The hovering clouds and the dreary look of the sky matched Adaobi’s mood perfectly. She had been in the hospital for over three months and was still bedridden. Yes, her family never left her bed side “except that scumbag” she thought bitterly. She had always been an agile and active woman so she chafed against the ties holding her to one place. She longed for the open- the freedom of movement and the free will to choose what she wanted per time. As her eyes roved restlessly, the door opened and the young doctor who had been christened her favourite walked in with a tall dark-skinned woman garbed in white overall. She was middle aged and had a motherly aura. Her presence radiated confidence and Adaobi felt immediate comfort in her presence.
The attractive doctor smiled at her as he walked to her side and asked how she was doing. Her heart skipped a beat, her face reddening. She could swear she had butterflies in her stomach. She still wasn’t able to enunciate her words properly because of the extent of her injuries but she had mastered some mannerism to pass her needs and message across. She nodded fine and as he turned to explain who the lady beside him was she noted – once again, the quiet strength and confidence exuding from him. She already knew his name- Dr. Adebayo Oni but in her heart she called him Bayo. She was definitely attracted to him. There was no denying that fact now. She knew there was a spark somewhere. Deep within her, she felt more flutters- one she wasn’t ready to explain to herself. Not yet!
The female doctor turned to smile at her and she struggled to draw her attention back to her surroundings. As she spoke, Adaobi realised that she was a trained physiotherapist who was there to help her regain the use of her limbs. She sighed in relief. She was ready for this, she thought. Her limbs had started to feel like lead and it gave her a helpless feeling. The physiotherapist, Dr. Efe Ogbeide by name, dropped her bag by her bedside and proceeded to pull the bed sheets off her legs as Dr. Oni grinned at her and strode out.
An hour passed quickly and Dr. Efe told her the session was over for the day and she would come back the same time the following day. Ada smiled her gratitude and bobbed her head. She felt more alive and invigorated than she had been in the past months. Her numb limbs felt awakening flutters and she was grateful. Her cheerful disposition returned and she was able to grin at the nurses as they came around to attend to her and other patients. She could hardly wait for tomorrow to come.
Two weeks of rigorous and intense therapy, she felt more alive than in she had felt in the past couple of months. She reveled in the almost forgotten sensations awakening slowly in her upper body. She beamed with joy at the results of her efforts. Her joy was contagious. The high point was when she opened her mouth and was able to speak clearly. Her family was overjoyed. Her mother smiled with tears in her eyes. They had missed hearing her voice and deep within them had despaired at times of ever hearing her talk again. Ada knew she still had weeks or months of therapy but she felt the love of her family and it gave her strength…the hope that things would be alright. Finally, she was able to speak audibly and best of all was to see the happy look on Dr. Oni’s face when she spoke to him during his visit. He was delighted to hear her speak. Ada heard whispers among the nurses even though they tried shielding it from her. Her estranged fiancé had tried to see her and almost caused a scene but her family and the doctors refused him access. She could see the veiled looks the nurses and staff gave her when they passed by her bedside. She knew they all had heard what happened. It still shook her that Nike could do what she did after all they had shared together but as Nnamdi continued to remind her, both of them were not worthy of her either as a friend or a husband. She kept reiterating that to herself when the pain of their betrayal threatened to overwhelm her. She had to concentrate on getting better. She had a whole new life ahead of her, waiting to be explored. She was going to pick up the pieces and build her life again!
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