LASTING MEMORY (Episode 4)

LASTING MEMORY. Episode 4
© Amah

Olivia tried calling Doctor Kate that afternoon but no response, she was probably in class or in an emergency.
Olivia breathed down, she felt Emerald temperature and it was really burning, she has given her every medication she can think off ever since yesterday, hoping she will get better but she wasn’t improving at all.
She wanted to take her to the hospital but decided to speak to Kate first as she has always done but she couldn’t reach Doctor Kate.
Olivia placed a small soaked cold towel on her daughter’s forehead to see if it will reduce her high temperature.
she sent a quick text message to doctor Kate and waited for a reply, but none came.
She was confuse on what to do and started scrolling down the contact on her phone, she came across Helen and knew she will be busy at work, Olivia continued scrolling down she came across Kane, she have not hærd from him for days, she called him yesterday but his line was off.
Olivia wondered what was going on with him, she was already into him, liking every thing about him and now she can’t reach him anymore, she wonder what was happening with him and why his line was off for the past two days.
Oliver breathed down and got to the name “Mark” she pause and stare at the name, she quickly remembered Doctor Mark, whom she has not seen or spoken to in a long while, she decided to call the number maybe she will be able to get help for Emerald, she silently pray that the number was still active and when the phone began to ring she silently began to pray that Mark will be able to help her.
Mark was on leave, he has taking two weeks emergency leave to attend to his fathers’ burial, he traveled and after the wh0le burial was over he returned back to his base.
His father was the only parent left after his mother died many years ago. His only sibling was his elder brother who was married with a son.
Mark wished he could save his father from dying when the old man became so sick, Mark did all he could for his father. He loved his job and couldn’t be with his father all the time, so he hired a nurse, a care giver who was looking after the man and he travels down down sometimes to check on him but never fails to call just to know if he is responding to treatment or not.
Mark love treating people, saving lives,helping those with different fears to have hope and smile again. being a doctor has made him to put other people’s life ahead of his own, he wish he could save his father but being a doctor there’s a limit he can do, it was his father’s time to go and he can’t do anything again more than what he has already done and to accept the truth.
He was trying to be man and look ahead to the brighter side of life, find love and have a family of his own just like his elder brother but he has not being so good with those plans, especially in the area of women.
Is been a while he has gone on a date, his work was time consuming and he likes occupying his mind with it.
He spend so much time attending to people than he does for himself.
Ever since Olivia the lady he has fallen for even in her delicate condition which have being so crazy to him and to any one that will hear that he was in love with a pregnant young and beautiful lady who has no man in her life and never wanted any man close to her, he tried to make her consider him back then even after she gave birth to her daughter, Mark kept trying but she turned him down and warned him never to get close to her and he has to give up trying.
He went deeper into work just to forget her and even have to go on few dates which never works out.
Mark was watching a television program while his house keeper was in the laundry room doing his laundry.
Mark hærd his phone ringing he picked it up with his eye still fixed on the television, he picked the call without looking at the caller, thinking it was from the hospital as usual or from one of his patients
“Hello…Doctor Mark Phil¡ps on the line….
“Mark, is me…Olivia….
Immediately Mark hærd the voice and the name he removed the phone from his ear and check the caller before placing it back to his ear…
“Hi Olivia…is being ages…how are you doing…you surprise me with your call…how are you are your daughter…
“I know is being a while, I have not being able to get to doctor Kate, Emerald is so sick…she has being running temperature, it started yesterday when the school she attends called to inform me that she suddenly started running temperature and was crying all through, I rushed down and picked her and I gave her some medication hoping it will stop this morning but it got worst, I’m thinking of taking her to the hospital but decided to call you first when I stumbled on your number…I didn’t know what else to do Mark…I’m sorry to disturb…
“Don’t be sorry Olivia, is fine and I am on leave, I still have four days to rest before I start work…can I drive down to your place so that I can check Emerald first before knowing the kind of medication to prescribe…
After the call ended, Mark picked up his stethoscope, car key and few other medical things, he quickly drove off to Olivia’s place
He was ushered in by Olivia who was waiting for his arrival. Mark checked Emerald and quickly commenced treatment on her.
After that day he returned the next day and kept stooping to check on the little girl until Emerald was well again, Doctor Kate later called after seeing Olivia message about her daughter, she apologized that she was in a class with her students and needed to put off her phone which was her usual way and Olivia informed her that Mark was attending to Emerald, Kate was glad.
after Mark was done with all treatment he refused to collect anything from Olivia even after she insisted, he did not.
“Thank you so much Mark, I didn’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t responded urgently to my call and now Emerald is well…I don’t know how to pay you for your kindness…I’m indebted to you…
“stop thanking me Olivia…I could have done the same for anybody out there who needs help within my reach…watch Emerald for few days before she starts school, Emerald maybe allergic to something, not specified yet…please check the school environments, class and also play ground too… environment matters…but she is alright now…if anything changes please call me…but you don’t need to panic …children are like this and I have seen worst cases too… and I have a little request…I don’t know how much Emerald associate outside with you and school but I do want to ask you if is okay to bring her to my nephew’s birthday two weeks from now…my nephew will be turning five years…is being a sad moment for me and my brother after my Dad died, so we want to do something different after mourning, is time to also celebrate, have a happy gathering again so my nephew’s birthday will be doing all that for us… uhmmm…is just an innocent invitation and you can turn it down…is not really compulsory…but try think about it first before making a decision, I will come over pick you and Ema up and bring you right back anytime you are ready to go…I just want Ema to have fun with lots of other kids of her age…but is all fine if you can’t make it…I do understand…and you don’t owe me anything Olivia…
