Chapter Seventeen

We cannot go backwards. We cannot erase time and events. But we can go forward, hand in hand, hope in our hearts and love lighting the way-- Sharon Shinn

You are the only one in charge of your destiny. Unfair things may happen to you, unfortunate times may come to you, but you always get to choose how you respond. You can live in frustration and bitterness, or you can be the bigger person and just play the hell out of the cards you are dealt. The truth is that not a single person can choose the cards they receive, but everyone chooses how they play their cards-- Nicky Banas/ MW FACETS

Obi felt so disappointed; at himself and at everything but mostly at himself. All his life he had being a master of composure. Recently, he noticed his patience seemed to be flopping and have become very thin.

The thought of Ifeoma with another man or most especially with that superbious bastard made him murderous. Something he's never felt before. With Lucy he felt certain; he never feared of another taking her away; that was love; yes they loved themselves that must be why.

"What about Ifeoma?" he asked his subconscious. "What do i feel for her? Is there even a feeling?" He was confused beyond comprehension.

He knew deep down; he had something nameless, something alien, something incomprehensible for Ifeoma. He was scared of what it might be and too weak to find out. It was better it remained blur; in the shadows. He was okay with just the silhouette; it was safer like that, for him, for them.

Ifeoma slowly opened her eyes, everything was blur at first until it became translucent. She was confused.

"Are my in lala land?" she asked herself. She had had series of dreams. First she dreamt of a life with Obi that was full of fun and laughter. In her dream; he had loved her, kissed her good morning and good night. They were so happy it felt so real.

Then she dreamt that they drifted apart: she saw their happy memories fading away; one by one they disappeared until nothing but an opaque scenery was left. She couldn't decode the raminant of it. But, in the opacity she saw a silhouette of a baby; their child. But, it faded almost immediately, it was like it disappeared into thin air.

She couldn't even ascertain the sex but she was sure of what she saw. It was definitely there child. There was no mistaken ; she would recognise her child anywhere. What kind of mother would it make her if she couldn't recognise her own blood. They have had each other for months; have being each others companion...

The opaque expression on its face worried her. Thou it's appearance was brief; she recognised the pain in its face ; she was broken so broken she felt like dieing; never had she felt that way before. The feeling was beyond expression and beyond every explanation.

Almost immediately she saw her; she saw Lucy and Lucy was laughing at her pain holding something in her hands. She couldn't recognise what it was until the pain she felt transported her back to reality; back to consciousness.

After a while of adjusting to reality what she saw was nothing like her room or anywhere in Obi's house.

As she wanted to strengthen herself she felt overwhelmed with fatigue in her confused state, she noticed the IV needle on her right hand.

instinctively, Obi who had being staring blindly at the door turned his face to her; he was seated on a black leather cushion facing directly to the door.

He stood up immediately, came closer to her not knowing whether to touch her or not but at the end he touched her cheeks.

"Where are my?" Ifeoma asked confused.

"Where do you feel pain?" Obi asked scared and curious.

"I'm okay, I just feel so tired..."

"Then why are you crying?"

Ifeoma was confused. Wait has she being crying? That was when she noticed the moistness on her cheek and Obi hands slowly flicking them away.

They must have being the tears from her dreams. She didn't know how to explain it to Obi or anyone or even herself; she had being crying in the dream and now the tears made it to the real world. The dream didn't feel like a dream at all. It felt like something else. She had never had a vision so she didn't dare think she just had one. Most confusing was the fact she saw Lucy.

"I'm okay... How did I get here?"

"I'm so sorry."

Ifeoma looked at him in shock. She didn't know what exactly he was sorry about. A thought crossed her mind in fact the most dreadful thought.

"What is wrong with my child?" She said as she touched her womb as if to feel the child. She didn't know why she referred to the child as 'hers' instead of 'theirs' she just felt the innate need to claim possession. She remembered her dream and she almost slipped to unconsciousness.

"No no" Obi held her frightened body. "Nothing is wrong with the baby."

Ifeoma looked at him as if to denote the truth. She was visibly frightened but she believed him. "Why then are you sorry?" She could see the remorse on his face. "Wait! How did I get here?"

"You're are okay now that is all that matters" Obi said removing two strand of her plaited hair that covered her nose.

