Chapter 33

It's been nine days since Nancy had been sleeping. The doctors kept examining her everyday to check if she had slipped into coma, they all came back with same result everyday: she'd wake up soon. One of the doctors even said she was actually in a coma.

Dorcas spent more time in the hospital than her house. When she explained to her mother, she almost skinned her alive. She visited Nancy in the hospital and apologized on her daughter's behalf. She met with Dave as well as Nancy's Mom. Her apologies were countless. She ordered her daughter to stay with her trouble till it's sorted out. Then, she can leave the country whenever Nancy gets well perfectly. Dorcas already knew she'd be in Nigeria for a long time. But she was willing to spend as many years as possible as long as Nancy would get well.

She was always with Nancy. She had no work here, so she had most of the time. Wumi was also always with her but she went to work most times. Dorcas would cry, apologize, tell Nancy to come back, even tell her stories about her childhood days. In her subconsciousness, Nancy would listen, smile and laugh when necessary while listening to Dorcas. She contemplated leaving her realm.

"Nancy, I don't know if you can hear me. I'd be glad if you can." Dorcas started on a particular day after she had finished laughing about her childhood memories. In her subconsciousness, Nancy sat up under a big tree. Her other self was seated on one of the branches on the tree.

"When I first met Dave, he was everything I could ever imagine. He was like an angel. His full beards were well trimmed. He was more than handsome. I, as an albino, knew he was beyond my reach. I wasn't condemned for my skin over there, in fact, I blended in without problem. When he first approached me, I felt like a fairy. I was beyond overjoyous and also I was flabbergasted. The only reason he approached me was to collect his ball. He was playing ball with his friends and he accidentally hit me. Well, I was lost in the thoughts of him, of staring at him as he played the ball and I didn't know the ball had hit me. He apologized after that and, somehow, we began to see each other coincidentally. Then we bonded and we became best friends. From friends to lovers. We defiled each other's virginity because we wouldn't leave each other's sight. My mistake was letting my fear win. I love him so much, but when I heard his story, I became scared. He didn't look anywhere close to who he was in the story and that baffled me more. I got more scared and left him when I heard he lost his memory and still had chance of regaining them. I'm such a coward.

"But I've seen the way he loves you. It's magical, it's nothing like how he loved me. Of course he gave me everything, but for you, it seemed he gave you more than everything. I was jealous of that. He never introduced me to his family or friends or anyone as his fiance, he introduced me as his girlfriend. I mean, anyone could be your girlfriend. It means he saw his future with you, something I tried to give him but failed. I was so furious about it. I wished it was me and I turned to a monster without me knowing." She leant forward and held her hand. "I'm sorry I did this to you. I'm sorry I did this to everyone you love especially Dave. I hurt him again."

Nancy stood up in her realm. She sniffled and wiped her tears away. She walked towards the river, then she heard a voice.

"Nancy."

She froze.

"I wish you can hear me too. Dorcas just left to get lunch. I overheard everything she said. Well, I have no comment on that. But, sweetheart, trust me when I say I'm waiting patiently for you to wake up. Let's go to the mountain again, to the roasted plantain seller and eat as many as we can. Let's go on another date with nature, let's do everything on your bucket list. Let's make love together, I'll explain and demonstrate to you what foreplay is. Whatever you want to do, let's do it together, but you need to be beside me. I miss you. I miss you so much I can't concentrate at work. I can't focus on anything at all. It hurts to hold your hand and you're not holding me back. It hurts to see you like this everyday. My ever energetic woman being static is more than a double edged sword being driven into my chest." He leant closer to her ears and whispered, "I love you, come back to me."

He was there for a while before he turned to leave. He let go of her hand which he held when he started his speech. As he let go, he couldn't move his hand. He turned back and realized the grip on his hand wasn't his but Nancy's. She held his hands tightly and mumbled something. Dave's heart fluttered. He leant closer to her her.

"Don't leave." She mumbled weakly. Dave beamed more than the afternoon sun. His eyes let the tears go. He laughed in-between his tears. "Yes, baby. I'm here. I'm not leaving." He hugged her on the bed and cried his eyes out.

"I love you, Dave." She mumbled weakly again. Dave, still crying, nodded his head and whispered, "I love you most."

***

Everyone was contacted the moment she woke up. They jubilated, cried, laughed and hugged each other when they came to her ward. She spent few more weeks before she was discharged. She was instructed to come back after three months for another treatment for her arm. She stayed in her mother's house. Dorcas apologized generally, wept uncontrollably, and got forgiven by everyone. She learnt her lesson in the hardest way. Nancy forgave her and let it all be. Dave, on his own side, let her off the hook because Nancy convinced him to let it go.

After some days, Nancy's Mom let her go live with Dave after several pleading and convincing. Dave took care of her, brought her to the hospital for check up, fed her, almost bathed her. Eventually, after six months, she completely healed and resumed back to work. She was with Dave all through. They were able to go on a date with nature. Everything went back to normal with them. Gradually, Nancy's birthday approached them. Dave planned series of surprises out of which his proposal includes. A couple of days before her birthday, they were both on the mountain, watching the sunset. Nancy sat between Dave's parted legs on the mountain, he leant forward and hugged her from behind. They cuddled as they sat while the watch the sun and everything nature.

"Babe," Dave whispered to her ears.

"Yes,"

"Thank you for not dying." He kissed her earlobes. She laughed as it ticked her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her neck. Nancy could feel herself getting aroused. Then she remembered something.

"I just remembered what you said."

"What's that?"

"You said you'd tell and demonstrate to me what foreplay is."

"Yes...wait, I said that when you were in the hospital. Wait, you were pretending to be asleep?" He turned her face to him. Nancy laughed.

"No, jor. It's not like that. I heard everything everyone said but I couldn't bring myself to respond. I couldn't even move my body. I heard everything in my subconsciousness." She explained everything to him. Dave, awed at her experience, cuddled her tightly again and whispered, "you're a special being. My special woman."

"I love you, Dave " she closed her eyes as she felt Dave's kiss on her neck.

"I love you most." He smiled as he thought of his proposal.

'very soon, you'll be mine forever, and I'll be yours.'