“Hmmm I’m so sorry to hear about your Dad, I’m deeply sorry Mark for your heavy lost…let me think about the invitation first…two weeks is still far…I will let you know if we can make it or not. Thank you once again Mark…I really appreciate…
Two days later Emerald started school again. Kane came down on the fourth day to see Olivia.
“I’m so sorry that I have not called all this while, I got caught up with something… with the kind of father I have he can give you a hærd nut out of sudden to crack and that was what happened…I needed to do some things for him outside the state and there was no network where I was…I’m sorry Olivia, how is princess Ema doing and how are you doing too…I have missed you both, I just couldn’t stay another day without seeing or hearing from you so I drove down immediately I returned…
“I was so worried Kane…I thought I did or say something wrong which got you offended…I try calling severally but your line was switched off…I was almost falling sick from worrying over the fine kind man that flew into my life like a cool wind, blew my heart open and then disappear…I have not liked any man like I do for you…maybe is more than what I can admit…
“I feel thrilled to hear you say that Olivia, I love you and everything about you and I really want you to be happy and forget everything that makes you sad…I’m sorry for making you to worry so much, I was also sad when I couldn’t reach you…it bothers me a lot…and with the way I left you the last time, when you talked about your past, it hurt you deeply so if talking about Emerald’s father or whoever he maybe makes you remember the hurtful past that you are trying to forget…then let’s not talk about it…not now…maybe never…you are my happiness and I want to be all yours Olivia, let the past and whatever happens in the past remain right there…let’s focus on the future but I do want to ask just one question please…do you remember anything about the gun man you mentioned the last time…if you see him will you be able to identify him or is there something that you can use to identify him…do you remember anything…
Olivia thought for a moment, she have wanted to say the only thing she remembered was his gang name ”Kaka” but that will not make any sense, it may sound stupid if she says that, she remembered the man that raped her was tall, he has a mask on and a cut on his cheek and hand but she have being too scared that night, yes the man has a deep cut on his cheek which cut through his facial mask and made blood to soak up there and she could have taking more note of the two gun men if she wasn’t so frightened and there was not enough light to identify much, the room wasn’t bright enough. The only thing that rings in her head for years was the name Kaka which was useless because when she searched on the internet she found out that Kaka is mostly a nick name or an abbreviation of a name but never a common name for a male child.
Olivia looked up at Kane who held his too palm together and something else was written in his eyes, worried and maybe fear, she can’t tell what exactly it was. Kane was tall, he has a little scar on his cheek which wasn’t so obvious, despite the scar he was a fine man, he looks likes a man who will never hurt a fly, Kane has a humble and kind soul, he was so calm and so loving, men like him are rare and she was glad she met him
The man that raped her, killed her parents and destroyed her hope of becoming a lawyer just in one night and he is probably in a prison or dead because the police has said they caught all the arm robbers that night, some died and others were imprisoned so Kaka or whoever he was is rotting away either in the grave or in a cell with other hærden criminals like him. no wicked man like him will go free because is either the law that govern the people nail him, the police men will make him face the consequences of his evil actions,the law of karma is also there to strike him down or he dies untimely. If he manage to escape all of this which is not possible then the same gun he holds with pride will strike him with a hot bullet, “maybe that hot bullet will be coming from me or anybody….but I’m certain there is no escaping for such a man who strike me hærd across the face, pined me down like a prey, I pleaded, my father pleaded but he never listened, he tore my night wear and started digging into me without care, I have wish many times I died that night alongside with my parents, they killed my sick mother who was already recovering and shot my father as he tried to save me. aah what a night to remember, a lasting memory which I will never forget.
“No…No Kane I…I can’t identify the gun man with anything…i can’t remember anything and I do not want to remember anything either…
Kane breathed out, giving a sigh of relieved. He silently thank God that Olivia did not remember what the gun man looked like and could not identify him, he felt better from the hot silent from Olivia that was consuming him as she kept quiet for sometime before speaking out, Kane breathed down again and Olivia looked up at him as they sat close to her kiosk, sweat broke out of his fore head despite it was a cold evening, he coughed out as he tries to remain calm, he coughed again
“Are you alright Kane…is there something wrong…are you having cough, I have a menthol sweet for coughs…you are sweating but the evening is so cool…do you have cough….
“ahhhh…no…I mean yeah…just a little cough but it will pass. I’m fine Olivia…let me take you out tomorrow, let’s start talking about your school, you don’t need to give up on becoming who you want to be because of finance…I’m here for you and I will help you get to that height I promise….
And that was how Olivia got encouraged to start thinking and processing her school form and with Kane everything was so easy for her.
She was determined again to make her father proud even in though he was long dead. She swore never to forget the two men who came into her life, one came and took everything from her, unleash terror and killed her dream and her hopes of living. Kaka was his crazy bitter name and she will never forget him.
And the other was the sweet man who was restoring back her lost hope, bring color to her life again, making her dreams to become reality. Kane was his sweet name and she will never forget him.
Olivia plan taken Emerald to Doctor Mark’s nephew’s birthday party because she knows will make Mark very happy, he deserve to be happy after losing his dear father.
that was the least she can do for him after he treated Emerald. One good turn deserve another.
so she called Mark to inform him and he was so happy and told Olivia that he will come over and pick them up when the time comes.

To be continued

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