Roses and Thorns – Episode 45 – 46

Roses and Thorns – Episode 45
SIX MONTHS LATER
It was amazing to Joel how time flew over the months. The killer had been killed and so was the Barrister, but still, Joel felt empty without Melody. She had been in the hospital for the past six months, Joel always paid her visits though. His car came to a halt in the car garage of the hospital. He entered into the hospital replying greetings from the nurses, yes, he had become a constant visitor that they all greet him with smiles whenever he came. He opened the door and looked at Melody for a while before going in fully making sure he closed the door.
“Bambi, how are you doing today?” he asked k-ssing her forehead, he carressed her hair, they had loosened her weaving leaving her with her natural hair.
“Do you like it here?, please come let’s go home, i have missed you so much” he said again still carressing her hair. “I miss you Bambi, i can’t even stay for a minute without thinking about you” he said yet again. The monitor beeped and then continued beeping fast. Joel stood up immediatly and ran to get the doctor, few minutes after, he came back with the doctor and a nurse. The doctor checked Melody’s pulse and looked at the screen of the monitor checking for her heartbeat, the monitor stopped beating and the screen went blank, the doctor shook his head sadly.
“She is dead, am sorry” he said to Joel with a sigh.
“Dead what? which one is dead? doctor please stop joking, she is probably sleeping or something, but she is not dead, my Melody can not die when she knows she is my life” Joel said with a chuckle and sadness filled eyes.
“She is dead, the monitor has gone blank because there is no heartbeat anymore. We will have to remove the oxygen now and also take her to the morgue” the doctor squeezed Joel’s shoulder and signaled the nurse to remove the oxygen.
“Morgue? who do you want to take to the morgue? please stop joking” Joel muttered, the tears gathered blinding him.
“That’s the only thing we can do” the doctor replied looking at the nurse who had successfully removed the oxygen and was walking towards the monitor.
“Bambi, please don’t do this to me, you want to leave me sad? please don’t go, you are my better half, don’t you want to grow old with me? don’t you want to have children for me?, please, biko, don’t leave me” Joel cried, the tears started pouring like rain.
“Take heart man” the doctor consoled him. Just then, the nurse scre-med “Doc, she moved a finger right now” she stared at Joel and the doctor.
Joel and the doctor stared at Melody’s right hand, Joel hoped it was true and pleaded with Melody in his mind to do it again. She moved her finger again and Joel smiled.
The monitor started beeping again but very low. “Get me the defibrillator” the doctor said to the nurse.
“Please get the f****ng defibrillator” Joel scre-med at the nurse who to him looked like she wasn’t fast enough.
“123, jack” the doctor hit her chest, nothing happened, he repeated the procedure three times and on the third attempt, the monitor started beeping audibly, Joel looked at Melody, she moved a finger again, he rushed towards her, she was crying with her eyes closed.
“My Melody, please stay with me, you are all that i have got” he spoke tenderly carressing her hand, his head bent on the bed, beside her. Melody’s eyes slowly flew open, she closed it and slowly opened it again, trying to get acquainted with the illuminated room.
“She is awake” the nurse squealed. Joel shot his head up immediatly and wiped his tears.
“Bambi” he slowly called out to Melody who still had a confused look on her face.
“She is really a strong woman, she has a very strong will to live” the doctor said, he was surprised.
“Thank you so much, for coming back to me” Joel said hugging her immediately.
“Okay, Captain, you will need to let her rest now, i advise you go get her a change of clothes and food to eat, she just survived a great ordeal” the doctor said slowly helping Joel up.
“Bambi, am coming back, wait for me, don’t go anywhere again” he said to Melody who looked at him like he was insane.
He rushed out of the hospital immediately with smiles plastered on his face.
Episodes 46
Melody lay down helplessly on the hospital bed, she was on drip. she stared up at the ceiling, counting how many pieces was used for the roofing. The door opened and Joel walked in with his parents, Melody still lay without moving a muscle.
“Hello, Flower, how are you doing today?” Joel asked all smiles walking towards the cupboard beside the small table top fridge, he kept the provision and fruits he bought and walked towards the bed.
“Melody my dear, how are you feeling now?” the elderly woman asked.
“Do you need anything?” the Husband asked almost immediately.
“Who are you people?” Melody asked all of a sudden sending everyone into confusion.
“Bambi, what do you mean?” Joel asked trying to hold her hand.
“Stop calling me that” Melody flinched, snatching her hand from his grip. “Who am i? how did i get here, Melody? is that my name?” she breathed in and out hastily.
“Joel dear, what is she saying?” The elderly woman asked looking from Melody to Joel and then to her husband.
