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 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEsygImIQm
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 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6Fb8rLoAL
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. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMifyGNtKNL
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHke37N61X
"Good day, sir," my husband greeted. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHAZyFCzBP
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqj7JuEmDRO
"Nice to see you too," Mr Ajetumobi gave way for my husband and I to enter the Ward. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKMIpTXXoo
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQw5XjvPeH
I gasped when Nonso opened the door. My baby was hooked on drips and oxygen. My eyes blurred with 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymIvNHfXO5
tears. She looked so pale and weak. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNIUTm8hBA
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTquIIhysg2
My husband held me close as I sobbed. We walked to her bed. At the bed, my husband took her hand into his. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2C4quSDbx
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1bnWgkFDe
"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. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJ98vEnvDn
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSqXbCLGac
I found myself believing those words and I knew we were coming out of that situation as a team, with Jesus as our leader. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGh2pBcsaRS
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyK8NBbEG9
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.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96sFlXe7rx
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuBfPdYy6p
"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. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TRI9FGxiA
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlFMfrFf76
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. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuza6ZAe62t
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gB4BRSrEP
"What happened?" My husband asked. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvu6WseTcU
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixhwtkoVDJ
"It's Chisom that can say that," Mr Ajetumobi explained. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mBWazx92d
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wSe7EB5Cm
We all turned our attention to the little girl. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoePbZf0jH
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhFq8mjl0E
"Please, don't get mad at me," she pleaded. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBgdxWpABL
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatMXHMlB9x
"We won't. So speak up," I encouraged her. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAQJrgCBtL
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAG6W2iI3RC
"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. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd62G4TF9vE
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5hyUYX0ad
"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. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbk2VbHuXPj
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctJ63DwcaM
I placed my hand on her shoulder. "It's ok," I placated her. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIRShM71PX
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPwVFibLyj
"Yea, it's not your fault. She has Autism," Nonso spilled the beans. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFbOcjeo5h
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrnJhiaynw
I glared at him. How could he say that? The little girl didn't need to know about that, I said under my breath. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Pfhn86qoy
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxabCNBUf3c
"What's Autism?" She queried. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mhcuVOnv0
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0D1tzr4yc
"Forget that…," I said. I was about to say more...but the doctor arrived. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3XNhdxD1J
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEqDjhwtGF
"Thank God you are here. Can I speak with you privately?" He requested. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKnwtWaJa0
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NpKuvMJYs
We nodded and followed him to his office. We sat down on the foamy chair. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8giPagao5q
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnajePW4ug
"Why is she a boarder?" The doctor queried. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgf8vlFHYD
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawhPBcpV8R
I watched my husband swallow hard.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLXOopr1g3
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4j5vy5215X
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. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBWdIWa3Py
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjHpllRGTg
"I am sorry," my husband said weakly. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXaOzmqkou
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSwF39bziH
"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. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqqFecdcqh
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYxbDcmVHU
"Thank you, doctor," my husband said. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SLO5sRFpY
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6f26pjPhqD
"She will be fine," he said calmly. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SSmufJ8Zn
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGqzOVXf8n
We nodded and left his office. Oh God! Let her live.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCDphQZdpL
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgNhBWq0nM
"I will now listen to your words from now on," my husband promised. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19gdWnJfLG
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeeBRHfcnu
I smiled at him. "We all made a mistake. And I believe God is going to teach us better as we serve Him more. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhjpYyNvgf
Our daughter will be healed," I said with conviction. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HyGi2L0c0
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0fYyetvXA
"I am sure she would," he said and pulled me into a hug. When we got to the Ward, the principal was still there. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooMTAFyh48
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aDa9tgi0T
"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. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXlVew8LgC
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX51vaTjkPg
"No problem. I will go and reshuffle the process. If you will excuse me," Mr Ajetumobi said. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkJeiew4d8
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyJ1W1DRu7
"Sure," my husband said. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BXXemSYSV
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3U87wogk4t
Turning to me, Nonso said, "it's going to be alright.” That was the boost I needed.
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Pg7BEfHoG
然後按「加至主畫面」