Chapter fifteen
“Would she survive? Okunade soliloquized while stepping down from the staircase of Mobat Maternity Home Ikeja. Will she live?” He asked himself again, as he moved towards his automatic chauffeur-driven V-Boot Mercedes Benz car parked outside the maternity home. It was barely two months after Nkechi the nurse did the unexpected at the hospital bed.
Okunade was repeating the words when he unknowingly collided with a young man “Sorry Please,” he said and shook his head dejectedly. By now he had reached the spot where his car was parked. His chauffeur who was standing beside the back door quickly opened the door for him.
“This way sir” said the chauffeur. Okunade turned and entered the car; sweat streaming down his smooth, plump face.
“Is she okay sir?” asked the chauffeur. “I still can’t say. The doctor said I should come back in five hours. I pray she comes out successfully”, he replied and turned away, looking pensively through the window as if searching for somebody among the pedestrians. His chin was resting on his right palm. He was totally lost in a wild, deep and sad thought about his fate.
Okunade’s sudden fear for child-birth had to do with the demise of Kemi; the wife of Desmond, his bosom friend. Desmond’s wife died during child birth just two weeks ago. He could recollect how Desmond so loved the young lady. He knew she loved Desmond too. She was a light-skinned woman, slightly plump, gorgeous and full of life. He could recollect how Desmond met her. He and Desmond were once moving along the departure lounge when Desmond’s briefcase suddenly slipped from his hand and fell. Kemi was just behind them and she quickly bent down and helped him with it. Desmond was glad and that was how it began. They both exchanged addresses. When they came back from Paris, Kemi called at his place then another romantic saga began. An informal marriage took place and she moved in. For the first four years of their relationship, Desmond thought she would take in, but she didn’t. Before long, he started feeling rather disturbed and confused because he was a young man of great wealth.
A lot of people believe that one can buy happiness with money, but with Desmond Jacobs, it wasn’t so. Talk about money, he had it. He had a chain of companies spread all over the country and was a shareholder and chairman of many manufacturing companies. He even had shipping and airline concerns. Indeed, he was a millionaire and a very contented young man. However, something greatly troubled him; it was childlessness but he was only 35 years old. There were some painful and agonizing questions that always tormented him. Questions like:
“Who will inherit my properties when I die? Who will head my business empire when I’m finally gone? Would my heartless relatives who treated me so hatefully and neglected me when I was poor, inherit my business empire? Why has God given me money instead of a child?” These turbulent questions worried his mind daily and echoed in his head over and over again till he would burst into tears and weep silently. The more he thought of his many assets and investments, the more he strongly felt he should get at least a child to inherit them.
Just before Kemi took in, she started getting uncomfortable living with her husband. She became very suspicious and started making life unbearable for the young man. She called him all sorts of names and accused him of being the cause of her woes and barrenness. She saw him as an impotent and foolish young man who worshipped mammon.
“When will you have a baby, you wicked man?” She roared one night. “I’ve heard stories about you. It’s all money and wealth you know. It’s a pity. I can’t spend my last years with you like a nun or a witch. My parents love children and they will curse and disown me if I don’t get pregnant before the end of the year. When will this end my impotent husband?” She mocked.
Whenever Desmond heard these humiliating words, he often visited Okunade for consolation. That was how she always taunted him every day when he came back from his business trips. One day when he couldn’t bear it anymore, he drove her away. She was damn too saucy and impatient for his gentle and amiable disposition. Kemi, a fiery and hot- tempered lady soon realized that she was pregnant just two days in her father’s house after being sent home.
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Okunade was back at Mobat Maternity Home in Ikeja. His chauffeur-driven V-Boot Mercedes zoomed sleekly and packed just at the entrance gate. He stepped down and moved hastily towards the hospital building. It was a three-storey magnificent building. His mind was in a tumultuous state. Never had he been so worried. Never had he been so eager to know his fate. He had not even taken his breakfast. He was just full of prayers. He prayed fervently as he had never done before.
“Adaobi is my only love,” he murmured sorrowfully, “If she dies that means I’m done for. I’d rather poison myself than live”.
He had reached the second floor where the labour room was. He moved closer to the reception. The receptionist, a tall lady greeted him with courtesy.
“Are you Mr. Okunade?” She asked politely.
“Yes he replied, tremblingly. “What’s the matter? Is my wife okay?” he stammered.
“Well, Dr. Williams said, I should tell you to stay here, work is in progress. Your wife is undergoing a painful and difficult labour, but he said he’d be with you shortly,” the receptionist said.
Okunade sat down gently and quietly, expecting the worst and was ready to put down his life. Suddenly, a gush of violent thoughts swept across his mind. He remembered how he met Adaobi. He could still visualize how Obinna, Adaobi’s only brother pleaded with him to take good care of her because she was the only girl-child of his parents. He could also recall the first time he took her out in his customized Range Rover, how people stared at them in amazement. They must have thought that she was his sister because they truly looked alike.
