Must Read: Razor Tongue - Season 1 - Episode 16

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Razor Tongue - Season 1 - Episode 16

Sheila got into her father’s car. She could hardly
sit in there a moment longer. Nonsense! silly
meeting, what was the essence anyway?
Everybody hated everybody. What kind of a
family was that? She was going home. Her
parents could find their own way back. There was
no money with her, she would have taken a taxi.



Her father would have a fit by the time he
discovered that his car keys were gone.


Her phone started to ring. She ignored it. She
won’t answer it until she got home and was lying
on her own bed. She started the car, backed it
out of her grand-parents’ compound and nosed it
into the road.


**********


“She is not picking her calls,” Eureka cried out in
alarm. John dialed his daughter’s number with his
phone. It kept on ringing for several minutes.
“Let us go home, she probably got tired of all
these unnecessary arguments and headed
home.”
Nnese closed her eyes and prayed. She hoped her
grand-daughter was okay.
John and his wife walked out of the sitting room
without speaking to anyone.



“Dad, you must bring John back to his senses.
Sheila must apologize to our client. This contract
is important to us,” Dorcas sat beside her father.
He sighed and remained quiet. At that moment,
his mind was in turmoil.



Martha hissed and turned to Daniel, “Don’t you
think we should leave too?”
“We will… Please be patient.”
John and Eureka returned looking worried.
“Sheila left with our car.”



Martha started laughing, “Wonders shall never
end.”
“When did she start driving?” Nnese tried to get
up. Charles helped her to her feet.
“Why don’t you call her again?” He suggested.
John dailed his daughter’s number, but there was
no response.


“We will take you home, hopefully she got there
safely,” Imabong offered. John nodded in
agreement.
“Honey,” he glanced at his wife.
“I will stay here,” Dorcas leaned back on the
seatee.
“All right then,” Imabong, John and Eureka left in
a hurry.



“Take me to the room, I need to pray,” Nnese
beckoned to her husband.


*********


John, Imabong and Eureka sat in the doctor’s
office. They had found the remains of John’s car
at the roadside, several miles away from the
Adams’ mansion. They were informed by people
around that the driver of the car ran into an
electric poll while trying to avoid hitting a child
that escaped from his mother’s grip and crossed
the road all by himself. They were directed to a
nearby clinic, but they were not allowed to see
Sheila.
The doctor stopped writing and looked up at
them, “The patient hit her head on the steering
wheel when she ran into the electric poll.”
Eureka tightened her grip on her husband’s
hand. She hoped her daughter’s injuries were
mild.
“The cut on her forehead is a little deep, but it
has been stitched. We ran several tests. I can
assure you that she is okay.”
“Thank God,” she whispered. She hoped Sheila
can be discharged that evening.
“That’s goodnews,” Imabong patted John on the
shoulder.



The doctor cleared his throat. They all stared at
him, wondering what else he wanted to say.
“The patient… ”
“Yes… ” John leaned forward.
“She doesn’t know who she is.”
“What!” Imabong exclaimed.
“What does that mean?” John addressed the
doctor.
“What happened to my baby girl?” She cried out.



“Please… Please… Please, you need to remain
calm.”
“Calm? Seriously?” Imabong frowned at the
doctor, “Your father is a retired medical doctor
John. I think we should transfer Sheila to one of
his hospitals,” he got up.
Eureka nodded in agreement. John met the
doctor’s relaxed gaze.
“What is it doctor?”
“We think she is suffering from amnesia.”
“No!” Eureka locked gazes with the doctor.
Imabong walked out of the office, he was tired of
listening to the doctor’s diagnosis.




“Thank you doctor. Please prepare my daughter
for a transfer. We would like to seek a second
opinion,” John shook hands with the doctor and
walked out with his wife.



*******


Charles spoke to his children and their spouses in
the waiting room.
“Sheila has been seen by one of the best doctors
in the whole of Africa. I have also checked herself.
I might be retired, but I know my onions.”
Boma chuckled, but no one noticed. He had
boasted about his grand-father’s medical
achievements when he was in school. Charles
Adams was the main reason why the Adams’
social status had risen over the years.



“She is okay. She would be discharged today.”
Eureka sighed in relief. John sq££zed her hand.
It had been a long weekend.


“But, she has been diagnosed with amnesia.”
Martha felt no remorse. She couldn’t be bothered
whether her neice lived or died. These emotions
made her shudder, when did she become so
bitter?
“She doesn’t know who she is, she doesn’t
remember anything about her past. I want her to
see everybody today. Hopefully, she will recognize
someone. But if she doesn’t… ” He coughed, “It
can take days, weeks, months or worse, years,
before her complete memory returns.”
Eureka dabbed her wet eyes with an
handkerchief. How would it feel like if their
daughter did not recognize them? She wasn’t
sure if she could go through with it. God! Help!
“We will see her in batches, let’s start with
Dorcas, Imabong and their children,” Charles led
them all to Sheila’s room.


