RELIEF

Michael broke down in front of his cousin Deji and in details he told him everything he felt inside. He was a broken man. His heart was hurting and he had to unleash his pain. For the first time in a long while, he allowed himself to be vulnerable in front of another human being.

"I love her Deji. She makes me so happy. Everything about her is unique. I can't even concentrate knowing she is sad or angry, because the thought of her flood's my mind. I am at rest and assured that my daughter is in good hands. I don't want anything to happen to Jenny. I don't think I can stand it, if anything happens to her."

"Nothing will happen to her Bro, but why did it take you so long to admit your feelings for her. I've seen you guys kiss and I have been waiting for you to officially give the relationship a title" Deji pointed out

"You have seen us what?" Michael exclaimed.

"Oh yes bro. I have. I think I saw you guys kissing so passionately when she was about to leave for the village. You look like you wanted to stop her from leaving but you held back" Deji smirked.

"Oh my goodness! I thought I was discreet?"

"Discreet ke? Do you want to know the workload you gave your mum to convince me to come to the house to make you man up and begin something with her"Deji asked.

"What? My mum asked you to...? She is in support of.....? I can't believe it" Michael was stunned, he stammered.

"She is definitely in support of you and Jenny. She called me when I returned back. Honestly, I was going to stay at an instant apartment but she refused. She told me to come to the house."

"But that day, it felt like You were just seeing her for the first time? No wonder you were always getting on my nerves"Michael pointed out in disbelief.

"Bro that's love. And the pretense, of course, that was the idea. But don't be alarmed, she will be fine" Deji assured him.

"Can I see her ?"

"Of course you can. Mummy and Stephanie are in the ward with her right now."

"That explains why I have called their numbers but non of them

answered it"

"They are by her bedside, I guess they did not want to disturb her or they did not hear it ring"

Michael and Deji went to see Jenny. When he entered the room, he saw his mother and Stephanie seated on the couch opposite the bed. However, he reached for Jenny's bedside first. She was still unconscious.

The nurses informed him that she had drifted in and out of unconsciousness in the middle of the night. They expect her to regain full consciousness in a short time. She was still on a drip but the doctor said her condition was improving.

Her face was bruised and the bruises were beginning to look purple. Her eyes were swollen and the bruises around her face were darkened.

He held her hands as soon as he sat on her bed.

"Jenny please wake up"He said. "I'm right here and I am not going anywhere." he whispered.

After a few minutes, he realized he had not looked at his mother or properly acknowledged her presence. He saw his daughter looking so distraught.

"Stephanie, how are you?" He asked daughter. Her gloomy expression was very evident as she spoke.

"Good afternoon daddy. "Good afternoon my princess. Have you eaten?"

"Yes I have dad" she replied.

"Mummy good afternoon ma" he greeted.

"Michael how are you feeling now? please tell me" Mrs Bose asked slowly.

"I'm fine mum. I am so sorry I made you scared of yesterday. I know you must have been so worried"

"Worried? Michael I was frightened. You looked so lost and there was nothing I could do"

"I am sorry mum. I did not noticed when I drifted out of humanity "

"Son, you bottled this issue for too long. I have told you that this life, nothing stays the same not even sadness. You just have to learn to move on. Yesterday showed me that you did grief properly and you are still unforgiving" Mrs Bose lamented.

"Mummy I will learn to let go. I promise."

"I really hope that you would listen to me this time son."

The family spent the entire day in the hospital but Jenny was still unconscious. Michael was very worried as he called the doctor several times. The doctor told him that she was responding to treatment and getting a much needed rest.

On Sunday, Deji Mrs Bose and Stephanie went to church because Michael insisted. He stayed by Jenny's bedside. When the nurses had carried out their routine check on her and left, Michael bowed his head and he prayed. This was happening for the first time in a very long while.

He knelt down by her bedside and begged God to show mercy to him by healing Jenny. He promised to return to God in full worship, if Jenny would be fine.

