Spoilt at the church - S01 E11

7 months ago

Spoilt at the church - S01 E11

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 11

The atmosphere at Crystal Medical center was tense. Kike’s agitated parents paced from one end of the reception to the other.

Immediately they arrived at the hospital, the Doctor and Nurses started working tirelessly to resuscitate Kike. She was semi-conscious. The parents and siblings were refused entry into the room where she was kept even after much persuasion. The attending Doctor, a young, lanky and tall individual, who looked too young to be a Doctor, gave firm instruction that no one should be allowed into the room.

They sweated! They prayed! They cried! Dropping herself on the floor of the hospital, Mrs. Johnson called on the Almighty to safe her daughter from whatever had befallen her and to put the plans of the enemy to futility.

“What could be wrong with her?” Mr. Johnson asked repeatedly. He expected no answer from anyone in particular. “She showed no sign of sickness before now.”

It is the enemies at work,” Mrs. Johnson replied. She had turned to a wreck within the space of few minutes of waiting. There was no manifestation of her bravado. Sighting the Medical Director of the hospital, a fellow Deacon at the Church coming from outside, they rushed at him.

“Good afternoon Deacon,” Mrs. Johnson greeted, panting. “We don’t know what is wrong with her. A Doctor and some Nurses have been with her for a while.”

“Calm down,” the Doctor responded as he adjusted the stethoscope around his neck and turned to Mr. Johnson. He said, “Deacon, all will be well. I was at a meeting when I received your call. Immediately, I called the Doctor on call to assess and start treatment on her. I will go in now and see how she’s fairing.”

“Thank you sir. Can we?” Mr. Johnson pointed towards the room.

“No!” the Doctor shook his head. “Just give us more time.”

Not long after he entered into the room, the door opened with force and Kike was wheeled out looking lifeless. The Medical director followed suit, giving instructions. “Deacon Johnson please follow me,” he said. “We need to carry out an urgent evacuation on her in the mini- theatre.”

“Evacuation? Of what? Mrs. Johnson shouted holding the Doctor.

“There’s no time for long explanation, as we are at risk of losing her. I need you to sign this consent for the procedure to be done.” He passed a form to the father. “We will also need a blood donor because, she will definitely need to be transfused.”

“We are of same blood group,” Mr. Johnson responded.

“Please move to the lab for urgent grouping and cross matching.” The Doctor entered into a room marked ‘mini theatre’ and left them bewildered.

Kike was returned after an hour. Reassuring them that she was out of the blues and would likely make a complete recovery, the Doctor requested that the parents meet him in his office.

He looked closely at Mr. & Mrs. Johnson and broke the news they had anxiously been waiting for. “Deacon and Deaconess,” he started, “it is so saddening to tell you that, the procedure carried out on your daughter was an evacuation.”

“Evacuation? You said it before, but of what?”

The Doctor removed his glasses and placed them on the table. Picking a pen, he made a show of writing on a pad before him, then passed what he wrote to the Johnsons.

They both stood up on reading what was on the paper.

“Abortion?”

“Abortion!”

“Yes!” the Doctor nodded. “Kike had an abortion which was badly done. I don’t know what she used. Possibly, a quack might have carried out the procedure on her. There were lots of retained product of conception in her womb, which made her to bleed profusely, likely for days.”

“Oh my God! My own daughter,” Mrs. Johnson shouted.

“Factually, the laboratory test showed that the blood in her body was less than 15%. I’m still amazed on how her vital organs were still functioning with a PCV of 10%. She almost killed herself. That she is alive is by the Grace of God. That Grace shouldn’t be taken for granted.”

Mrs. Johnson felt as if the ground should open and swallow her. Frantically looking for where to bury her head, she found none. “God!” she questioned, “If you will disgrace me, must it be in front of a Church member? A Deacon for that matter. Removing her head tie, she used it to clean the sweat that had gathered on her face, then started fanning herself. The air conditioner could not cool the hot air emanating from her.

On the other hand, her husband was calm and collected, with a look not betraying his inner thoughts.

Thanking the Doctor, he asked what the next line of action would be.

“She should be awake by now,” the Doctor responded. “We will monitor her for about three days, to know if she’s getting better. She has been placed on antibiotics to combat infection. We will check her blood volume after the transfusion.”

Mr. Johnson thanked the Doctor, then excused himself to go and settle the bill, not minding to talk to his wife.

The wife sat glued to the seat, as shame would not allow her stand up. There was palpable silence long after her husband’s departure. The Doctor ignored her. Finally, she managed to rise. But instead of leaving the room, she went round the table and knelt before the elderly Doctor asking, “Deacon, what do we do now?”

“Do?” he said. “I told you she will be okay.”

“I’m talking about the Church,” she stammered.

“What about the Church?” he asked irritably. “Madam please stand up.” He knew where she was heading to, but wouldn’t assist her in getting there. The law of karma, he thought and smiled. The Almighty Deaconess has now become a jelly fish. Checking his watch, he informed her that he had a crucial meeting in few minutes, and wouldn’t be in the hospital if not for her family.

“Deacon, can I make a request?”

“Feel free.”

“I want all that happened this afternoon to be between us. She made a frantic to and fro movement with her right hand. “Please help in covering my shame,” she pleaded.

The Doctor looked at her squarely and shook his head before answering. “Madam, it is ethically wrong to divulge the information of my patient to a third party. I would be breaching a professional protocol by telling anyone about what happened today. So, your secret is safe with me.”

“Ha! Thank God. Thank you,” she smiled. “Thank God,” she repeated and prepared to leave the consultation room. The Doctor’s deep baritone held her back.

“Why the sudden joy?” he asked. “Not telling anyone would not subtract from the fact that, your daughter committed an act that almost took her life.”

“We will discuss that when she gets well. It’s a mistake which she will never repeat. The most important thing now is my…”

“Reputation,” the Doctor supplied.

“Yes! How will it sound? To hear that my daughter, my own daughter got pregnant and even aborted. What will people say about me?”

“Hmm, you see life? The other day when the case of Mrs. Aboderin’s daughter came up, you felt as if you were the Almighty and the only perfect mother on earth. You made it look as if you knew it all. You condemned her, condemned the mother and couldn’t hide the fact that you were out to carry out a personal vendetta. You enjoy going around the Church like a police officer, monitoring other peoples’ children and leaving your own garden untended. You felt that you could merely protect your children just by being strict. You did not build a formidable wall around them because, you were busy meddling in others affairs. You’ve forgotten that, those that live in glass houses should not throw stones. Now that the serpent has pushed through a crack and bitten one of yours, I hope you will make amend.”

“I’m still concerned about what people will say.”

“That is our problem. We are so concerned about what people say, so full of ego, that we don’t mind sinning against God. You are concerned about your reputation now, but will be the first to pass instant judgment on others. What you feared most has befallen you. What will you do?”

“Humph.”

“Remember Achan that stole the sacred things in the Bible. He thought his sin was covered, until God exposed him and he implicated his household. Remember David and how God dealt with him because of his secret sins. Our sins will always find us out. The Bible says he who covers his sins shall not prosper, but he who confess and forsake them will have mercy. You will be laying a foundation of a lifetime of deception and guilt for your daughter if you let this go.”

“What do you suggest I do?”

“Talk to her and let her go to God in full repentance. Inform the Pastor of what happened, and be ready to face the music. Your daughter should take responsibility for what she did, so that she won’t repeat it again. Then, continue praying for God to give her the ability to say no to immorality because, no one can prevail by mere human strength and wisdom. I pray God will help you to do the right thing.”