******





The doctors and nurses said her name was Sheila
Adams. It sounded strange. Why couldn’t she
remember? She had been scared since she
gained consciousness. Not knowing who she was
and trying to retrieve nineteen years of memories
had scared the life out of her. The retired doctor
told her that he was her grand-father. But, she
doesn’t know him. He had promised to bring her
parents and the rest of the family. She hoped she
will remember someone. Even if it is just one
person, that would comfort her fried and blank
mind.
The retired doctor told her that her memories
would return gradually. It could take days, weeks,
months or fearfully, years. She hoped it won’t
take that long. She would definitely go crazy if it
took that long.




The door opened and the retired doctor walked in
with four people.
“Good morning Sheila,” he sat on the bed beside
her.
“Good morning Doctor Adams.”
“How is my girl doing?”
“So, so… ”
“It is going to be all right,” he patted her on the
shoulder, “This is my youngest daughter,
Dorcas,” she stepped forward, “Her husband,
Imabong and their children… Boma and Edidiong,
your cousins.”
Sheila looked at them. Dorcas was a very
beautiful woman. Her husband was also easy on
the eyes. It was a good match. Their children
were the exact carbon copies of their parents.
Nobody said a word, they were all starring at her,
hoping that she would recognize them.
“Beautiful family… ” She stared at the bedsheet.
Charles dismissed them. Dorcas and her family
left.
“It is okay, don’t give up yet.”
Dorcas and her family returned to the waiting
room.
“How is my grand-daughter?” Nnese looked up at
them.



Dorcas shook her head and sat down.
“She didn’t recognize us,” Imabong sat beside his
wife.
“She called us ‘beautiful family’,” Boma folded his
arms across his chest.
“Sheila… The Sheila I know isn’t that nice,”
Edidiong tried not to laugh.
Charles returned, “Martha, Daniel, Nnese, you are
next.”
Martha wished she didn’t have to see her neice.
She doubted if the brat would recognize her. She
wished she could convince Daniel to take her
home. She shook the thoughts away and
concentrated on the task ahead. They followed
her father into a private room and found Sheila
sitting on the bed watching the television.
“Sheila, I want you to meet your grandma.”
Nnese stepped forward and sat on the bed, “How
are you baby girl?”



Sheila looked at her. She felt comfortable with
her, just the same way she felt relaxed with the
retired doctor.
“I am… okay I guess.”
“Hang in there darling. It will all come back to
you.”
She turned and saw a couple staring at her.
“This is my eldest daughter, Martha and her
husband, Daniel.”
“Hi… ”
Martha and Daniel exchanged glances. She didn’t
recognize them.
“Hi… ” Daniel smiled at her and kicked his wife on
the knee. She cleared her throat and tried to
smile.
“Hi… ”
Sheila returned her attention to the television.
She could sense that her aunt did not like her.
She wondered why.
“I will go and get your parents.”



She nodded without looking at him. Charles led
them all out. Nnese broke down crying while
Martha and Daniel returned to the waiting room.
“How did it go?” Dorcas asked her sister.
Martha shrugged, “She is like a different person…
We are like strangers to her.”
Eureka wished she could close her ears. Their
comments and assumptions were accelerating
her fears.
“Come on, let’s go and see our daughter.”
She held her husband’s arm and followed him to
the room Sheila’s was kept.
They knocked and walked in. Sheila looked at
them and they stared back at her. She noticed
that she looked a little bit like them. She made a
sigh of relief. They must be her parents. Why
can’t she remember her own parents? She
noticed that the woman’s eyes were red. She
must have been crying. The man looked tired and
sad. They must have been worried about her. She
could feel their hurt. It made her want to start to
cry.
“Are you my mum and dad?”
They both nodded.
“Can you hug me?”
“Yes pumpkin… ” Eureka began to sob. They sat
on the bed beside her and pulled her close.
“I am so scared,” Sheila began to cry.
“Oh baby… ” John could hardly hold back his
tears.



“I don’t remember anybody… I feel so lost.”
“It is okay sugar plum. Your memories will return.
We are here for you,” John assured her.
“Jesus is also here with you. He will never leave
you nor forsake you,” Eureka dabbed Sheila’s face
with her handkerchief.
“Never, ever?”
“Never ever,” she smiled and Sheila returned it
with a grin.