“Damn it!” Okunade said. He was determined to face all odds. He made up his mind to dare the gods and kill himself, if anything wrong would happen to her! He was shaking and trembling giddily and was sweating profusely in spite of the air-conditioned environment. His pulse was beating at an alarming rate. Seconds ticked away. Minutes ticked away. The atmosphere was cool and serene. Two hours later, a young lady nurse breezed out of the labour room and approached the receptionist.
“Please, where is Okunade Matthew?” the nurse asked
“Yes. Is she okay?” he stammered. “Tell me quickly… tell me…Is she okay?” he asked again in a shaky voice.
Hmm, dear Sir, that your wife is something else, she died…” The nurse said gently.
“What! Oooooh…my God!” He wailed and collapsed instantly and went into a coma. He looked every inch a dead man.
“Hey, what have I done? It’s just an April fool,” cried the nurse. I was only joking.”
“My God! What’s happening?” she was utterly confused. Instantly, the receptionist came running towards the guy in coma. “What’s happening, sister Yinka…What’s happening?” she inquired from another nurse who just stood there mouth agape.
“Sister Yinka, what did you tell him?” the receptionist asked.
“Help! Help!” Yinka cried. The other nurse, who had been confused and panic stricken soon joined her in the shout. Okunade was rushed to the emergency ward.
“I was only joking. I was only joking,” the nurse kept repeating on the way to the emergency ward. People had gathered at the area. There were sighs, hisses and contempt for the nurse. The fact was that Adaobi had just been delivered of triplets-two bouncing baby boys and one girl. And she was hale and hearty. But the young nurse was merely joking, not knowing the grave implication and enormity of her joke.
At the labour room, Dr. Williams, the man in charge of Adaobi’s welfare, got wind of all that happened to Okunade. Adaobi too had heard about the whole sordid episode, but she was still in labour pains and not fit to strain herself much.
“Everything will be okay,” Dr. Williams said. “Your husband will not die. Please don’t worry about that,” he pleaded.
“Please Doc.,” she begged, “Let me go and see him…please, let me know his condition.”
“Relax yourself, he will be okay, “Dr. Williams replied and went out after informing the nurse to keep watch over her.
Back at the emergency ward, Okunade was still in a critical state. There were about five highly skilled doctors attending to him. Drips were passed to his body. He was given injections at regular intervals; still he was in a coma. He was just lying motionless on the sick bed. The day passed on until night came. Still his condition did not improve.
The time was 12pm. Adaobi could not sleep, her anxiety kept mounting every minute. She called Dr. Williams and tried to persuade him to let her see him but her request was turned down on health grounds. When she persisted, she was sedated and she dozed off.
It was around 6a.m. and the harmattan haze was thick in the sky. The atmosphere was extremely chilly. She woke up. The first thing that came to her mind was her husband. She stood up from her bed and sneaked off silently to the emergency ward. On reaching the ward, she opened the door gently. There was nobody in sight and she moved towards his bed and sat delicately beside him. She looked at his closed eyes and tears welled up in her eyes. It’s obvious that she loved him. She could not help it, and then summoning all her strength, she called softly but most tenderly:
“My Love…I’m here…please wake up, don’t die this way…” She took his hand and caressed it gently, fondling it with the greatest sympathy and love. Surprisingly, as she continued crying and muttering those thought-provoking emotional words, Okunade moved his leg and coughed thrice. Then he kept quiet for a moment and the next thing his eyes opened for the first time. She was so happy that her love had regained consciousness. He hugged her lovingly.
“Oh…Is it real? Are you really alive?” he said in utter surprise.
“Yes, my dear, I’m the one,” she said, “And you’re now the father of triplets, two boys and one girl.”
As the highly romantic sensation continued, and joy enveloped both of them, they did not know when the emergency ward was filled with people- sympathizers and well-wishers. They were not even aware.
“Thank God!” exclaimed Okunade. “A father of triplets…Oh thank God! Oh, I love you Adaobi!” He stood up from his bed and was instantly fit and okay. Arm in arm, they both went out, smiling and hugging like long lost lovers.
When Okunade reached where his three babies were placed, and set eyes on them for the first time, his eyes glowed with immeasurable joy and happiness. He shouted to high heavens:
“This is the day the good Lord has done wonders for me and I will show my appreciation! Oya, let the celebration begin! Thanks be to God! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”
He jumped up in sheer ecstasy and started dancing, for he was unable to control the incredible joy throbbing in his heart. It was sheer bliss as he set eyes on his new born babies and his heart skipped a million times. Adaobi, his beautiful wife was engrossed in unmitigated joy too! She felt fulfilled at last. Her man pecked her on the cheek, hugged her tenderly and tears of sublime joy enveloped them as they cuddled softly. Okunade instantly made a fervent promise to do a grandchild naming ceremony for his new born babies. He couldn’t hide his feelings as he shook hands with the doctors in an excited manner.
“God!” he exclaimed, I’ll spend millions for the naming ceremony of my new born babies! Everybody will know that something great is happening in my locality that day!”
“Oh, I’m so happy, my dear husband! This is a dream come true,” Adaobi responded with a face overflowing with joy.