THE PUZZLE
Episode 19 & 20
TO SAVE ROSELINE
David got home in no time. He parked and rushed out of the car with t©p speed, while Debbie tagged along. Almost immediately, another car arrived and parked behind David’s car. The driver c@m£ out. David turned around to see who it was, and found out that it was the same man at the restaurant. David had no time to query him . He held Debbie and rushed in. Evelyn was still inside waiting impatiently. He saw his wife on the floor and felt sorry for leaving home, tears clouded his eyes as he bent to check if she was still breathing. He found out she wasn’t dead yet. “Thank you Jesus,” he whispered. He carried Rose in his arms and dashed out of the house. Bearing her nearly lifeless b©dy in his arms right now brou-ght to mind memories of their wedding day. He realised how much he had been distant from his dear wife. When last did he hold her in his arms like this?
“Let her not die oh God,” he prayed.
“plea-se Evelyn, keep Debbie with you till we are back from the hospital,” he pleaded.
“No problem,” Evelyn replied in tears
They got outside and saw Michael still waiting.
“Oh my God!” Michael exclaimed immediately he set his eyes on Rose.
“Roseline?” Is this a dream or what? So, she is your wife?” He quic-kly ran to them as they approached the car.
“Get out of my way, you this troublesome man. You claimed to be the father of my daughter not too long ago, now you know my wife? Disappear right now before I call the police
. I don’t have your time…”
“plea-se hold on, I know her. Her mum was brou-ght to my hospital last week when she had an accident, I was the one that treated her. Isn’t her mum Mrs Edwards? I am a medical doctor. plea-se what happened to her?”
“Really?” David asked now helpless. He really nee-ds the help of a medical personnel right now. “plea-se check her, plea-se.”
“Let her lie,” Michael ordered.
They placed her on the rear seat of her husband’s car. Michael felt her pulse…
“quic-k! It’s an emergency! Follow me right away.”
They both entered their cars and sped to Fountain hospital.
Roseline was immediately wheeled into the emergency room. Her pulse was getting weaker. Doctor Michael did all he could to save her…
AT THE HOSPITAL RECEPTION AREA
David waited impatiently for the doctor. He kept praying that God should revive his wife. “Let her not die Lord,” he prayed. He walked around the reception room, then sat down when he grew tired.
Memories of Rose c@m£ rushing back at him. He remembered the day he proposed to her, how they had both struggled when he was doing meagre jobs to cater for the family. Rose, was the kind of woman that endured with her husband. There was never a time she ran to her parents for help. She believed they could work things out together. She supported her husband with her salary. They had both managed throu-gh thick and thin before God elevated David and expanded his business…
“Jesus, have mercy.
. Rose must not die. plea-se Lord, she is all I have, I promise to be there for her from now. I will try to be a better husband…”
He picked his phone and s£nt a short SMS to Pastor Daniel.
“My wife is in the emergency room in the hospital, plea-se we nee-d your prayers.”
He sighed as he checked the time again.
Few minutes later, the doctor walked into the reception room. He moved slowly to where David sat. David quic-kly stood up and asked after his wife’s condition.
The doctor sighed, then replied
“I don’t know how it happened but I discovered she drank some toxic chemicals, probably some disinfectants. It has really affected her internal organs… He paused and sighed again, he was sweating despite the cool atmosphere.
“Talk to me doctor,” David replied running out of patience.
“I am really sorry sir, we lost her.”
“You lost who? Nooooooooo!” David screamed. “Roseline cannot die. I am finished!”
Episode 20
IT’S A DREAM!
A soft tap on David’s shoulder woke him up. He opened his eyes and quic-kly sprang to his feet as soon as he remembered where he was.
“What did you say happened doctor?” He shouted.
“I didn’t say anything yet sir. I met you slee-ping… Well I just c@m£ to tell you…”
“Nooooo, doctor! Don’t break that news to me . It can never happen. My wife shall not die but live in Jesus name…”
“Amen!” The doctor replied baffled by David’s strange reaction.
“Calm down Mr. David, your wife is fine now. She has been moved to the female pri-vate ward B. You can go and check on her now, though she is still asleep because of the medications I gave her…”
“Wait doctor, how about the poison, has it been flu-shed out?” David interrupted quic-kly.
“Poison? She took no poison. She only pas-sed out as a result of too much physical and probably psychological stress which her pres£nt condition could not withstand. But she’s fine now. Her foetus is okay too. No complications whatsoever.”
“Oh thanks doctor. I am grateful.” David replied excitedly when he realised that he had only been dreaming.
“Thanks doctor Michael, I am so grateful. And I am sorry about what happened earlier today
. But how come my daughter resemble yours so much?”
“Well, I cannot explain either. It’s such a mystery but let’s talk about that later. Go and check on your wife now, I know you are dying to see her but don’t disturb her sleep plea-se, she nee-ds to rest”
“Okay doctor, I promise not to. I will see you later in your office.”
David went straight to ward B where Rose was placed. She was fast asleep. He moved slowly to her and felt her forehead.
“Rose, plea-se get well soon. I promise to be a better and more available husband and father. As for the r0m@nç£you often complained about, I promise to adjust okay?”
He sat on a chair beside the be-d and held her right hand firmly as if he would never let go…
*******************
Meanwhile, Nurse Loveth had seen Roseline when she was wheeled into the hospital. Her heart pounded fas-ter immediately she sighted her. “This woman again, what happened to her?” She thought. Since the time she saw her, Loveth had lost concentration. The scene where one of Rose’s twin was sold to another woman kept coming back to her and she lost her peace.
Then, an idea struck her. She had been working with Dr Michael for sometime now and she was very sure that he is a very nice man. She could confide in him. She decided to tell him about her secret, peradventure he may have one or two ideas about how she could go about her confession to Mr and Mrs Evans.
She had made her findings about Dr Johnson, the doctor that sold one of the twins, she discovered that he had died about a year ago. Meaning that she is the only one alive that knows about this secret. Another thing is that Dr Johnson’s death denotes that there is a very slim chance of getting the other twin to her parent except if fate can bring them back to each other.
She contemplated on whether to still confess or not since the person that might know the whereabouts of the other child is no more alive. But something within her tells her that she would still come in contact with the woman that bought the baby.
. She sighed and determined to confess to regain her peace and rest her conscience.
She walked to the CMD’s office and knocked on the door. She opened the door slowly.
“I want to see you doctor and it is very important sir.”
“Yes, Loveth.” Michael answered. He was still brooding over the resemblance between Daniella and Debbie. She was about to dial Eliz’s number so as to speak with Daniella when Loveth knocked on his door.
“Nurse Loveth, I hope all is well? He inquired. He strongly hoped she was not planning to resign. Loveth is one of his best staff at Fountain hospital, he would really feel her abs£nce if she eventually leaves him.
“Urmmmhgh!” Loveth cleared her throat. “There is something I really nee-d to tell you doctor… “