Still
dazed, Queen thought of calling her mother and telling her the result
of her father’s test but she changed her mind immediately. Her mother
would just make things worse by alerting the entire family. That would
spell doom for the entire process of bone marrow donation from her dad.
She decided to hold her peace and wait for him to come back from his
trip.
Her father, Chief Calistus Meena cut
short his trip when he was told that his attention was urgently needed
in connection with the health of his grandson. Queen had agreed with the
doctor that there was no need explaining the details of the test and
its implication to her dad before the operation. When he visited the
hospital in answer to the doctor’s summons, Meena was informed that his
bone marrow could save his grandson’s life. The doctor also refused to
entertain questions from him, informing him that the operation needed to
be done immediately.
Continue reading after the cut...
Meena, though reluctant, but not given
time to change his mind, went into the theatre and had his bone marrow
extracted for transfusion into his grandson.
Queen allowed everything to settle since
her son needed to recuperate fully. Her father also travelled about
three weeks after the bone marrow extraction, he was barely fit to
travel but he needed to go back to the business that took him abroad;
his personal doctor accompanied him on the trip.
Queen’s mother, Tina Akensuah, had
raised eyebrows when her husband cut short his trip and rushed back for
the operation. She did not understand why he had to be the one donating
the bone marrow but the answer she got from the doctor was that it was
the rarest of miracles. Queen refrained from discussing the process with
her mom or anybody else even after her son’s operation. She decided
that she had to sort this matter out with her dad, privately, before
getting any other person involved.
It was not until two months later, that she had the opportunity of having a discussion with her father.
It was a Saturday; her mother had
travelled to a nearby city to attend the burial of a friend’s father and
a patron of their women league. Queen was alone at home with her dad.
She did not need to start the conversation, it turned out that Meena was
dying to say something as well.
“The whole bone marrow scenario still
amazes me. But I am happy that I was around in time to save the life of
the child, to think that none of his father’s relatives could be relied
upon to provide a bone marrow for him!” he said.
“My thoughts exactly. I am convinced you
know the answer to that puzzle father. I think you have something to
say to me and I have been waiting for the past two months to hear it,”
she said, staring intently at him.
“What are you waiting to hear?” her father asked her.
“You could only be a match for my son,
Bobby, if you are a member of his paternal family. It is what my in-laws
have been whispering behind closed doors since they discovered that
none of Bobby’s uncles could donate to him. The doctor is sure that it
is too much of a miracle for you, my father to emerge with a match for
my son’s bone marrow. So, I have been waiting for the right opportunity
to ask you what happened,” she said, still boring holes into his face
with her eyes.
“That is scandalous. Your boyfriend died
the same period your child was conceived!” Meena growled. “And he
visited here shortly before that.”
“Yes. I know but Paul and I did not
sleep together shortly before his death. He wanted me to be his ‘virgin’
before the wedding.’’ Queen informed him.
“But it is ridiculous for you to think I am the father of my grandchild,” her father said, attempting a bold face.
“Well, that is not a problem at all; a
DNA test should solve the riddle. Are you ready for a DNA test daddy? I
can tell mom,” Queen said.
At the mention of his wife’s name, Meena reacted in a strange manner; he fell on his knees before his daughter.
“Queen my dear, please listen to what I
am about to say because right now, my life and the entire fortune of
this family lies in your hand. With one word, you could bring everything
crashing down. It is true that I slept with you, it was only once, the
intention was not to get you pregnant.
“It happened the night before Paul
visited to formally announce preparations for your engagement. I did not
want to do it but the sect said it was necessary because I had come to
the end of my cycle and I needed that to continue the cycle, otherwise
we would lose everything we had worked for; this house, our entire
business, everything!” he confessed.
“What happened to me that night, how
come I have no recollection of you sleeping with me?” she asked. “You
knew but you forgot everything as soon as it happened because of the
charms I used. That is not even the issue; it is very crucial that you
don’t breathe a word of this to anyone. Please,” her father begged.
That night, she moved out of her
father’s house. She also did not tell anybody what transpired between
them. But she had a very convenient explanation to give to her mom
about her movement, satisfied with the explanation, her mum did not
probe further.
Two years later, Chief Meena died of a
heart attack; his will contained a codicil, where he left a large bulk
of his wealth to Bobby and instructed that his wife be appointed the
administrator of the estate until the boy turned 18.
Concluded
NOTE: All names events are fictitious
- Anna Okon/Punch
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