All these thoughts and questions raced through her mind. Then she decided not to turn her back. She laid back gently and without any sign of agitation, she calmly asked from the now surprised Doctor.
“Who are you? What is your name?”
The Doctor, trying to calm her in order to treat her decided to humour her.
“If my name will help in making you well,then let it be.”
Really I should have told you my name,she thought.
She however, was not prepared for the reaction of her patient when she also calmly answered.
“I am Dr. (Mrs.) Bimbo D’ALMEILDA. This is my hospital. You are in Festac Town.”
The patient looked dazed, then a piercing scream and a lapse into unconsciousness. The Doctor now alarmed pressed the ring and started to check the vital signs. A nurse came in and she issued directives for oxygen and respiratory instruments. As. the nurse moved out, a man with a boy came at her heels.The man Banke saw before fainting in her house.
“What’s wrong dear?”
“She went back into coma.”
“Again?”
“Yes, after three days?”
“Will you be able to revive her? Poor woman, she had gone through a lot this past year.”
The instruments were brought in and Banke was revived. When she slowly opened her eyes and saw the two together she wanted to faint again but they quickly gave her a tranquillising injection.She slowly slid into a fitful sleep. The next morning, Banke woke up to a bright sunny day. The incidents of the day before flicked through her consciousness: snippets of a film going through a projector. It was while ruminating that the Doctor came in. She asked her some questions about her health. As she finished, she pointedly asked her why she screamed and became unconscious when she told her name. Banke then slowly explained how she saw her before with her husband. She asked whether she is married to her husband.The Doctor asked the name of her husband and Banke said Brigadier Bantale. The doctor informed Banke that her own husband is a doctor and not a soldier, a surgeon who had gone to Saudi-Arabia before and had just arrived in the country. She explained that when he heard that her recently found twin brother is dead, he went to pay a visit and inform his wife about his presence. She said that was from where, they rushed her in. Banke started crying both for joy and with a lot of sadness.The door opened and the split image of her husband came in with his son. He went to the bed and gave her a letter from her dead husband.
“Everything I hope will be explained there. I received a courier message from him before I came and found out he had died. That was why I came down, though I was expected on the 10th but non-issuance of my travel permit prevented me. His letter I think will explain everything.”
He signalled to his wife and they went out. Banke slowly opened the letter. As she read, a smile slowly crosses her face. She muttered under her breath. “Thank God.” She looked at the calendar in the room. It is 17th day of April, 1993. Banke started crying. She was crying for joy rather than sadness.He is alive.Who will believe such a thing after a year? A year of anguish, agony, loss and confusion. She silently prayed. Thanking the Almighty Father for his mercies. Yes, they’ve said it.You are the one who makes the impossible possible. Her joy knew no bounds. She started singing. It was the singing that brought her husband’s twin brother and his wife back into the room. They looked at her askance wondering,
“Is she alright?”
Banke continued with her song.The man was the first to speak.
“Did the letter explain anything?”
“Yes, it did?”
“Thank God.”
“Yes,Thank God, he is coming back.”
“Coming back, from where?”
“From London.”
“London?”
ayékòótóFMD 