When it was noon, Nina came around the hospital, bringing him food. She had been a frequent face in the hospital since he woke up.

When she knocked on the door, the nurse quickly opened after she was through changing the drip on Jenny's hand.

"Good afternoon sir"

Nina greeted.

"Good afternoon. How are you Nina? He asked as he sat on the single chair beside Jenny's bed.

"I promised Mama i will drop this meal here before going to the house." She nervously said.

"Oh thank you. That's thoughtful of you" He complimented.

"Is everything okay at home?" he asked

"Yes sir. I just told them I would join them after leaving here"

"it's okay. Please tell them I'm fine over here" he added

"Hmmmm.....Matilda wanted to say hi"

Before Michael could answer, at the mention of her name, Matilda strutted into the room.

"I heard there was an incident and I was worried. I came to check up on you" Matilda said.

He nodded as though he was dumb, staring at her for a few minutes before returning the gaze to Jenny.

"How is she?" Matilda asked looking at Jenny.

"Oh, she's very fine. She's responding to the medications" Michael responded still looking at Jenny.

"How are you? You look so tired. Have you slept at all? Matilda asked.

"I'm okay and yes I have slept. I'm fine"

He didn't want her there and Nina could see that.

"I will be on my way to meet up with them at home" Nina immediately intruded as age opened the door to go.

He knew his mother would not want to see Matilda in his home or this hospital but he had no idea on how to tell her. He suddenly felt pity for her. He kept giving her a one word response to all her questions.

Gradually, she knew that she wasn't welcome and she left alongside Nina.

He was glad they left him alone. He hated their pitiful stairs.

When Monday came and Jenny had still not woken up, Michael became very afraid. He kept interrogating the nurses, asking them about several times in the day about the fact that she may have woken up when no one was around. He needed a bit of hope as he panicked. He wanted to know if she was in a coma. He also did not trust their judgement. But all he got was that she was responding to treatment and that was the most important thing .

He needed to do something. For the second time in this serie of waiting, he prayed and he decided to trust God for divine intervention.

He called the reverend father Priest Okafor who quickly visited the hospital that Monday and prayed with Jenny and Michael. He admonished Michael that God is merciful and there's no reward or punishment for any one who is repentant. He also added that God does not store disaster to release upon his children because he is a loving Father.

Michael's heart was grieved as he sat by her bedside on Monday night. Looking at her face she looks really exhausted even though she had been asleep since Friday. He raised her hands to his lips and kissed them.

"I thought I would never Love again but your coming into my life has made me realize that no one truly has a grip of their emotion and when God wants something to happen in your life, you have little to say over it.

I love you Jenny, i love you so much please come back to me" he pleaded.

Like a wind blowing from a strange direction, like someone being called from the deep, She slowly opened her eyes. He was stunned. He quickly called the nurses who were stationed outside the private room to come in.

It was a joy for all of them as they checked her vital signs, give her a little bit of water as her throat was parched.

Michael called his family to tell them she had woken up and his happiness knew no bound. Like a man in love, he stayed by her bed side all night. He even made her a cup of tea in the early hours of the morning.

When his family arrived later in the day, they were so excited. Jenny hugged Stephanie with tears in her eyes. Deji bought her flowers and told her he missed her. Everyone watched Michael roll his eyes at him as they laughed. Mrs Bose was overjoyed. She said God answered her prayers by bringing Jenny back to them. Michael was not ashamed to express his care and devotion to Jenny in the presence of his family. Jenny's first request was to speak with her family. She was sure they had been very worried as her phone was stolen.

Indeed they were worried when she called them. Her stepmother was relieved to know that Jenny was fine. Michael replaced her phone with a newer model and she made sure her family got her new number. Jenny was discharged by Friday which was a week after she was admitted.

Michael informed the inspector general of police as they drove home that they had a pick pocket to arrest.