MADAME DORIS P.O.V
I watched my husband's eyes pulp. He held the receiver at a death grip. What was the matter now? I stood up from the chair and dropped the Egusi I was peeling on the floor.
I gave him a sign to tell me what was the matter, but he didn't answer me.
"We will be there,” he told the person.
I jumped the gun when he hung up.
"What happened?" I asked him in panic.
He grabbed his car keys. "Gaby is in the hospital," he said bitterly.
I gasped and quickly removed the apron on my waist.
“Oh my God! It's all my fault. If I talked to my husband more about taking Gaby to a boarding school, this 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CDCuOJZEZ
wouldn't have happened,” I rued.
I raced after him because he was already out the door. I quickly locked it and entered into the car. It's like the pastor knew this would happen, and hence he came over today.
Tears spilt from my eyes. "It's all my fault. I could have stopped you from making such a decision but I didn't," I said as shame washed over me.
"Don't say that, honey. If there is anyone to blame, it's me. I would try to be a good husband and father to both of my angels, from now on," he stated solemnly, holding my hand with his right one.
Thirty minutes after, we were at the hospital. Luckily, it was St Peter's hospital, our hospital. We sprinted into a 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOB3TICCNOc
run. Getting to the receptionist, we queried about our daughter's state.
"We are the parents of Gabriela Endurance Adugo Achortam," my husband reeled off.
"Wait awhile." She checked something in the computer. My husband squeezed my hand in support.
"That's Ward 222. It's along the root over there," she pointed at the narrow lane adjacent to the place we were.
My husband and I ran to that area anxiously. There we saw one girl and the principal of Gabriela's school standing outside Gaby's door. The girl looked sad. My husband and I took notice and so exchanged looks. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Pv8fPHDVE
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"Good day, sir," my husband greeted. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALSFECy9Ui
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"Nice to see you too," Mr Ajetumobi gave way for my husband and I to enter the Ward. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDd1bgTfrO
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I gasped when Nonso opened the door. My baby was hooked on drips and oxygen. My eyes blurred with 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sneLpFHSB
tears. She looked so pale and weak. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttzrsCtqLI
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My husband held me close as I sobbed. We walked to her bed. At the bed, my husband took her hand into his. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ494W6vmDuU
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"You are going to be alright, OK? The Lord will heal you. You remember Psalm 23; it's going to be your portion. You are the light of the world. The world is waiting for you to shine. Don't let the devil pull you under." My husband spoke faith-filled words to her. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvk62s3eIZ6
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I found myself believing those words and I knew we were coming out of that situation as a team, with Jesus as our leader. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGqYSBecbF
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I touched his shoulder. "We are coming out of this,” I encouraged him in the Lord.
He smiled at me and I smiled back. Lowering his head to match my baby's figure, he pecked her on the forehead.569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDT8Fb5rJ9e
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"Be strong for us, Gaby. You are our strong, little girl. Hold your hand with Jesus, don't let go," I said with tears in my eyes. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAiJqdh9o4
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I also pecked her on the forehead. Thereafter, Nonso and I walked out of her Ward. The principal and the girl were still outside Gabriela ward. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CLxewkrEL
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"What happened?" My husband asked. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0kTEGE00H
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"It's Chisom that can say that," Mr Ajetumobi explained. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaadbxTyNuo
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We all turned our attention to the little girl. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLmQgbkLbZ
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"Please, don't get mad at me," she pleaded. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFwqqN96jx
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"We won't. So speak up," I encouraged her. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFh6yVzdOLu
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"Since she became a boarder, she has been withdrawn and is always on her own. She and her roommate doesn't flow at all. I took a liking to her and always came to talk with her. But each time I came, she drove me away from her. Yet I was relentless. Until today..." Fresh tears spilt from her eyes. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqveMbwYRF
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"It's OK, child."
"It's all my fault. I couldn't see she needed space and now see what I have done. She fainted in front of me during the heated conversation between us," she sobbed harder. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTYPqCtvue
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I placed my hand on her shoulder. "It's ok," I placated her. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBqqhXUvrR
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"Yea, it's not your fault. She has Autism," Nonso spilled the beans. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zp9BtVlah
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I glared at him. How could he say that? The little girl didn't need to know about that, I said under my breath. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKgGtBjXJE
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"What's Autism?" She queried. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50pbrwONFK
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"Forget that…," I said. I was about to say more...but the doctor arrived. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87yGqdnkwi
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"Thank God you are here. Can I speak with you privately?" He requested. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBITQmboQT
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We nodded and followed him to his office. We sat down on the foamy chair. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh75BJjxC03
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"Why is she a boarder?" The doctor queried. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAr4he4dTG
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I watched my husband swallow hard.569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzm4EYdjVWK
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He began."It was all my idea. I thought it was going to help her interact more with people.” He was shamefaced because of that decision.
"And you didn't remember to tell me about it?" The doctor asked. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgk5Euk1oj
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"I am sorry," my husband said weakly. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQ6bW98F2c
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"It's alright. She needs love and not to feel like she has been locked up in the hostel. It's not done," he sighed and then continued. "As of now, she hasn't woken up. Go and pray she wakes up. I would do my best as a doctor, but God is the greatest doctor," he said emphatically. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cLs8Lyozv
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"Thank you, doctor," my husband said. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60QeyKDJUT
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"She will be fine," he said calmly. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wjotyUdr0
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We nodded and left his office. Oh God! Let her live.569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vvOVawxM4
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"I will now listen to your words from now on," my husband promised. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGqOE3pjY3
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I smiled at him. "We all made a mistake. And I believe God is going to teach us better as we serve Him more. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtsH7EH9zE
Our daughter will be healed," I said with conviction. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzykywhdsH
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"I am sure she would," he said and pulled me into a hug. When we got to the Ward, the principal was still there. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYvwy701Uj
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"Sir, the doctor has reassured us she would be fine. I will have to remove her from boarding school and reverse her to a day student," my husband announced his decision to him. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxzfh8nI2O
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"No problem. I will go and reshuffle the process. If you will excuse me," Mr Ajetumobi said. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2F14hXPqr
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"Sure," my husband said. 569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXG7octnMq
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Turning to me, Nonso said, "it's going to be alright.” That was the boost I needed.
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