No longer the same

The weather turned all but windy, with huge dark clouds sweeping across the sky. The afternoon was going back to normal, after having buried Bai Songyi, everyone left to finish his own business before darkness befell on the city.

Miss Old Gindi sat holding her grandson down on her lap. The driver didn't bother to check on the back but stepped harder on the gas as they pulled towards St. Jude Hospital. They arrived earlier than she had calculated, "Thank you so much, mister." Miss Old Gindi gave back her appreciation.

"Not a problem madam." The driver replied with a smile. "Let me help you." He added as he noticed Bryan was beginning to be a burden by daring to break away.

• "Help me get him inside." Miss Old Gindi accepted help from the driver who just wrapped his arms around Bryan's waist and pulled him along this way. "As if he had no heaviness."

• Doctor Phil who had just tried saving himself some sleep, let's say some few minutes to have a nap, walked out

"Dr Phil!" The shout of his name echoed to and from the hospital fraternity.

"What!" Dr Phil angrily responded in a loud visible voice but that needed to be heard.

"Dr Phil!" This time he turned round to see who was calling out to him.

"Gindi? What's the problem.?" He immediately recognized the figure holding Bryan upright. He knew them both apart from the man assisting Miss Old Gindi support Bryan into walking into the hospital.

"What happened? Dr Phil could already guess what had happened.

"He got a heartbreak." Miss Old Gindi sobbed in between her explanations. "Please save him, just this one time." She begged the doctor who had already fetched a wheelchair and had Bryan on it as he rushed him to the physiotherapy. All need for a nap aside, being a doctor meant sacrificing for someone else.

*****

On the road off the highway, leading to Isiolo town, a grey fielder drove fast. Mae sat at the back as she tried to find the right words to save herself from Berick's scoldings.

"I just talked with him that's all," Mae answered Berick who had patiently waited to know the whole story.

"You have to tell me. Your life will be in danger if you don't let me know." Berick warned Mae as he turned the last corner and drove lazily.

"I know there is more to that." Berick was stubborn too. "You either tell me or I quit." Berick decided.

After having run off first to meet Joe Ken before the burial ceremony he had got to learn that there was indeed a lot of money in the billion-dollar conspiracy. He too was interested, just like Joe and Jane who had put aside their uniform to engage in this search for fortune.

"Didn't He offer you some money?" Berick asked as he slowed down just as he got sight of the Ge manor.

"Nope, he didn't show me anything else, he just wanted company before I leave." Mae defended herself.

"You are lying to me. Have you not learned that you are a horrible liar?" Berick almost laughed. "I'm I a kid to take such stories as real." He looked at Mae again but this time he didn't ask bout the prince of Ge.

"Let me tip you." Berick offered to help at the long last. "We already know you are going to the US any time from now," Berick added his piece of knowledge. so now they had parked some distance away from the manor, spying on who left and who went in through the gates.

"Mae, your father me to keep an eye on you. I'm not a paid bodyguard anymore... I wish I had a new job." Berick shared his problems as Mae kept silent.

"It's true, there was once a million dollar your father gave to me to bring over to William Ge. One month ago." This story began getting clear.

"But I never delivered the money to anyone." Berick didn't fear a bit exposing his greed and distrust in money." Who doesn't love money?"

"You didn't?" Mae visible showed discontentment. "My dad trusted you! Why did you steal!" Mae questioned Berick as another car came smoothly and parked opposite them.

"I did not steal anything," Berick answered.

"Then why is the money with Prince Ge!" Mae asked as clasped her mouth. 'Oh,' she had leaked the secret causing a smile on Berick's face.

"Did he offer you the money?" Berick asked as Jake alighted from the car opposite the road but just to vibe with Hao Ge.

"Wait for me here!" Xie Yu angrily put on her sunglasses and strode towards the fielder.

"Here comes your CEO Aunt." Berick chuckled as Xie Yu knocked on the window.

"What is it?" Berick pretended to be extremely annoyed from being woke up.

"Berick, this is a family issue, step aside." Xie Yu warned Berick first. "Mae? We have to leave." She turned to face the girl who now had her phone in hand, busy playing with candy.

"Don't you hear me?! If we lose this flight again... I swear you will regret it!"

"Are you threatening me?" Mae asked without a hint of fear.

"No, I'm just reminding you, get to your room and change into a polite dress." Xie Yu didn't need to repeat this order as Mae was already in action.

"Take me to The Ge Manor, I've decided to leave for the US!" She shouted for Berick to drive her back to the Ge's manor.

It was at this moment a phone call came through, from Bryan. "Please answer the phone mistress." Berick urged Mae who was not in the mood to talk on the phone.

"What!" Mae exclaimed in terror as she answered the call.

"I'm going to find you, and I will kill you." A deep frightening voice skinned her.

"What's the problem?" Berick immediately snatched the phone as he too needed to know who made the phone call. But it went dead with a beeping sound just as he placed it on his ear.

"Wasn't it Bryan?" Berick asked Mae who shook her head vigorously.

"No. That is not Bryan."

"But it's his phone!" Berick wondered as they both sat confused, terrified in the car.

"Let's go, I feel afraid out here," Mae begged as Berick resumed driving into the Manor.

Back at St.Jude Hospital.

A great victory was due to dawn.

Bryan sat on one of the white linen beds, dressed in a white gown that barely covered his knees. A quick medication had been administered to him, bringing his senses back.

"You alright now... My love." Miss Old Gindi had not moved away from her grandson all this time. She had accompanied him all through his suffering. "Grandma, I love you too." Bryan did reply with a smile. The doctor had given him an analysis of his health and took him through his mental state. "All you have to do is keep calm and accept your condition." The doctor told him. He had studied Bryan and unlike most schizophrenics, he had a special ability, a strong will and determination.

"Your grandson has developed some sure abilities that will help him stabilize his mental break... From the record set by the neurologist, his brain has created new passways to replace the previously broken one..." The doctor explained in detail.

"So he is cured?" Miss Old Gindi who was now shocked by the miraculous healing asked.

"Nope, he still needs to take his medication as I prescribed, and more so, show him more love... Happiness is his only hope."

This news made the smile on Old Miss Gindi's face disappear as she looked at Bryan's innocent face.

"He was not going to be the Bryan he used to be."

"You can leave any day from tomorrow. I wish you all the best. Mr Bryan, you are the strongest man I've met." The doctor praised him as he walked out.

"Grandma? Was Abi here?" Bryan asked sending Miss Old Gindi into a dilemma. I'm I supposed to cheer him up by saying yes or should I say the truth that she has never returned since he met Mae?

She had to make sure she gave a positive answer, he was still not fully recovered, not as he will ever recover but a happy life free of stress meant a long healthy life for Bryan.

"Why don't you come along tomorrow and meet her?" Miss Old Gindi suggested nervously afraid of losing her bet.

"Ah no, I don't wanna meet her any day soon. But a phone call will be fine." Bryan requested. It was true he was unlike other schizophrenics, he could still remember bits of his illusions and yet not fall back into hallucinations.

"Sure, let me call her." Miss Old Gindi offered as she took out her phone. "Help me with her contact please." She asked Bryan who realized he had not his phone with him.

"Didn't you ask the receptionist to hand it back?" Bryan asked as Miss Old Gindi now left to rush to the receptionist. But the phone was not there, he did been admitted without his phone among his belongings.

'Where did he drop his phone?' Miss Old Gindi wondered as she hurried back to let Bryan know that they will meet everyone once they left the hospital.