STORMS AND TWISTS

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Cody got home earlier then he had ever done. He raced home immediately he heard the closing bell. He went into his bedroom and lay flat on the floor. He was disappointed in himself. He fought with him over nothing tangible.

He knew Casey wasn’t capable of getting his sister with desperation but he turned the tables on him just to keep him off Carl’s tail. He knew Melissa would end in jeopardy if she dated Carl and he didn’t want Casey to obstruct that.

He wanted to get back at her and he thought he was lucky and that he had Carl avenging on his behalf but he was wrong. Melissa was heading to New Orleans and then Carl wasn’t able to destroy her. He was the one at a loss. He lost his friend and he didn’t realize it.

Had they still being friends, they would probably be walking together and Casey would not have slumped. If he had known Casey was destined to die early of something so silly, he would not have quarreled with him and he would have being the best friend anyone could ever have to him.

Now, he basked in regret. He had many things to lose; his prestige, his good grades and happiness were all gone. He tried turning the tables on Casey but the tables actually got turned on him. He felt stupid and useless.

He recalled that he refused to agree with Oliver when he told them to reconcile. He had been a big fool all the while that he didn’t realize that life is too short to make enemies.

…

Josiah was at home that evening. He left work at 5:00p.m that day. He lay on a couch in the living room. He had to finish work faster enough to earn himself adequate time to rest. He was thinking about his life at the office and then he remembered Clara. He decided to give her a call.

Clara saw that someone had dialed her phone number. She saw that it‘s Josiah. She decided to answer when it was becoming incessant.

“Josiah what do you want?” She said coldly.

“You do not seem fine to me. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing and mind your business”.

“Well, I just wanted to check on you because it’s been ages since we last met. I will find something else to do”. He said, about to hang up.

“Wait”.

“Okay, you’re weird. The last minute you were harsh on me and now you tell me not to drop the call”

“I’m sorry for that. It’s just that I’m crazy these days. My brother I in coma”

“What! Send me the address. I am coming right away.” He said with distress in his voice.

…

Mr. Calvin ‘Manuel walked to the ward. He saw his son under a life support machine with an oxygen mask. He couldn’t suppress his emotions and he burst into tears. He was sad to see his only son in that situation.

Since the death of his wife, he had made a vow not to marry another woman and take care of his kids. He was a rare father and also one of a kind. Clara couldn’t bear the sight of her father crying. All her life, this was the second time he saw her father crying.

She looked up. Her family was facing a tough time now. God has to intervene. She didn’t know how but God just had to intervene.

Josiah picked his car keys immediately he dropped the call. It was then that Cody walked in with a morose look. Josiah was too bothered by the news he got so he didn’t ask him.

“Where are you rushing off to?” Cody asked.

“I just got a bad news. Someone I know is got admitted to the Central Hospital. It’s so bad”.

“The Central Hospital let's visit the person together”. Cody said, well aware that Casey was admitted here.

“Okay”. Josiah said.

The drive lasted for twenty minutes and soon as they parked the car, Cody ran off.

“Wait, you don’t even know where you are going”. Josiah shouted after him but it fell on deaf ears.

Cody asked for the directions from the receptionists and they gave him. He trotted off like a lame horse. He got into the ward and saw that Casey was struggling for life. He knelt beside him and held his hand.

“Casey, I wish you could just open your eyes and see how sincere I am now. I am sorry and I want us to become friends again. I agree that everything that happened is my fault. I’m not meant to be in Mill High School without you. I failed my tests but you passed”. Cody said and exhaled deeply. A tear trickled down his face.

“You are a blessing to yourself, your family, the school and most especially me although I don’t deserve it. Please come back, we all feel your absence and it has not been going on well since you got here”. He paused again and looked around.

“I know I was unreasonable but you were selfless. You still deemed to attempt warning my sister despite the ill treatment she gave you. You are a gift to the world, your family’s breadwinner and a champion. You are irreplaceable. If only you can see me, you will know that I am speaking from the innermost depth of my heart.

“You are one of a kind. Please I don’t want you, I need you”. He said and brought out a blue card. On it was written, “Cody Morris, best friend to Casey ‘Manuel”. He burst into tear. He was about to leave when he saw Clara from his blurry vision due to the crying.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” She queried. As it appeared, she was not pleased with him.

“I have things to explain”. He said, twiddling.

“Well, this angry sister is not gullible enough to entertain your gibberish.”

“I admit I was a bad friend”.

“You have not been a friend at all; talk less of being a bad one”.

“I’m so sorry”. He pleaded but the pleas fell on deaf ears.

“Get out before I call the security on you and complicate things for you.” She ordered.

“No.”

Just then, Josiah came in. he was surprised to see Clara and his brother arguing.

“What in the sand storm is going on here?”

“Josiah, the time for this is not now. I want to whisk this boy out”. Clara said.

Cody walked away in order not to aggravate the tension.

“Do you know him?” Josiah asked.

“Yes, he used to be my brother’s friend but then he did something wrong. I don’t even know who let him pass security”. She said with a hiss. Josiah was confused.

“That boy is my brother”.

Clara was trying to place things out.

“Melissa’s your sister also isn’t she?” She said with indifference.

“Yes, she’s my sister. How did you know?”

“Just get out of here already. I won’t have anything to do with you and your family”.

“Why?”

“Why! You want to know the reason so bad then ask your twin siblings what they did to my brother but for now, get out of here”. She yelled at him.

“Okay, I will leave”. He said and left the ward.

Clara was left there and she was heaving heavily as a result of the shouting and yelling.