FOLA Season 2, Episode 3

Season 2, Episode 3. 

"Daddy, please stay with me"  I kept on calling to see if he will at least open his eyes. I kept on pushing the driver's seat from the back so as to hurry the driver. 

The question on your mind right now is the same as mine. No, not about the man I called dad for years oh, I mean how did the new man know about my wedding?

They lost contact when my family relocated to the small town at the outskirts of the main town. 

The first time this man would ever get to know me was when my name was everywhere as the best student in the state during my Junior secondary school days that led to my first scholarship. 

He heard the news and found a way to contact my mother. If not that he was among the persons my mother told when she gave birth to me, maybe he wouldn't have known my name or anything related to it.

Of course, the man respected my father's house and ministry. That was why he stayed far away from our home but that left us with no clue as to knowing him.

He has told my mother severally that he still loves her but fate wouldn't let them be together. Gabriel refused to get married on time with the hope that my mother will give up everything and come back to him.

Back then, he will drop by at mom's shop but he's not always noticed since my father is always going from work straight to church and everyone will meet at home later in the night.

On many occasions, he has seen the marks and scars on my mother's body due to the aggression of my father and how he won't stop beating my mother at the slightest opportunity. 

My mother's friend,Aunty Bimpe, knew about the friendship between my mom and Gabriel but she's not aware of the things that had gone down between the both of them.

Our wedding day was in 2 weeks when my mom's friend, aunty Bimpe met Gabriel at the store and from one conversation to another, she mentioned my wedding to him and he acted all excited about the whole thing.

He didn't discuss his intentions and plan with my mom's friend. Aunty Bimpe was supposed to be at my wedding that day but it falls at the same time they were having a burial ceremony of one of their grandpa in the village. 

Maybe if my mom's friend had been present that day, she could have stepped into the matter and not make the whole wedding day messy for me. 

"You see why I am always skeptical and selective when it comes to the affair of these children, see the shame Josh has brought to the family" and many more were the words coming out from Josh's dad's mouth. 

Josh's mom was trying to calm him down to find a means about everything but the shame the whole thing has brought already made Josh's Dad's mind to be made up and it's looking like no one can talk to him.

"We are calling this whole thing off, I can't let my son, my first son be married to a family that they don't know who is who" Josh's dad became more angry.

Tears swelled up my eyes and I couldn't help the situation as everything was beyond me. The pastor joined us at the hospital shortly and some few people from the church too.

They've contacted those at the reception about what had happened. The food and all that has been prepared got wasted as many people left the church for their houses while a few that could wait, waited to see how the whole drama would end. 

No one heard about Gabriel for that moment that we were at the hospital. We almost forgot that he was the reason for all the drama that happened or wait, should I say it's my mother that caused the drama?

Truth be told, how will my mother hide this big secret from all of us for this year and allow my dad to father another person's child? No, I still don't want to believe everything that is happening now is real.

"Walk down, turn left you'll see the restroom, you can go change your clothes there"  a nurse had described to me. One of my clothes for changing was inside a small bag that was inside the car.

All the time that I was running around, I didn't remember I was still in my wedding gown. No one even cared about that at that moment.

The two things in my mind was that my mother should say this is a lie and my dying dad should stay alive. I know how long he has been waiting for a day like this. The day he can hand over his daughter to a man after God's own heart. 

Dad has been in a coma for more than 3 hours now and I can see how nurses were running from one room to another.

My pastor and some of the church leaders were praying and pacing round the hospital lobby. 

"God, please intervene and destroy every work of the devil, let's pray down heaven to come and settle this matter and heal Mr Olanrewaju" the pastor had said as I kept looking at them from the railings close to the door.

I don't even know how to explain these feelings, I didn't remember that I haven't eaten since morning. In all that is happening right there, food was the least I could talk or think about. 

My mother had been trying to do some running around too. Part of the money some people had enveloped and gave to her had been spent on admitting my father alone.

The bill has been partially settled and what baffles me most is how nonchalant Josh's parents are towards everything on ground. 

Our wedding was on a Saturday and all through that day, we were at the hospital. My dad didn't still wake up but the doctor kept on giving us assurances that he will be fine.

"You know with God all things are possible right? We can only try our best and leave the rest to God" Dr Felix had told me and my mother that evening.

"My dear, manage to take something. I bought this for you '' one of my church mummies had brought pap and akara for me.

I wasn't sure I had the appetite for anything but I had to force myself to eat the food so that I could at least have a bit of strength. My mother refused to taste anything but I can hear her praying for forgiveness and restoration.

"My time is up, I have to leave and the next person who will take up will sign in shortly" Dr. Felix had said the following morning. 

He works most of the evening shift and he leaves once it's 6am so that the other person can take up from him from 6am to 6pm.

"Welcome Doctor... are you for real? Oh my God, you mean you work here?" I didn't know when I jumped from my seat as curiosity won't let me stop asking questions rather than worrying about my father that is dying. 

"You know him?" My mother asked as she saw my reaction. 

Who's the doctor?

Watch out for the next episode.