TWISTED FATE BY VERONICA EDWIN - DANIEL

WE CONTINUE WITH TWISTED FATE

EPISODE THIRTEEN

Lina went home that evening occupied in thought of Allen and of course, Jonas' condirion. She laid on her bed thinking of what could possibly be done to restore Jonas' health. Just as she was engrossed in her thought, a knock was heard on the door, Lina went to the door and when she opened it, it was a neighbor of hers, Mrs. Ronald who had come to check on her and to welcome her back from her journey.

"Good day Mrs. Ronald," Lina greeted.

"Thank you my dear, how are you doing?"

"Am doing good ma, how is everyone in the house?" "They are all doing well. How was your journey? I didn't see you when you returned."

"My journey was great. I asked after you when I came back but I was told you were not at home." "Yes, I actually went out to see a friend."

"That's ok ma."

"Yea, I will be going back now." "Ok ma, thank you very much."

"See you," Mrs. Ronald said while walking away. The night was a very long one for Lina as she laid thinking about how she could impress Allen by suggesting possible solutions to his dear brother's illness. While she was still ruminating in her thought, an idea came to her. She recalled that one of her uncles had a friend who was a medical doctor but lived in a distant land. She hoped that she still had his number because it had been quite an age since she met him. She browsed through her phone and luckily, the number was still there. She would call him and tell him about Jonas' condition and to hear what he would say. When she had drawn this conclusion, she slept off peacefully as the night journeyed through the breaking of another day.

At dawn, Lina could not wait to call her uncle's friend. She picked her mobile phone which was lying on a small stool beside her bed and dialed the number. In few seconds, she was connected to him and when he had picked up, they exchanged pleasantries after she introduced herself to him, then made the actual reason for calling known to him.

To her greatest joy, he said he could, by God's grace handle a condition like Jonas'. She then asked when he would be coming to Ammu to see Jonas but due to his medical workload, he stated that Jonas had to be brought to where he was, a place called Rama, a very distant town from Ammu and more civilized. Lina's heart sank at his words.

"How can someone in Jonas' condition embark upon a journey that will last for three or four days?" She said to herself.

But she had to help Jonas, if not for anything, to impress Allen, that was to say, she didn't have to back out. Since neither Allen nor any member of his family knew Rama town, she would definitely be the one to lead them there.

Even though she too was not very familiar with the town, she and her uncle had only visited there once and that was when she was quite a child, what could she do, she had to lead them there.

When she had concluded within herself that she would take them to Rama, she took her bath and prepared to go see Allen. At their house, she related her suggestion to Allen.

"Allen, I know that your brother's illness has rejected almost all professional hands but I assure you that by faith, the suggestion I am about to tender will be of great help this time."

"Go on," Allen urged.

She continued.

"There is this friend of my uncle who lives and works in Rama. He is a medical doctor. I have intimated him on your brother's condition and he has asked that he be brought to him. So I suggest that, without further delay, you and

I should convey your brother to my uncle's friend's place at Rama."

"That will be a very long journey, more like an Odyssey,"

Allen lamented. "Yes it will be but what is the long journey if your brother's health is restored?" Lina persuaded.

Allen was silent for a while. At last, he agreed to it if only his parents and his siblings would agree to it. Lina urged him to try as much as possible to convince them stating that it would be great if only her uncle's friend would lay his hands on Jonas. That afternoon, after Lina had left Allen's place, he related her suggestion to members of his family who hesitantly agreed that their son and brother should be taken to a place as far as Rama. When they had agreed, Allen put a call through to Lina telling her that she should get prepared as they would be going to Rama with his brother the next day. Lina was overjoyed since she would be journeying with Allen for the next three to four days. The next morning, as early as 6:00am, Lina, Allen and the sick Jonas took off to Rama with just a few of their belongings in Allen's family car. Allen was the one driving, Lina sat on the other seat in front beside Allen while Jonas laid on the seats behind. They drove through valleys and gullies, seeing a lot of people and places; a lot of trees and grasses, occasionally halting to ask for directions in order not to loose their way. Before long, they were hungry and thirsty so they stopped by a small restaurant where assorted meals were sold. They bought some pounded yam and vegetable soup and took to the car where they ate and also fed Jonas his portion. The meal over, they rested for a while and then the journey continued. The journey lasted for three and a half days before they finally arrived at Rama. While there, Lina put a call through to the doctor telling him the exact place where they were at Rama. In a couple of minutes, he was there to pick them and when they had gotten to the medical centre, Jonas was made to lie down in a bed with a leathery material, this was to avoid contamination of the bed due to his skin condition as the leathery material would just be discarded later. During the course of their stay in the hospital, Lina worked tirelessly to see to the well-being of both Jonas and Allen. The doctor on the other hand, tried all he could to restore Jonas' health. After series of medications which included injections, drugs and ointments, Jonas' skin seemed to be returning to normal. Allen could not curtail his joy, in his excitement, he hugged and thanked Lina for her great concern so far. When he hugged her, she felt so good and very happy, to her, Allen had already fallen in love with her. She quickly walked out of the room and went to the back of the hospital building.

" Can he just tell me that he loves me now and wants me to be his girlfriend or even his wife? I wish my dream will come through this day." She then offered a short prayer asking God to grant her her heart's desire. With that, she went back to join Allen and Jonas.

When the doctor saw that Jonas' skin had almost become normal, he gave them their bill which was immediately paid. He then gave them a discharge letter and some drugs and ointments that would be administered to Jonas for the total restoration of his skin. There was Jonas who was a thing of pity looking healthier and his handsomeness had begun to return. They left the hospital exactly after three weeks and headed straight for Ammu.