy
I want them to remember me with
My smiling face and not a likely
Ugly and scary face I might
Wear at death.
I love you my beloved husband.
MR AMBROSE: ???? I love you, Chioma. You have given me a very difficult task! I don’t know if I can do it??? why didn’t you stay and raise your own kids! God why!!!!!!!!!????? I don’t think i want to be married to any other woman! I have no love left to give to another woman! I can’t love again!!!!! I can’t????
DOCTOR: sir, your wife just told you not to cry for her anymore! plea-se respect her death wishes.
MR AMBROSE: can I have the letter, plea-se. I shall laminate it and show it to the kids when they are old enough.
(The doctor gave him the letter and he went to the reception and Judith went into the doctor’s office)
DOCTOR: sit down plea-se. Chioma left a letter for you and I am just going to re-ad it out for you and then hand it over to you. Are you re-ady?
JUDITH: ???yes, doctor I am.
DOCTOR: well, you are not. You just started shedding tears! Do you want me to give you some time?
JUDITH: no doctor, I can’t ju….st he..l.p. it! She was such a lovely lady and my best friend and sister???
DOCTOR: I un-derstand but she would like you to be strong.
JUDITH: I’m re-ady now, doctor. (Wipes the tears off her face)
DOCTOR: okay!
THE LETTER
Judy the girl!!!!
Now, wipe those tears. I know you
Will be crying your beautiful heart
Out. Come on! I am no longer in pain
Remember the story I told you about
a lady whose friend asked to marry
Her husband when she dies? Hahahaha!
It was all made up! But I just suddenly
Thought of my kids and what would
Happen to them in the event of death
Now, it looks like death has come for me
Darling, I am getting weak de-ep down.
Not sure I will survive this accident, but if
I do, we will laugh over this letter.
If I don’t, plea-se treat as serious! Very serious
By the way, I forgive the man who knocked me down. If he shows up, just let him go. Do not prosecute him. Tell Ambrose
My last wish from you is that you marry my
Husband and be our children’s new mum
I know its difficult. You want your own new
Man with no kids. But Ambrose is very young
And kindhearted. He will look after you. He is a
Very loving husband. No young man out there
Will treat you better! I promise you
Don’t care what anyone says, do this for me
One more thing, Ambrose will not make the
First move, I am giving that job to you.
Get him to do it somehow. Ask him out!
Propose to him if possible. I know you
Are a church girl and won’t want to lure
Him to be-d. Do It your way and make me happy.
plea-se do not wear black to my funeral and remind your new husband that I do not
Want a flamboyant funeral.
Just one thing, jazz music must be pla-ying
When I’m being lowered.
I am resting in peace alre-ady. No nee-d to tell me that.
The cry don do. You never cry enough? Abeg!
Love you so much my best friend and sister
Many many thanks!
(Mr Ambrose dropped Judith to her house and none of them said a word to the other about the letters..)
To be continuedEPISODE 32 – THE BRIDEGLOOM
MR AMBROSE:???? hello, Judith. I’m five minutes away from your house. If you could plea-se wait for me at the gate so I don’t have to drive in.
JUDITH: plea-se come in and have a cu-p of coffee before we go. I beg of you.
MR AMBROSE: I had one at the h0tel before leaving. Sorry, I would come in some other day.
I nee-d to go back to Abuja this morning. My mum called to say that Tatiana has been unwell and having nightmares….
(When Ambrose got the the gate, Judith was alre-ady waiting, so she got into the car and they made their way to the hospital where Chioma pas-sed away)
MR AMBROSE: sorry, I couldn’t come in. I’ll do next time
JUDITH: sir, I nearly did not recognise You! I un-derstand what you are going throu-gh but you really have lost weight drastically!
MR AMBROSE: (smiles) I wish I lost weight and not Chioma. There’s never a night that she isn’t in my dreams being the normal her with me. And when I wake up and realise it was all a dream, reality disgusts me!
If not for these poor kids she left behind, I would have done the nee-dful and bring it all to a halt!
JUDITH: plea-se don’t even think it. Every time I’ve seen her in my dreams, she looks absolutely beautiful and happy.
MR AMBROSE: has she said anything to you in your dreams?
JUDITH: not really but each time I’ve seen her, she had a letter in her hand. The last time I saw her which was two nights ago, she told me she was going to the post office to post a letter.
I asked after her baby, she said you were looking after him.
MR AMBROSE: hmmmm! Must be the letter we are getting today then. Gosh! Can’t believe my wife can only be seen in dreams now! (Starts crying???)
JUDITH: plea-se sir, take it easy and stay strong for your kids. How is the boy doing?
MR AMBROSE: doing very well. Such a strong little man full of smiles like Chioma
(They finally got to the hospital and asked to see the doctor who has the letters. The receptionist asked them to take a seat while she contacts him. After about seven minutes, the doctor c@m£ to the reception)
DOCTOR: I kept looking at you from the corridor and doubting it was You! What’s going on sir! You look a mess!
MR AMBROSE: good morning, doctor.
DOCTOR: I’m worried about you, sir. Are you eating and slee-ping at all?