Obi evasiveness to the question was dubious. Ifeoma tried to remember the last thing that occurred before she slipped to oblivion.

Few seconds later it came flooding in like a hurricane.

She had remembered she had being so scared and helpless when she saw Obi punch Greg so hard he fell from the chair and down on the floor hitting his head on the cold hard tiled floor of the restaurant.

A loud scream escaped her mouth. She didn't know what to do. Obi looked like the devil on rampage; he looked horrid and dangerous. She had never seen or heard him look or act that way. She didn't know how to react or what to do.

As if all the demons was let loose she saw Greg stand on his feet and with a fast and feverish tenacity he came at Obi with such great force Obi soon came sliding against another table.

"Somebody please help me!" she cried out. Why the hell was the staff not intervening. It was true they were at the VIP section but they weren't exactly quiet in fact the commotion was so loud.

Aggravated Obi stood up in great anger that he had never felt before; he was beyond angry; He was overwhelmed with furry, all rationality gone. He was no longer human, the beast in him evolved. He came at Greg with such great force he never knew he had and soon someone was bleeding profusely; Greg. He was covered in his own blood; he looked like a zombie or more accurately he looked like an accident victim.

Ifeoma begged Obi to stop but the fury in him hadn't let him hear or look at Ifeoma. He continued to punch, knock and slam Greg until he saw Ifeoma sliding. He didn't know how he saw her or how he did it but he came at Ifeoma before her body could hit the floor.

His movement was intensely prompt; it was surreal. It felt like they were acting a movie. Everything happened in a swift and split moment. All the anger he felt evaporated; it was replaced with a great fear. From being a beast in control he became a vulnerable sheep.

His weakness was loosing anyone close to him. He would die if he lost another person. With trembling hands he called 112.

He couldn't even speak he regretted threatening the restaurant staff and warning them profusely to stay clear the VIP section and to switch all CCTV cameras around the VIP section off.

Unknown to many he had shares in most businesses in the city. He just loved leading a humble life.

He had refused to leave her side even as the paramedics in charge asked him to allow them do their job. One stare at him the poor paramedics man had to leave him the hell alone as he and his team worked on Ifeoma.

He had being seating at a black leather couch in the VIP waiting room of Grace hospital as the doctors examined his wife. Yes his wife, the mother of his unborn child. Before they could examine her it took a massive effort and some medical jargon in the doctors sleeve and a little threat before Obi agreed to leave the ward and allow them do their job.

Outside the ward he was restless; grieve ridden, guilt clouded. He recalled the past; how he had lost Lucy. He felt so much pain that he almost slumped. The only reason he didn't was ; he wanted to be there when Ifeoma awoke. He didn't want her to worry. The event earlier was enough.

It had being so long he cried, so much like a baby. It wasn't just a tear or two he was really crying and sucked in his own tears.

"Mr Obi" Obi looked up immediately caring less to hide his tears and grieve. "Your wife went through mild shock but nothing to worry. She's fine now. She would be needing adequate rest and care. We don't want it happening again..."

"Can i see her now?"

"You may but she's not yet awake..."

"The baby? She would never forgive me if anything were to happen to it" he had seen how close Ifeoma was with the baby. Though he feigned ignorance he had seen her on several occasions talking to the baby on those moments when he would sneak on her.

"The baby is fine too. The heartbeat is normal, nothing out of the ordinary. Both mother and child are in a safe zone.

Obi let out the breath he didn't know he had being holding.

Ifeoma on the other hand remembered the commotion and how dreadful Obi had looked. The blood on Greg's body was so hideous she couldn't breathe and then everything became blank.

Back to the present, awareness filled her. "Where is Greg?" She asked scared of the answer. She would never forgive herself if anything had happened to him. He didn't deserve the treatment he got from Obi.

She realised she didn't know Obi. Never in her dreams would she have thought he could be so toxic and violent.

Obi was annoyed she asked of the klutz but he didn't let it show. He wouldn't allow his grievance get in the way of her recovery. As he was about to make a reply...

Talk about the devil; the devil walked in clad in green; obviously the hospital's cloth; still on drip in a movable drip stand. He was bandage like a mummy. Obi felt his anger return.

"Oh my God Greg!" Ifeoma almost jumped to her feet.