“I don’t know, Mom” Joel replied crouching to be the same height with Melody. “Sunshine, it is me, Joel, we are dating and we are so much in love with each other, don’t you remember?” Joel asked greasing his face in confusion.
“I don’t know who you are, neither do i remember being in a relationsh¡p with you” Melody replied glaring at Joel.
“Nnam, (My Son) i think you should go and meet the doctor, this is getting out of hand” his father suggested.
“Okay Dad, i will be right back” Joel answered rushing out immediately.
The doctor was on the phone with someone when Joel rushed into his office without knocking.
“Oh, am sorry” he muttered.
“Let me call you back ASAP, i think i have an emergency now” the doctor said hanging up.
“It’s a good thing you referred to it as an emergency because it is really an emergency” Joel bellowed, his heart was beating fast and loud like the day he handled their church drum, that was when he was 16.
“Okay Captain, what is the problem?” the doctor asked leaning towards the desk.
“Agwo no na akirika (There is a snake in a thatched roof). An igbo proverb concurrent to “There is fire on the mountain”.
“Captain just go ahead and tell me what happened, this one you are speaking Igbo?” the doctor sighed.
“It is Melody, she lost her memory. Memories of us and all the time we spent together, all gone” Joel replied weakly, he hadn’t bothered to sit down.
“Which Melody?” the doctor asked confused.
“Oh God, what kind of question is that? how many Melody did i bring to this hospital?” Joel hissed.
“One na, and if she is the one you are referring to, that means you have nothing to worry about because i ran every necessary test on her just two days ago, so she didn’t lose her memory” he exclaimed hastily almost out of breath.
“But she denied knowing or remembering who i am, or even who she is, damn, and even my Parents too” Joel bellowed.
“Captain, that girl is hurt, she is pained, it’s possible she is trying to live in Oblivion of what happened to her, it’s better she pretends to forget than keeping it in her mind. Just talk to her and make her remember the good memories of you guys” the doctor explained with a smile.
“Okay then” Joel replied with a frown. He got back to the ward and his parents rushed him with questions, he sighed and slowly muttered “Mom, Dad, you guys should give me some time alone with her, i need to talk deeply with her” he let out a breath. His parents left the room without arguing. He slowly walked towards the bed and crouched down again to be the same height with Melody who stared at the 24 inches plasma television hung on the wall.
“Bambi” he called out slowly taking her hand in his “do you remember the night we spent together in my room? the night we shared our first k-ss? the night we slept, cuddled in each other’s arms, the night we shared our past with each other, do you remember? the night i told you how much i love you”? Melody flinched and slowly removed her hands turning to the other side of the bed, her back turned on Joel.
Joel sighed, got up and walked to the other side of the bed and crouched down again. “Sunshine, you are the love of my life, God knows i have no other, I love you, Melody, you redesigned me. you showed me what true love is. You think am not hurting too? you have been here for the past 6 months, i miss you, my Lady, i miss you so much. These past few months have been hell for me, without you” Melody sniffed, the tears poured, she wiped effortlessly.
“Joel” she muttered slowly “That bas***d raped me, i felt pain, i called out to you, i scre-med, i yelled, i warned, i threatened and i pleaded with him but all to no avail” She spoke amidst sobs.
“Am feeling guilty Bambi, i have been filled with guilt since all these happened, i feel guilty for not getting to you on time, i feel so guilty for letting that idiot lay his hands on you, Am sorry, i don’t have any excuse, please forgive me” Joel cried too hugging her.
“My V-rginity is gone” she whispered with a sniff.
“Shhhhhhh, it’s okay, just let it go and focus on the good memories of us” Joel said still hugging her dearly.
“Am sorry, i faked Amnesia” she sniffed again.
“It’s okay Bambi, even if you have Amnesia, i would have still loved you the same” Joel said separating from the hug.
“Won’t you feel somehow? seeing me will constantly remind you that another man took what i would have given to you. I think you should let me go, Joel, i want to go somewhere far and start up a new life” she wiped her tears.
“Go where? Melody, i love you and not your V-rginity, yes, i was proud that you were one, but circ-mstances have changed everything. you think what i feel for you is a joke? I love you with every fiber of my being, you are my Treasure, i want you for life. You are not going anywhere Madam, you are stucked with me” Joel eyed her.
“Am sorry” she said hugging him, the tears poured. “I love you Joel, am sorry i suggested leaving” she sniffed.
“I won’t even let you go, am holding you tight” Joel replied hugging her affectionately.
“Where are your parents? I need to apologise to them too” She said as she separated from the hug.
“I will call them in right away” Joel said, stood up and left the room.