MR AMBROSE: sometimes…
DOCTOR: that is not good enough! You must look after yourself, sir. You really must! Aside getting really badly depressed, you may come down with anorexia if you carry on like this. You really don’t want that to happen.
MR AMBROSE: I’m doing my best. I’ll be fine. Well I hope.
JUDITH: good morning, doctor
DOCTOR: morning, Judy. Hope you are looking after yourself?
JUDITH: I’m doing my best, doctor
DOCTOR: perfect! Ermm, to the business of the day. I have to strictly stick to the rules of this very wish. We don’t and shouldn’t joke with someone’s death wish.
Mr Ambrose, your late wife instructed I re-ad the letters to you and Chioma differently. They are two different letters anyway. So if you could plea-se come with me. Judith, it will be your turn after him. Alright, guys?
MR AMBROSE: sure!
(Mr Ambrose followed the doctor into his office, sat down and he brou-ght out the letter)
DOCTOR: once again, let me sympathise with you on the death of your wife. plea-se accept my condolences and may Chioma’s soul rest in peace.
MR AMBROSE: Amen. Thanks, doctor.
DOCTOR: here is the letter and I shall re-ad it out for you and then hand it to you. Is that okay?
MR AMBROSE: sure.
THE LETTER
Dearly beloved husband, by the time you’ll
Be re-ading this letter, I will be flying with the
Angels but be sure I will be smiling at you
From heaven. I will be brief because I can
Feel life gradually going out of me. I am
Getting weak but my spirit is getting strong
I know you will realise that I never cheated on
You. I hope our son evidences that. I hope he is
The spitting image of you.
I gave Deric that money just to help him with
rent. Something you would have done for
anyone anyway.
I apologise for not telling you
You were so loving. The little problems we had
Never changed who you are to me
So dear husband, do not feel guilty at my death
You gave me a great life
But if you truly love me like you told me the night
I possibly got pregnant with Tatiana, plea-se marry Judith my friend. Do not s£nd Kate away
But make Judith the mother of my children.
I trust her more to look after my kids. This is
The only thing I want from you. Give me this last gift and let me rest in peace.
St©p the tears
It does no good
St©p the blames
You are blameless
St©p hurting
I hurt no more
Give me a very quiet and simple funeral
plea-se do not let the kids see my b©dy
I want them to remember me with
My smiling face and not a likely
Ugly and scary face I might
Wear at death.
I love you my beloved husband.
MR AMBROSE: ???? I love you, Chioma. You have given me a very difficult task! I don’t know if I can do it??? why didn’t you stay and raise your own kids! God why!!!!!!!!!????? I don’t think i want to be married to any other woman! I have no love left to give to another woman! I can’t love again!!!!! I can’t????
DOCTOR: sir, your wife just told you not to cry for her anymore! plea-se respect her death wishes.
MR AMBROSE: can I have the letter, plea-se. I shall laminate it and show it to the kids when they are old enough.
(The doctor gave him the letter and he went to the reception and Judith went into the doctor’s office)
DOCTOR: sit down plea-se. Chioma left a letter for you and I am just going to re-ad it out for you and then hand it over to you. Are you re-ady?
JUDITH: ???yes, doctor I am.
DOCTOR: well, you are not. You just started shedding tears! Do you want me to give you some time?
JUDITH: no doctor, I can’t ju….st he..l.p. it! She was such a lovely lady and my best friend and sister???
DOCTOR: I un-derstand but she would like you to be strong.
JUDITH: I’m re-ady now, doctor. (Wipes the tears off her face)
DOCTOR: okay!
THE LETTER
Judy the girl!!!!
Now, wipe those tears. I know you
Will be crying your beautiful heart
Out. Come on! I am no longer in pain
Remember the story I told you about
a lady whose friend asked to marry
Her husband when she dies? Hahahaha!
It was all made up! But I just suddenly
Thought of my kids and what would
Happen to them in the event of death
Now, it looks like death has come for me
Darling, I am getting weak de-ep down.
Not sure I will survive this accident, but if
I do, we will laugh over this letter.
If I don’t, plea-se treat as serious! Very serious
By the way, I forgive the man who knocked me down. If he shows up, just let him go. Do not prosecute him. Tell Ambrose
My last wish from you is that you marry my
Husband and be our children’s new mum
I know its difficult. You want your own new
Man with no kids. But Ambrose is very young
And kindhearted. He will look after you. He is a
Very loving husband. No young man out there
Will treat you better! I promise you
Don’t care what anyone says, do this for me
One more thing, Ambrose will not make the
First move, I am giving that job to you.
Get him to do it somehow. Ask him out!
Propose to him if possible. I know you
Are a church girl and won’t want to lure
Him to be-d. Do It your way and make me happy.
plea-se do not wear black to my funeral and remind your new husband that I do not
Want a flamboyant funeral.
Just one thing, jazz music must be pla-ying
When I’m being lowered.
I am resting in peace alre-ady. No nee-d to tell me that.
The cry don do. You never cry enough? Abeg!
Love you so much my best friend and sister
Many many thanks!
(Mr Ambrose dropped Judith to her house and none of them said a word to the other about the letters..)
To be continued