MADAME DORIS P.O.V
I watched my husband's eyes pulp. He held the receiver at a death grip. What was the matter now? I stood up from the chair and dropped the Egusi I was peeling on the floor.
I gave him a sign to tell me what was the matter, but he didn't answer me.
"We will be there,” he told the person.
I jumped the gun when he hung up.
"What happened?" I asked him in panic.
He grabbed his car keys. "Gaby is in the hospital," he said bitterly.
I gasped and quickly removed the apron on my waist.
“Oh my God! It's all my fault. If I talked to my husband more about taking Gaby to a boarding school, this 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jX2WdBSdH
wouldn't have happened,” I rued.
I raced after him because he was already out the door. I quickly locked it and entered into the car. It's like the pastor knew this would happen, and hence he came over today.
Tears spilt from my eyes. "It's all my fault. I could have stopped you from making such a decision but I didn't," I said as shame washed over me.
"Don't say that, honey. If there is anyone to blame, it's me. I would try to be a good husband and father to both of my angels, from now on," he stated solemnly, holding my hand with his right one.
Thirty minutes after, we were at the hospital. Luckily, it was St Peter's hospital, our hospital. We sprinted into a 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡic6aMOhMaX
run. Getting to the receptionist, we queried about our daughter's state.
"We are the parents of Gabriela Endurance Adugo Achortam," my husband reeled off.
"Wait awhile." She checked something in the computer. My husband squeezed my hand in support.
"That's Ward 222. It's along the root over there," she pointed at the narrow lane adjacent to the place we were.
My husband and I ran to that area anxiously. There we saw one girl and the principal of Gabriela's school standing outside Gaby's door. The girl looked sad. My husband and I took notice and so exchanged looks. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MsIaDfEdF
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"Good day, sir," my husband greeted. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliHCIZvdr6
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"Nice to see you too," Mr Ajetumobi gave way for my husband and I to enter the Ward. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmQzn6bb06
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I gasped when Nonso opened the door. My baby was hooked on drips and oxygen. My eyes blurred with 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuN0XAXnCus
tears. She looked so pale and weak. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqbVsFQj0I
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My husband held me close as I sobbed. We walked to her bed. At the bed, my husband took her hand into his. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGYlLdEAFU
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"You are going to be alright, OK? The Lord will heal you. You remember Psalm 23; it's going to be your portion. You are the light of the world. The world is waiting for you to shine. Don't let the devil pull you under." My husband spoke faith-filled words to her. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfzgecZkLI
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I found myself believing those words and I knew we were coming out of that situation as a team, with Jesus as our leader. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFP0bEjXpA6
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I touched his shoulder. "We are coming out of this,” I encouraged him in the Lord.
He smiled at me and I smiled back. Lowering his head to match my baby's figure, he pecked her on the forehead.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInJmWHKlJL
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"Be strong for us, Gaby. You are our strong, little girl. Hold your hand with Jesus, don't let go," I said with tears in my eyes. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsq1x1XuXMo
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I also pecked her on the forehead. Thereafter, Nonso and I walked out of her Ward. The principal and the girl were still outside Gabriela ward. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxtqPjx4yx
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"What happened?" My husband asked. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4D1WtVN5MT
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"It's Chisom that can say that," Mr Ajetumobi explained. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpveVq0HjIz
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We all turned our attention to the little girl. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDh43lYoRs
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"Please, don't get mad at me," she pleaded. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlcq2CzaQ4
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"We won't. So speak up," I encouraged her. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKWOnsp6tZ
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"Since she became a boarder, she has been withdrawn and is always on her own. She and her roommate doesn't flow at all. I took a liking to her and always came to talk with her. But each time I came, she drove me away from her. Yet I was relentless. Until today..." Fresh tears spilt from her eyes. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXExkbCEhi
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"It's OK, child."
"It's all my fault. I couldn't see she needed space and now see what I have done. She fainted in front of me during the heated conversation between us," she sobbed harder. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMbAJV4pix
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I placed my hand on her shoulder. "It's ok," I placated her. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAytuGWFKd9
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"Yea, it's not your fault. She has Autism," Nonso spilled the beans. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPmDJSqhcw
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I glared at him. How could he say that? The little girl didn't need to know about that, I said under my breath. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMBZ7HVjw8
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"What's Autism?" She queried. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3Ih9oF9HH
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"Forget that…," I said. I was about to say more...but the doctor arrived. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZlDGXPRLK
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"Thank God you are here. Can I speak with you privately?" He requested. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiZOzohISc
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We nodded and followed him to his office. We sat down on the foamy chair. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TbaXB5p7Q
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"Why is she a boarder?" The doctor queried. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06cbVaCucN
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I watched my husband swallow hard.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BUwwWXE5m
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He began."It was all my idea. I thought it was going to help her interact more with people.” He was shamefaced because of that decision.
"And you didn't remember to tell me about it?" The doctor asked. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1meFDiiHFR
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"I am sorry," my husband said weakly. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSpLLjrJxE
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"It's alright. She needs love and not to feel like she has been locked up in the hostel. It's not done," he sighed and then continued. "As of now, she hasn't woken up. Go and pray she wakes up. I would do my best as a doctor, but God is the greatest doctor," he said emphatically. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbjfzluSHC
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"Thank you, doctor," my husband said. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpLI9ipl7l
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"She will be fine," he said calmly. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4PJH9vyxV
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We nodded and left his office. Oh God! Let her live.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmOr9Si5QN
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"I will now listen to your words from now on," my husband promised. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQLlyrDqqD
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I smiled at him. "We all made a mistake. And I believe God is going to teach us better as we serve Him more. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZrE5XARBZ
Our daughter will be healed," I said with conviction. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdesVmfhcTL
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"I am sure she would," he said and pulled me into a hug. When we got to the Ward, the principal was still there. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGn2Gjmw0T
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"Sir, the doctor has reassured us she would be fine. I will have to remove her from boarding school and reverse her to a day student," my husband announced his decision to him. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfVLZlbMs8
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"No problem. I will go and reshuffle the process. If you will excuse me," Mr Ajetumobi said. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9PCs4VKM5
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"Sure," my husband said. 668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4GeCuMpdn
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Turning to me, Nonso said, "it's going to be alright.” That was the boost I needed.
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